Spice, sandworms and 10 tabletop games

Dune Imperium Uprising and More Dune Board Games

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Dune: Imperium and its standalone follow-up, Dune Imperium Uprising, lead the ten Dune board games and card games below, which also include the 1979 strategy classic and War for Arrakis miniatures. Each card lists players, play time and whether the game follows the novel or a film.

  • 10 games
  • 1979 to 2024
  • 1 to 8 players

Spice must flow. First, pick a game and check its player count.

Dune has fewer tabletop games than Star Wars or Marvel, but the lineup ranges from a 1979 negotiation classic to a 1984 film tie-in and a modern worker-placement series. Most draw on the novel, so knowing the films won’t always help much. For a look at where Dune fits in the genre, visit the sci fi board games hub.

New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.

How to start with Dune board games

Rise of Ix and Immortality both need the original Dune: Imperium box.

  • Newcomers to Imperium

    Dune: Imperium Uprising

    This standalone box needs no base game. It plays 1 to 4 or 6 players and takes 60 to 120 minutes. Ages 13+.

    Difficulty3.5 out of 5
    Time to explain4 out of 5about 25 min
    Player experience5 out of 5
    Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
    How we rate

  • Miniatures fans

    Dune: War for Arrakis

    Atreides and Harkonnen wage desert war with detailed miniatures. It plays 1 to 4 players and takes about 120 minutes.

    Difficulty3.5 out of 5
    Time to explain5 out of 5about 50 min
    Player experience5 out of 5
    Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
    How we rate

  • Big groups

    Dune: Betrayal

    A social deduction card game for 4 to 8 players, ages 14+. A game takes 20 to 40 minutes.

    Difficulty2 out of 5
    Time to explain2 out of 5about 8 min
    Player experience2 out of 5
    Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
    How we rate

The ten cards below span the 1979 Avalon Hill game through the 2024 miniatures game. Each shows the player count, play time and age, plus a link to an explainer with ratings described on how we rate. Check out the standout cards first, then filter by the play style you’re after.

Every Dune board game and card game

Out of print doesn’t mean unplayable. Check the print status on each card.

Showing all 10

Dune: Imperium

  • 2020
  • 1-4 players
  • 60-120 minutes
  • Ages 14+

The game most people mean today by the Dune board game: deck-building meets worker placement. It came out in November 2020, followed by four expansions or upgrades, from Rise of Ix to Bloodlines.

How it plays

Each round, play cards from your deck to send agents to board spaces and gain resources, faction influence, troops or new cards. Reveal your remaining cards for benefits, then resolve combat and claim rewards. Most victory points wins.

The film or show connection

The game draws on the Dune universe, with character art based on the 2021 film. It blends film-inspired material with the wider Dune legacy instead of retelling the plot.

Difficulty3 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 25 min
Player experience4 out of 5
Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
How we rate

Type deck-building game In print

  • deck-building
  • worker placement
  • solo mode
  • expansions
Publisher
Dire Wolf (with Gale Force Nine)
Designers
Paul Dennen
How to play Dune: Imperium

Dune: Imperium Uprising

  • 2023
  • 1-4, 6 players
  • 60-120 minutes
  • Ages 13+

This standalone Imperium series spin-off supports six players as well as 1 to 4. Six-player games can take up to 180 minutes. Bloodlines (2025) works with it, and the game was partly designed to celebrate Dune: Part Two.

How it plays

On your turn, play a card and, if you like, send an agent to a matching board space to gain resources, build faction influence or prepare for conflict. At round’s end, reveal your remaining cards to gain persuasion and buy cards. Combat uses the troops you committed.

