Will PS3 exclusive Dust 514 head to Xbox?

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 9 June, 2011

CCP remains quiet, bigs up PSN.

Will Xbox 360 owners ever get to play eye-catching MMO FPS Dust 514, announced this week as a downloadable PlayStation 3-exclusive?

"Let's just say that with Sony at least they have policies that allow us to build the game the way we want," CCP CTO Halldor Fannar said during an E3 presentation attended by Eurogamer.

"That is one of the reasons why we've gone with PSN."

The comment followed a smirk and a "no comment" to the question of a potential Xbox 360 version.

Developer CCP showcased the Unreal Engine 3-powered game during Sony's E3 press conference this week. A closed beta will happen at the end of the year ahead of a full PlayStation Network download-only release in spring 2012.

The console shooter directly connects to the PC MMO Eve Online, which launched in 2003. Dust 514 and EVE Online will share one "vibrant universe" - one single-shard super computer server.

CCP isn't the first MMO developer to find Xbox Live troublesome.

Last year Final Fantasy XIV Online creator and director Hiromichi Tanaka told Eurogamer that a "closed" Xbox Live blocked the game from appearing on Xbox 360.

"The main reason why we couldn't go with Xbox 360 was the Xbox Live system," he explained. "[Live is] different to the normal internet environment, so when we wanted to introduce this game in the same environment as Windows PC it had to be PS3, so that was our choice.

"Microsoft has a different point of view: they want to have a closed environment for Xbox Live. We're still talking to... We couldn't come to an agreement on Xbox Live."

MMO developer Cryptic chucked in the towel on an Xbox 360 version of Champions Online in early 2010. Producer Craig Zinkievich told Eurogamer he was frustrated with the business side of getting an MMO on Xbox Live; the game itself, he said, ran just fine.

Sony, however, seems more open to the idea of allowing MMO developers to play by their own rules on the Network.

"Sony allows us to use our systems," Fannar explained. "Microsoft has Xbox Live. They're very strict on that. There's a lot of issues we run into. It may be a basic thing people don't realise, but with Dust and Eve on Sony's network, we can allow them to chat together. Voice chat, text chat, that's all one world.

"One of the reasons for the partnership with Sony is because they're opening up new ways to do these things.

"We're going to be managing most of it. We're using PlayStation just for credentials, stuff like that. Then it's all our stuff.

"With our agreement with Sony they seem to be fine with our three month expansion cycle. They've been looking at the MMO space for a while, trying to understand why something like that hasn't still happened on the console. They're coming to terms with it. There are certain things they have to relax just to allow these things to function."

And Xbox 360 owners may not be alone in feeling left out. Some Eve Online players have complained that CCP has overlooked the PC when it should have been the first choice.

"We wanted to find an audience that was diagonally opposite of what we had instead of trying to cannibalise what we already have," Fannar explained. "That's initially what we're trying to do."

"If you look at all the people who actually tried Eve, it's a really large number. There is interest out there for people to experience this world. But the gameplay style, whether it's being on the PC or it's how Eve is played, doesn't suit them.

"So we wanted to create something that was very different. We understand the Eve players right now are thinking, oh man, I want to play this game but now I need the PS3.' They have to understand we're trying to build this game for a slightly different audience. That's the difference.

"We don't do a terribly good job of trying to ease people into Eve. We're not going to get away with that on Dust. Whereas if we were publishing it on PC, we could. Sony wouldn't come over and say, 'Guys, there's no way. This is just sensory overload. There's too much information. So that's another reason why we're doing it. We're trying to learn how we can cater to people and get them into it."

Will Dust ever come to PC? "We're exclusive on the PS3 right now and we're focusing on making a really good game there," Fannar said. "But I can't speak to what's going to happen in the future, so..."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 12 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • NegativeZero #1 12 months ago

    "with Dust and Eve on Sony's network, we can allow them to chat together"

    Eve is already on / moving to 'Sony's Network' then? Eve Online for PS3 on the cards? Maybe I'm reading too much into this.

  • monsieur_qwerty #2 12 months ago

    WiiU version or GTFO.

  • Murton #3 12 months ago

    I reckon it's a safe bet that before too long Dust will be made available to PC Eve players through an expansion pack and the Eve client will be made available on the PS3. Even with this explanation as to why they've done it, it still doesn't make sense to have two games that a linked appear on different platforms.

