EVE Online’s PS3 Shooter ‘Dust 514’ Shutting Down, PC-Exclusive Replacement Coming

Dust 514, the PS3 shooter that ties into the EVE Online universe, will be going offline permanently on May 30th, 2016. The game launched as a bit of an experiment, putting PC and console players into the same game universe, but in different roles. CCP, the makers of EVE Online, revealed the closure of the game alongside an announcement of a possible replacement, which would arrive exclusively for PC.

“We are very proud of what we’ve learned and accomplished with DUST 514 on PlayStation 3 over the past three years and it is an honor to be a part of such a dedicated community,” reads the announcement from CCP. “We consider DUST 514 one of the best free-to-play offerings on the platform, but the years have caught up with us. It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that DUST 514 will be shutting down on May 30th, 2016.”

Players can continue playing the free-to-play game up until it shuts down at the end of May. A planned update has been cancelled though, and in-game items will no longer be sold for real money. Players who already have in-game money can still use it to buy items though, but refunds did not seem to be a part of the plans.

In Dust 514’s place CCP plans to introduce a new shooter that will be a PC exclusive this time around. Little details were shared, though more was promised at an upcoming EVE convention. The game is said to be different from Dust 514 in a number of ways, though veterans of that game will be given some type of reward for their loyalty to the EVE universe.

In a response post, a member of the Dust 514 community board expressed regret at the announcement, and the way it was presented to the rest of the community.

“CCP allowed us access to the announcement plans early on. What the CPM saw in that first draft did not fill us with confidence, and we felt it would not be received positively. But that was only the first draft. We argued with CCP, in face to face meetings as well as text, to rework and reword the blog post that would forever change Dust as we knew it. What you just finished reading is not perfect, and there are so many more things left to be addressed that the CPM feels should be shared. But despite all that, CCP (a group of actual real live people) deserve credit for listening to the constant criticism and doing what they felt is best. I feel that I can safely speak for the rest of CPM2 when I say that we haven’t given up, and will continue to champion what is best for this community and its future, no matter the challenges.”