The film or show connection

Part of the design celebrates Dune: Part Two, with Fremen, spies and sandworms in play. Sources do not confirm specific film scenes or actor likenesses.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 25 min
Player experience5 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type deck-building game

  • deck-building
  • worker placement
  • standalone
  • six players
Publisher
Dire Wolf
Designers
Paul Dennen
How to play Dune: Imperium Uprising

Dune: War for Arrakis

  • 2024
  • 1-4 players
  • 120 minutes
  • Ages 14+

A miniatures strategy game about the desert war between House Atreides and House Harkonnen, sub-licensed by Gale Force Nine. Each side starts in a different position and has its own victory goals. The Spacing Guild expansion also came out in 2024.

How it plays

Players take turns spending action dice to move figures, deploy units, draw or play Planning cards, and contest settlements. Rounds continue until one faction wins.

The film or show connection

Based on Frank Herbert’s novel rather than a film, the game features Dune characters, factions, units and detailed miniatures.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain5 out of 5about 50 min
Player experience5 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • miniatures
  • asymmetric
  • war game
  • solo mode
Publisher
CMON
Designers
Francesco Nepitello, Marco Maggi
How to play Dune: War for Arrakis

Dune (Avalon Hill, 1979)

  • 1979
  • 2-6 players
  • 60-180 minutes
  • Ages 14+

The original Dune strategy game comes from the team behind Cosmic Encounter. Each player leads a distinct faction. Gale Force Nine reissued it in 2019, 35 years after the last edition, changing only a small part of the rules.

How it plays

Maneuver forces across Arrakis, hunt for spice and fight over strongholds with faction-specific powers. Battles use secret troop commitments and combat cards, while alliances and diplomacy help decide the outcome.

The film or show connection

Based on Frank Herbert’s novel, not a film, the game was reissued in 2019 ahead of the 2021 film. That timing does not make it a film tie-in.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain5 out of 5about 40 min
Player experience4 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • asymmetric factions
  • negotiation
  • classic
  • reissue
Publisher
Avalon Hill (Gale Force Nine reissue 2019)
Designers
Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Peter Olotka
How to play Dune (Avalon Hill, 1979)

Dune (Parker Brothers, 1984)

  • 1984
  • 2-4 players
  • 90 minutes
  • Ages 10+

Made for David Lynch’s 1984 film, this board game has teams of three film characters. It is out of print and now a collector’s item. German and Dutch editions also exist.

How it plays

Roll two dice and divide the movement between your characters on the desert and castle board. Characters harvest spice, build strength, collect equipment and fight. The goal is to eliminate the other teams.

The film or show connection

A licensed tie-in to the 1984 film, with character cards featuring photographs of the actors.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type family board game Out of print

  • film tie-in
  • vintage
  • out of print
  • dice
Publisher
Parker Brothers
Designers
Brad Stock
How to play Dune (Parker Brothers, 1984)

Dune: Eye of the Storm (Dune Collectible Card Game)

  • 1997
  • 2-8 players
  • 60 minutes

Eye of the Storm launched the Dune card game in 1997, a collectible game about rival minor Houses. Judge of the Change followed in December 1997, then Thunder at Twilight in 1998. The game is out of print.

How it plays

Players build up their Houses’ resources and bid for Allies and Holdings. They clash through Intrigue, Battle, Arbitration and Dueling Rites while chasing spice and Favor.

The film or show connection

The first license covered the 1984 film. By December 1997, it covered all of Herbert’s novels. The cards draw on the first three books, featuring Houses, factions, spice and the Landsraad.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 30 min
Player experience4 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type trading card game Out of print

  • collectible
  • auctions
  • out of print
  • vintage
Publisher
Five Rings Publishing Group (Last Unicorn Games)
Designers
Owen Seyler, Matthew Colville
How to play Dune: Eye of the Storm (Dune Collectible Card Game)

Dune: Betrayal

  • 2021
  • 4-8 players
  • 20-40 minutes
  • Ages 14+

A social deduction card game in which every player is secretly loyal to Atreides or Harkonnen. It takes 4 to 8 players and about half an hour, making it the easiest Dune game to fit into game night.