    The big selling point of Dust from the beginning was the ability to dock with space station and then explore the interior, something which just isn't practical using two separate platforms.

  • GamesConnoisseur #4 12 months ago

    For me its more of a big news and a shock that PC loyal Eve gamers are shut out than of Xbox owners.

    May be timed exclusive but still what a way to reward a large following.

  • Poontash #5 12 months ago

    I think I want to play EVE again in anticipation. Is there still a Eurogamer corporation?
    The main reason I never stick with it is the lack of friends to play with. Space is lonely!

  • coolbritannia #6 12 months ago

    @Ironfist, you were negged because there are some absolute retards on this site.

    I want this and EVE on Live. I'd pay an additional sub if it meant I didn't have to buy a gaming rig or PS3.

    In fact, using Kinect to direct the space battles could be epic! Bring on the negs, shitcunts.

  • SBfistfun #7 12 months ago

    shitcunts.

    That's my favourite word of the week!

  • Bradach #8 12 months ago

    ... so 'No Comment' is actually news now?

  • frunk #9 12 months ago

    Hmmm PSN - good and bad... its more open than XBL - so MMO's can work on it... it also means hackers can work on it too. It's the compromise you proably have to make!

    As for PC gamers wanting to play Dust 514 and complaining at having to get a PS3... cheer it - by the time this comes out a PS3 will be cheaper than most grapics cards you will be considering as an upgrade :)

  • Spekingur #10 12 months ago

    @Murton: Docking with stations and walking inside of them is part of (probably) the next Eve Online expansion.

    My guess is that Microsoft weren't as agile with how CCP wanted to be able to link their two games together.

  • shave_my_donkey #11 12 months ago

    @ironfist
    cool story bro

  • Whitster #12 12 months ago

    I know what EVE is, tried it and couldn't get into it. I've yet to see any explanation of how this exactly ties in (obviously aside from the shared universe setting), anyone care to enlighten me?

  • theonlyix #13 12 months ago

    I wouldnt trust sony with my EVE login details. Sorry, id unsub EVE if this happened.


    Live or GTFO.

  • Skooch #14 12 months ago

    The walled garden of LIVE is what sets it apart from PSN, it is a more secure, more consistent, more user-friendly experience. However, when it is preventing decent games from appearing on the platform (MMOs in particular) it would appear a middle-ground is necessary to the benefit of everyone.

  • altitude2k #15 12 months ago

    I'm not a fan of MMOs, never have. Except EVE, which I think has amaIng scope and potential. As primarily a 360 gamer, Dust 514 has been on my radar for some time, and I admit that I am disappoin

  • altitude2k #16 12 months ago

    I'm not a fan of MMOs, never have. Except EVE, which I think has amaIng scope and potential. As primarily a 360 gamer, Dust 514 has been on my radar for some time, and I admit that I am disappoin

  • Raptaur #17 12 months ago

    I think this is will be doomed in the end.

    They want to attach and FPS onto EVE, a game that has been played now since 2003.

    What kinda FPS do they hope to have people still playing 8 years later? Unless they think they are gonna come up with some kinda COD recycle. And if thats there plan they better be making as good or better than those initial COD releases that built up the huge fanbase

  • altitude2k #18 12 months ago

    I'm not a fan of MMOs, never have. Except EVE, which I think has amaIng scope and potential. As primarily a 360 gamer, Dust 514 has been on my radar for some time, and I admit that I am disappoin

  • Shagsmith #19 12 months ago

    Hope it does end up on the 360, couldn't for the life of me get into EVE on both attempts at it, but I love all the stories and whatnots that come out of it.

  • ronuds #20 12 months ago

    I think all platforms have more than enough FPS's, so I can't say I really care what platform it's on.

  • Dizzy #21 12 months ago

    Yeah we all know what happened to that flexible PSN, there is a reason MS keeps things closed.

  • shave_my_donkey #22 12 months ago

    @ironfist
    ...feels bad man

  • Zaiz #23 12 months ago

    I'd buy it if it was on PC. I wouldn't bother with it on PS3, tho' one of my friends might get it.

