Black Desert Online

VS

Dune: Awakening

Black Desert Online is a 2015 MMORPG by Pearl Abyss known for its persistent world, large-scale multiplayer, and strong sandbox features. The game remains popular in Asia and maintains a moderate to strong player base worldwide, thanks to regular updates, cross-platform play, and a dedicated core audience. Its age means numbers are lower than its original peak but higher than many niche MMOs. Estimated daily active players is around 110,000.

As of late August 2025, Dune: Awakening had approximately 14,000 concurrent players, reflecting a significant decline from its peak of over 189,000 concurrent players shortly after launch in June 2025. This decrease is attributed to factors such as player burnout, game design issues, and technical problems. Despite these challenges, the developers remain optimistic, citing strong player retention and a 10-year development roadmap that includes plans to explore new planets and regions within the Dune universe. ([gamesradar.com](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mmo/dune-awakening-dev-says-player-retention-has-been-extremely-good-and-the-mmos-10-year-plan-still-has-so-much-to-pull-from-in-the-lore-well-go-to-new-planets-eventually/?utm_source=openai))