In an FAQ from Shiro Games, the development team explains why House Atreides in Dune: Spice Wars bears different colors compared to previous games. Announced during The Game Awards 2021, Dune: Spice Wars serves as another attempt to bring Frank Herbert's iconic universe to the interactive medium. Such a reveal could not have come at a better time either, given last year's release of the Denis Villeneuve-directed Dune film from Legendary Pictures.
A real-time strategy title published by Funcom, Spice Wars will invite players to select their faction of choice and build them up to a position of power that allows for the control of spice - the Dune universe's most valuable resource. Such growth will stem from a faction's political influence, economic supremacy, and war, factors partly informed by gameplay features like resource mining while exploring and troop-building. Of course, as an adaptation of existing material, some aspects of the experience will differ from what longtime fans have grown accustomed to over the years. One change, in particular, however, should prove most pleasing to those who have a special place in their hearts for the Dune literature.
While the famous House Atreides in Dune games past boasted a blue color scheme, Dune: Spice Wars will see the faction donning a green hue. A recent FAQ from developer Shiro Games explains why rather succinctly, noting that Frank Herbert's series of novels actually describes the Atreides banner and robes as green and black. "So that's what we went for in the game," developers added in the FAQ blurb.
Honoring the source material seems reason enough for the decision, especially since said decision will harken back to Frank Herbert's book depictions. No doubt the news will please many a classic Dune fan who also has their eyes on the forthcoming release of Spice Wars.
This does not count as the only Dune project in the works under the watchful eye of publisher Funcom, either. The Norwegian game publisher has also teamed up with Comanche developer Nukklear to produce a Conan Exiles-inspired Dune survival game. At the time of writing, specifics about the project remain scant at best. Still, it's clear to see that Funcom's acquisition of the rights to Dune in 2019 is, thus far, being put to good use.
Dune: Spice Wars will enter an Early Access phase for PC via Steam on an unspecified date in Spring 2022.