Gcore, the global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider, announced that it has collaborated with Funcom on the global launch of Dune: Awakening.
Gcore provided the infrastructure for the game’s launch to LATAM players, delivering a dynamic experience as they explore the expansive, open-world multiplayer survival game. Over its first weekend, Dune: Awakening hit a peak of 189,000 concurrent players, making it the #1 top-selling game on Steam.
To deliver outstanding gaming experiences, Funcom must deploy compute-intensive workloads capable of powering real-time gameplay and matchmaking with minimal latency, all while providing resilience against potential DDoS attacks. To give Dune: Awakening’s LATAM gamers an experience typically available to North American and European gamers, Gcore provided three core services:
Bare Metal Servers configured with AMD Ryzen 9 9950x CPUs for high single-threaded performance
Managed Kubernetes clusters to orchestrate scalable multiplayer services based on bare metal servers
Built-in advanced DDoS Protection to secure critical launch infrastructure
Gcore robust LATAM infrastructure is anchored in the region but utilised the company’s global backbone and edge Points of Presence to support Dune: Awakening’s smooth running. Purpose-built to support latency-sensitive workloads – such as seamless online multiplayer gaming– the infrastructure possesses multi-terabit capacity in São Paulo, with participation in IX.br (the region’s largest internet exchange). Private peering agreements are in place with major ISPs such as Claro and TIM.
Gcore Managed Kubernetes enabled Funcom to dynamically manage containers across a cluster of powerful bare metal nodes – crucial for maintaining game state, matchmaking, and multiplayer interactions in real-time. This setup enabled flexible scaling in response to player demand, meaning that it was equipped to handle spikes on launch day, and can ramp up as more players join.
To ensure a smooth experience for gamers, Gcore DDoS Protection service only allows legitimate traffic travels to and from servers, filtering out any attack traffic before it has any opportunity to impact performance. This service will be handled locally, eliminating the need for long-haul traffic rerouting and enabling faster, more reliable protection at scale.
Gcore also supported Funcom through critical pre-launch milestones, including beta testing weekend in May 2025, where 40,000 concurrent players put the game through its paces.
Gcore will showcase its latest innovative solutions tailored for the gaming industry at gamescom, taking place in Cologne from 20 to 24 August 2025. Visit us at booth B033, Hall 2.2 to learn more and connect with the Gcore team.
Stian Drageset, CFO & COO at Funcom
We’re excited that players are now experiencing Dune: Awakening and thanks to Gcore managed services, our team can focus on game logic and player experience, not orchestration or hardware. The ability to deploy high-frequency bare metal nodes directly in the region has been a game-changer for our South American launch strategy. Gcore allowed us to reach players in regions where performance at this level is not usually possible. They have been a vital partner.
Ilya Matveev, US Territory Manager at Gcore
LATAM possess a huge number of passionate gamers, but the infrastructure hasn’t been able to support gaming experiences of elsewhere. However, Gcore is able to deliver high-frequency compute in markets like South America, meaning game publishers can unlock the immense LATAM potential and can adjust GTM strategies to include it. Gaming is Gcore heritage, so we’re delighted to support bringing huge titles to everyone.
link