Funcom’s latest multiplayer survival game, Dune: Awakening, is enjoying a robust global rollout thanks in part to its technical partnership with edge infrastructure provider Gcore. The collaboration between the Norway-based game studio and the Luxembourg-headquartered technology firm is particularly notable in the Latin American (LATAM) region, where infrastructure limitations have historically hindered premium online gaming experiences.
Gcore, known for its edge AI, cloud, network, and cybersecurity solutions, has provided the foundational infrastructure for the LATAM deployment of Dune: Awakening. The game, which launched to impressive fanfare, quickly topped Steam’s bestseller chart and recorded 189,000 concurrent players in its opening weekend. LATAM gamers, who have often been underserved due to regional performance challenges, were among those able to access the game with low latency and high stability – capabilities largely enabled by Gcore’s regional footprint.
In support of the launch, Gcore delivered three critical services to meet the technical demands of a modern open-world multiplayer game: bare metal servers featuring AMD Ryzen 9 9950x CPUs for single-threaded performance, managed Kubernetes clusters for container orchestration and elastic scalability, and advanced DDoS protection tailored for the game’s launch-critical infrastructure.
For Funcom, offloading infrastructure orchestration allowed the studio to concentrate on what it does best: delivering rich, immersive gameplay. “Thanks to Gcore’s managed services, our team can focus on game logic and player experience rather than hardware or orchestration,” said Stian Drageset, CFO and COO at Funcom. He added that access to local, high-frequency bare metal nodes dramatically changed the company’s LATAM launch strategy, opening up new levels of engagement in traditionally underserved markets.
Gcore’s strategic positioning in LATAM – particularly in São Paulo – gave Funcom the regional compute capabilities needed to deliver consistent performance. Gcore’s infrastructure is anchored by multi-terabit bandwidth in Brazil’s largest city, direct involvement in the IX.br internet exchange, and peering agreements with key ISPs like TIM and Claro. This physical and network presence enabled low-latency matchmaking, seamless multiplayer state synchronization, and real-time gameplay essential to a global game launch.
“LATAM is home to millions of passionate gamers, yet infrastructure limitations have long restricted the region’s access to premium multiplayer experiences,” said Ilya Matveev, Gcore’s US Territory Manager. “By deploying high-frequency compute nodes and direct connectivity, we help publishers tap into this enormous potential without compromising on performance or stability.”
The technical underpinnings provided by Gcore were especially vital during peak load moments. For example, during a pre-launch beta weekend in May 2025, 40,000 players simultaneously tested the game – an event that required real-time container orchestration across multiple high-performance nodes. Gcore’s Managed Kubernetes solution ensured that backend services, including matchmaking and world state management, could scale dynamically as player numbers surged.
DDoS Mitigation
Security was also a key focus. Gcore’s built-in DDoS mitigation filters traffic before it can reach the server layer, ensuring uninterrupted gameplay. Unlike traditional cloud-based mitigation solutions that often reroute traffic to distant scrubbing centers, Gcore’s regional approach eliminated latency-inducing detours. By keeping mitigation close to the source, Funcom was able to maintain real-time performance even during periods of potential threat activity.
Looking ahead, Gcore is continuing to expand its profile in the gaming sector. The company plans to showcase its latest innovations at gamescom in Cologne this August, where it will present new solutions tailored for gaming studios and publishers at booth B033 in Hall 2.2.
The case of Dune: Awakening underscores a broader trend in game development and publishing: the growing reliance on edge infrastructure to ensure consistent, global experiences. As games become more immersive, computationally intensive, and globally distributed, having reliable partners for low-latency, high-throughput infrastructure will be increasingly essential.
Founded in 1993, Funcom has established itself as a veteran publisher of online games for both PC and console platforms. Its portfolio includes titles such as Conan Exiles, Dune: Spice Wars, and The Longest Journey. With the success of Dune: Awakening, the studio continues to evolve its multiplayer and survival game offerings, now with a stronger footing in previously challenging regions like LATAM – thanks in no small part to infrastructure partners like Gcore.
