JUNE 6, 2011 • Iceland-based CCP Games announced that its FPS game set in the EVE Online universe, DUST 514, will be a PlayStation 3 exclusive. The title will be free-to-play, and will be monetized through virtual item sales of weapons and military gear for in-game characters. Dust 514 Players will operate as tactical ground troops, a role not available to players in the PC MMO. CCP says the events in the two games will be linked on a progressive basis over time. The game will only be available as a digital download with no retail version planned. The game will support both the PlayStation Move and Sharp Shooter peripherals for the PS3. Support for the NGP is also expected. DUST 514 is slated to launch in summer 2012.
Impact: Given that there are not a wealth of major F2P games available on the Play- Station Network, securing DUST 514 is something of a big deal for Sony. Given how competitive players of EVE Online are, a first-person variation on that universe could generate sizable virtual item sales as DUST 514 users feel the need to stay competitive. Depending on how extensively CCP co- mingles what happens in each game, this MMO and FPS marriage has tantalizing potential, and is a seriously positive refresh for the EVE franchise.