How it plays

Players get secret identities, then use actions and discussion to find clues, bluff and figure out who’s on their side. Identities come out in the final battle, where the Houses’ success decides the result.

The film or show connection

The game uses imagery and characters from Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film, including Duke Leto Atreides and Beast Rabban.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain2 out of 5about 8 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type party game

  • social deduction
  • bluffing
  • large groups
  • card game
Publisher
Gale Force Nine
Designers
Don Eskridge
How to play Dune: Betrayal

Dune: House Secrets

  • 2021
  • 1-4 players
  • 90-180 minutes
  • Ages 14+

Portal Games’ story-driven cooperative game for 1 to 4 players unfolds through chapters of card-based encounters. Your choices shape the story.

How it plays

Players guide rebels through story chapters, deciding where to explore, which leads to follow and how to spend allies, time and resources. At each chapter’s end, they report what they learned. Characters gain experience between missions.

The film or show connection

This original adventure, inspired by the 2021 film, unfolds amid the conflict on Arrakis. Sources don’t confirm specific film characters or scenes.

Difficulty1.5 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 20 min
Player experience1 out of 5
Geek Level4 / 10Owns the soundtrack
How we rate

Type cooperative game

  • co-op
  • story-driven
  • solo mode
  • campaign
Publisher
Portal Games
Designers
Jakub Poczęty, Przemysław Rymer, Ignacy Trzewiczek, Weronika Spyra
How to play Dune: House Secrets

Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy

  • 2021
  • 2-4 players
  • 30-60 minutes
  • Ages 12+

Gale Force Nine’s 2021 game is a simplified redesign of the 1979 classic. It has four factions instead of six, a five-turn limit and a two-player mode. Games are designed to take about 30 to 60 minutes.

How it plays

Each turn has seven phases: storm, spice blow, gain cards, revival, shipping and movement, battle, and spice collection. In battle, players secretly dial forces, add a leader and optional cards, then reveal. Control three strongholds at the end of turn 3, 4 or 5 to win.

The film or show connection

Based on Frank Herbert’s novel, the game draws its visuals from characters and scenes in Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film. The Bene Gesserit are folded into the Atreides and Imperium factions.

Difficulty2.5 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • negotiation
  • streamlined
  • two-player friendly
  • 2021 film
Publisher
Gale Force Nine
Designers
Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Peter Olotka, Greg Olotka, Jack Reda
How to play Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy

Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen

  • 2022
  • 2-4 players
  • 60-90 minutes
  • Ages 14+

This Fremen-focused strategy game is set more than a hundred generations before the Atreides arrive, and credits several of the original Dune designers. Win by controlling enough sietches or securing a unanimous council decision.

How it plays

Players maneuver Fremen warriors to gather scarce resources, develop weapons and establish sietches. They fight over territory with attacks and alliances, and bring sandworms into battle.

The film or show connection

Its connection is to the Dune setting and Fremen culture, not a specific film adaptation.

Difficulty3 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 25 min
Player experience4 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type strategy board game

  • area control
  • negotiation
  • Fremen
  • alliances
Publisher
Gale Force Nine
Designers
Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Peter Olotka, Greg Olotka, Jack Reda
How to play Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen

Dune games compared

Dune games compared by year, players, play time, age, type and print status
GameYearPlayersPlay timeAgesTypeIn print
Dune: Imperium20201-460-120 minutes14+deck-building gameYes
Dune: Imperium Uprising20231-4, 660-120 minutes13+deck-building gameNot listed
Dune: War for Arrakis20241-4120 minutes14+strategy board gameNot listed
Dune (Avalon Hill, 1979)19792-660-180 minutes14+strategy board gameNot listed
Dune (Parker Brothers, 1984)19842-490 minutes10+family board gameNo
Dune: Eye of the Storm (Dune Collectible Card Game)19972-860 minutesNot listedtrading card gameNo
Dune: Betrayal20214-820-40 minutes14+party gameNot listed
Dune: House Secrets20211-490-180 minutes14+cooperative gameNot listed
Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy20212-430-60 minutes12+strategy board gameNot listed
Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen20222-460-90 minutes14+strategy board gameNot listed

Dune tabletop games over the years

From the 1979 strategy classic to the Imperium line, Dune has had tabletop games for more than four decades.

