DUST 514 is an upcoming Sci-Fi MMOFPS by CCP Games, developer of renowned sandbox MMO EVE Online. Players of EVE Online have enjoyed life in space, flying ships around blowing each other up and taking control of solar systems. There is one thing that players never could do however, take the battle down to the planet surface. This is where DUST 514 comes in, offering a first-person-shooter experience that ties in with the EVE Online MMO in real-time.
Now connecting the game to EVE Online doesn’t just mean it has the same background story and setting, the games are literally linked. Players of EVE Online who are fighting battles in space can assist those fighting on the planet surface on DUST 514 and vice versa. For example, a group of EVE players might want to control a planet with valuable resources, so they hire a group of DUST 514 players to fight the battle and win the planet for them. In turn, the DUST 514 players might be having trouble mid-battle and call upon the EVE players to launch orbital bombardments.
This all happens in real-time as was stated earlier, you aren’t just clicking buttons and making requests that make the game appear to be connected. DUST 514 players earn ISK, the same currency that EVE players use, this ISK comes from EVE players and therefore links the economies. Players assist in battles across games through various means and can even join the one corporation. Hopefully by now you are getting an image of just how connected these worlds really are.
For the technophobes out there, not only will the games be connected but they will also be cross-platform. DUST 514 is set to initially release as a Playstation 3 exclusive, connecting the PS3 with the tranquility server that EVE Online PC gamers inhabit. The best news though, CCP has announced that it will be free-to-play with micro-transactions available as the games source of revenue. This makes DUST 514 the first true free-to-play FPS on console and opens up the game to a whole new audience.
“DUST 514 has everything you could want in a shooter: thrilling gameplay, spectacular graphics and an incredible strategic depth that comes from sharing the living universe of EVE Online,” said CCP CEO Hilmar Pétursson. “DUST 514 embodies the passion and creativity the world has come to expect from CCP, and we think PlayStation®3 owners will be amazed at the opportunity to play such a groundbreaking new game of this caliber for free.”
Not only will gamers across the globe have the chance to experience a AAA quality MMOFPS for free on their console, they will also have the ability to indulge themselves in a universe that may have otherwise been too complex to enjoy. EVE is a complex game with much to learn and do, it’s hard, shooting people in the face is much less complex.
Attendees of EVE Fanfest 2012 will have a chance to play DUST 514 at the convention and will also be included in an upcoming private test. The game is scheduled to be released later this year so if you haven’t bought a PS3 yet, I suggest you look in to fixing that.
Visit the EVE Online game page to find out more!