Anti-aircraft sandworm appeared in Dune: Awakening. Players faced a flying monster from which it's impossible to escape

One of the players in Dune: Awakening witnessed an unusual phenomenon. A sandworm leapt over 400 meters into the air and struck one of the ornithopters. This obviously meant an instant-kill. The machine stood no chance against the Shai-Hulud. The player published the video on Reddit to warn others about the "anti-aircraft" skills of the largest residents of Arrakis.

We've already known that worms can jump out of the sand. After all, the game warns you about their proximity, even if you're in the air. Still, the sheer height of the creature's leap was unexpected.

The flying sandworm

We can find information about the size of sandworms in Frank Herbert's novels. According to Dr. Yueh, they reach up to 450 meters in length. There are also unconfirmed reports of over 700-meter individuals living in the southern regions of the planet. Considering the speed of these creatures, it can be assumed that they are able to reach a certain height above the sands of Dune.

Was this correctly portrayed in Dune: Awakening? Naturally, there are some doubts, but let's remember that this is not a worm simulator, but an MMO with survival elements. Additionally, the story is set in an alternative timeline in which Paul Atreides was never born, so in theory everything is possible and acceptable.

Despite this, there's no point in fooling ourselves - this situation is likely an exception, a bug, although there are other reports of this happenstance as well. If such epic worm leaps were permanently added to the game, they could negatively impact the gameplay and the players' nerves. At this point, users recommend maintaining appropriate height, especially while hovering in place, if the creature is nearby. Let's hope that the developers will quickly deal with the desert rulers' antics.

Shai-Hulud

The Fremen use the term "Shai-Hulud" in relation to sandworms, expressing respect or even fear of these creatures. This word was taken from the Arabic language and was slightly changed. It can be translated to - "something immortal" or "something eternal." Frank Herbert took frequent inspiration from Middle Eastern culture while creating the Dune universe.

• miscellaneous