New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.

Most Dune buyers today land in the Imperium line, where the box names can get confusing. The steps below put each product in order and flag which ones need the base game. That makes it easier to see where Dune: Imperium ends and the standalone spin-off starts.

The Dune: Imperium line, one box at a time

Six products share the Imperium name, but only some require the base game.

  1. Dune: Imperium (2020)

    The base game for 1 to 4 players blends deck-building with worker placement. It was released in November 2020.

  2. Rise of Ix (2021)

    The first expansion for Dune: Imperium adds an Ix board, a CHOAM board overlay, 18 tech tiles, dreadnoughts, a freighter token and six leaders.

  3. Immortality (2022)

    Requires Dune: Imperium. The box includes more than 75 cards, a Bene Tleilax board, genetic specimens to research and grafting cards. It’s for 1 to 4 players.

  4. Deluxe Upgrade Pack (2022)

    This cosmetic upgrade for Dune: Imperium replaces the wooden agents, Mentat, troops and alliance tokens with miniatures. Trays are included.

  5. Dune: Imperium Uprising (2023)

    A standalone spin-off for 1 to 4 or 6 players. The base game isn’t required.

  6. Bloodlines (2025)

    Adds Sardaukar Commanders, new tech tiles, leaders, contracts and cards. Requires either Dune: Imperium or Uprising.

Dune games draw from three sources, which affects how much a film fan will recognize. The next section sorts them by the novel, the 1984 film and the newer films. For another sci-fi license with strong film ties, check out Star Wars board games.

Check the film connection line on each card. Dune games draw from the book, the 1984 film or the new films.

The novel, the 1984 film or the new films?

Dune games draw from three sources, so check which one inspired the box.

  • Frank Herbert's novel

    The 1979 strategy game, War for Arrakis, Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen and the 2021 Conquest and Diplomacy game all draw from the books. The 1997 card game does too.

  • David Lynch's 1984 film

    The Parker Brothers board game is a licensed film tie-in, with teams of characters and cards featuring actor photos. The 1997 card game also began with the 1984 film license before expanding to the novels.

  • The 2021 film

    Dune: Imperium uses character art based on the film. Betrayal and Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy use its imagery and characters, while House Secrets tells an original story inspired by it.

  • Dune: Part Two

    Uprising was designed in part to celebrate Dune: Part Two. Sources don't confirm specific scenes or actor likenesses.

Newcomers often ask which Imperium box to buy first. The two share a designer and a play style, so the choice comes down to player count, age rating and whether you want to follow an expansion path. The Dune: Imperium Uprising page covers the rules in more detail.

Dune: Imperium or Uprising?

The two share a designer and play style, but differ in player count and age range.

Dune: Imperium

1 to 4 players, 60 to 120 minutes, ages 14+. Rise of Ix, Immortality and the Deluxe Upgrade Pack are made for this box, and Bloodlines works with it.

Dune: Imperium Uprising

1 to 4 or 6 players, 60 to 120 minutes (up to 180 with six), ages 13+. It's standalone, and Bloodlines works with it.

Facts about Dune board games you may have missed

Rise of Ix and Immortality both need the original Dune: Imperium box.

  • The 1979 Dune game started out as a Roman Empire design called Tribute.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • The first Dune game nearly stalled over rights: its designers used characters from later novels, but the license covered only the first book. Harlan Ellison helped sort it out.

  • Gale Force Nine's 2019 reissue arrived 35 years after the Avalon Hill game's previous edition.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • Dire Wolf's designer says the studio was approached about a Dune game the same day Gale Force Nine announced its tabletop license at Gen Con in 2018.

