CCP and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced an agreement to bring the groundbreaking persistent shooter DUST 514 exclusively to PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system in Summer 2012. DUST 514 is the first console game to link players in real time with a multiplayer universe on the PC, CCP’s award winning sci-fi MMO EVE Online.

"The ability for Sony Computer Entertainment to partner with a developer like CCP, known for pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation in the MMO genre, holds tremendous potential for the PlayStation 3 community," said Rob Dyer, Senior Vice President, Sony Computer Entertainment of America. "We anticipate that DUST 514 will transform the landscape across PlayStation 3 and the PC, ushering in a new era of shared cross platform gaming."

Currently in development and to be published by CCP, DUST 514 is a game of brutal ground combat and planetary conquest in which the actions of players on the PlayStation 3 will have a profound and mutual effect on the fates of hundreds of thousands of PC gamers in the vast interstellar reaches of EVE Online.

"When we set out to build a true persistent shooter for consoles, it was evident that Sony’s dedication to providing a flexible and MMO-friendly platform –alongside a robust virtual goods business model– made the PlayStation 3 the natural home for DUST 514," said Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP. "CCP’s ambition is to bring a level of truly meaningful, persistent gameplay to the PlayStation 3 never before seen."

With DUST 514, EVE’s starship pilots can forge alliances with DUST 514 mercenaries to engage in fierce surface firefights to conquer territories on the planets of New Eden, which are common to both games. The actions of ground troops and orbiting attack fleets are tightly interwoven, with the real time actions of players in one game directly affecting the other. A single bullet fired on the planet below can pivot the balance of power in EVE Online. Every action has consequences, and every reaction has the potential to topple empires.

DUST 514 has been built from the ground up to take advantage of the unique capabilities of the PlayStation platform. Digitally distributed, the full game download will be available through the PlayStationNetwork (PSN). It will feature full support for PlayStationMove controller and PlayStationMove Sharp Shooter accessory, and over time will extend the game experience across the full PlayStation ecosystem to PlayStationHome and PS Vita.

In a departure from the traditional subscription or one-time purchase model, DUST 514 will be supported by revenues from the in-game sale of virtual goods, allowing players to purchase advanced weaponry, battle gear and vehicles using both earned virtual currency and real money from their PlayStation wallet.

Both Sony and CCP are participating in this year’s E3 Expo. Visit Sony at booths #4144 and #4532. CCP is available by appointment in meeting room #8105.