    Source 1 (denverpost.com)

  • The 1984 Parker Brothers game puts photos of the film’s actors on its character cards.

  • Rise of Ix adds 18 technology tiles, while Immortality adds more than 75 cards.

    Source 1 (shop.direwolfdigital.com)

Questions about the franchise are usually practical: what each expansion adds, whether Uprising is standalone, and which games follow which film. The answers below are based on publisher pages. For films adapted from tabletop games, and the reverse, see movies based on board games.

Dune board game FAQ

What is Dune: Imperium Uprising?

Dune: Imperium Uprising is a 2023 standalone spin-off by Paul Dennen, blending deck-building with worker placement. It plays 1 to 4 or 6 players and doesn’t require the base game.

How many players can play Dune: Imperium Uprising?

Uprising plays 1 to 4 players, with an extra six-player mode. Games last 60 to 120 minutes; with six players, they can run up to 180 minutes.

What does the Dune Imperium Rise of Ix expansion add?

Rise of Ix adds an Ix board, a CHOAM board overlay, 18 tech tiles, dreadnoughts, a freighter token and six leaders. It’s described as the first expansion for Dune: Imperium.

What’s in the Dune Imperium Immortality expansion?

Immortality (2022) includes more than 75 cards, a Bene Tleilax board, genetic specimens, research and grafting. It supports 1 to 4 players and requires Dune: Imperium.

What is the Dune Imperium Deluxe Upgrade Pack?

This is a cosmetic upgrade, not a new game. Miniatures replace the wooden agents, Mentat, troops and alliance tokens in Dune: Imperium. The pack also includes storage trays.

Do I need Dune: Imperium to play Uprising?

No. Uprising is standalone. Bloodlines (2025) is an expansion that works with either Dune: Imperium or Uprising.

Is there a Dune card game?

Yes. The Dune collectible card game, Dune: Eye of the Storm, launched in 1997 and is out of print. Dune: Betrayal (2021) is a newer social deduction card game, and Imperium uses cards too.

What is the Dune War for Arrakis board game?

Dune: War for Arrakis is a 2024 CMON miniatures game for 1 to 4 players that takes about 120 minutes. It covers the desert war between House Atreides and House Harkonnen.

Is there a Dune board game based on the 2021 movie?

Dune: Imperium features art based on the 2021 film, while Dune: Betrayal uses its imagery and characters. Dune: House Secrets is an original adventure inspired by the film.

Is the 1984 Dune board game still available?

No. The 1984 Parker Brothers game is out of print, so copies are secondhand. It was a tie-in to David Lynch’s film.

Is there a Dune miniatures game?

Dune: War for Arrakis includes detailed miniatures. The Dune: Imperium Deluxe Upgrade Pack swaps wooden pieces for miniatures.

What is Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy?

Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy is a 2021 Gale Force Nine game for 2 to 4 players. It streamlines the 1979 classic with four factions and a five-turn limit.

Is there a shorter version of the original Dune strategy game?

Yes. The 2021 Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy keeps the storm, spice and secret battle plans, but trims play to four factions and a five-turn limit, with games aimed at 30 to 60 minutes.

Out of print doesn’t mean unplayable. Check the print status on each card.

New to the series? Uprising is standalone, so the base game isn’t needed.

Sources

  1. Dire Wolf: Dune: Imperium direwolfdigital.com
  2. Dire Wolf: Dune: Imperium Uprising direwolfdigital.com
  3. Dire Wolf: Rise of Ix shop.direwolfdigital.com
  4. Dire Wolf: Immortality shop.direwolfdigital.com
  5. Dire Wolf news: Bloodlines news.direwolfdigital.com
  6. CMON: Dune: War for Arrakis cmon.com
  7. Wikipedia: Dune (board game) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia: Dune (card game) en.wikipedia.org