  • shen #24 12 months ago

    @Ironfist/coolbrittania
    Guaranteed "neg" magnets
    1. Trolling
    2. aggressiveness (but compound swearing can be very funny, e.g. shitcunts, fuckmonkeys etc)
    3. predicting getting negged, or whining about getting negged.

  • scoop #25 12 months ago

    @NagativeZero: Eve is already on / moving to 'Sony's Network' then?

    No, sorry to say but Eve isn't coming to PS3 (the article didn't quite quote the full answer, which is available elsewhere).
    The reason being is that Eve is information overload for the console demographic, hence Dust514 is the answer for console.

    @theonlyix: "I wouldnt trust sony with my EVE login details. Sorry, id unsub EVE if this happened. "

    Sony don't get your login details. Dust514 accounts details are held by CCP - PSN is only used to download the client binary.

    On the subject of CCP & privacy, CCP don't ask for your address details unless you pay via CC. I pay via Paypal myself, and all they require is your name & email address. Dust is also free to play - they'll get their income from microtransactions.

    Another reason they chose PS3 is that it allows players to remain anon (you can't do that with XBox Live).

  • HyperTails #26 12 months ago

    I'll be keeping my eye on this as time goes on. I'd expect it to come to 360 is Microsoft allowed Live to be more open, but this is Microsoft so I doubt it.

  • davisorle #27 12 months ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • Kaminari #28 12 months ago

    Fucking PC gamers always have something to complain about. They've got more than 7 years of Eve Online upgrades, but that's not enough to those constant whiners.

    As for 514 coming to 360, I say the more the merrier. But if Microsoft refuses to have XBox hobos play alongside PS3 gits, that's not going to happen.

  • scoop #29 12 months ago

    @Kaminari

    Yeah, the problem isn't letting them play together - the actual game server can be anywhere and belong to anyone. The problem is in the accounts... Microsoft won't let you have a game that can be signed into with anything other than Xbox Live, and it has to display your GamerTag. You can see how that won't work in the Eve universe... CCP treasure privacy, especially when most players play both sides of the fence ;)

    An interesting juxtaposition to Blizzard, who want everyone to know what your real name is :p Carebears.

  • Bluetooth #30 12 months ago

    I didn't know the Chinese Communist Party were in the business of making games!

  • MDL199 #31 12 months ago

    @Dizzy

    Yeah, there is a reason that Microsoft keeps thing's closed - it's so they can make sure that they can keep creaming in the profits from their customers without letting anyone else have a slice of the pie.

    Anyways, this is something for PS3 owners to look forward to for sure.

  • Atropos #32 12 months ago

    @general_ironfist
    You sound exactly like my mate who was later diagnosed with Asberger's Syndrome. Not saying you have it, I'm not a doctor and I don't know you, but my point was that he used to dump his life-story the way you just did on people at the drop of a hat, which people find disconcerting. They shouldn't, but they do, so keep in mind that oversharing scares people away. Anyway, after getting diagnosed he was given some simple pointers and talk therapy, and as part of an exercise he went on a blind date he had to set up himself. He is now married to the girl he met, has a beautiful child, second on the way, and happier than I've ever seen him.

    Point is mate, it gets better. Sometimes you need to get to the bottom of what your problem or issue is, sometimes not; but just keep at it. Sign up for some gay chat rooms or whatever, eventually you'll meet someone. Truth.

    Oh, and I'm so there for Dust514; EVE always sounded like my perfect cup of tea, if I was still allowed MMORPG:s I'd be in like Flint. So this seems the perfect compromise for me :-)

  • Murton #33 12 months ago

    "The reason being is that Eve is information overload for the console demographic"

    This is the sort of elitist pc gamer bullshit that makes this old gamer glad to no longer play on that particular platform, I'd rather not be associated with such drivel quite frankly. A sizable portion of the demographic that CCP seems to think are incapable of playing Eve are going to be people who played the original Civ, Populus, Deuteros etc. You'll find them, as players, every bit as capable of the level of macro and micro management as the average Eve Online player.

    Not every console gamer is a child and not every console owning adult is the infamous "Dave" character who only buys CoD and FIFA each year and isn't interested in playing anything more complex, I wish devs would realise this and release something designed to actually challenge us

  • funkateer #34 12 months ago

    "Yeah we all know what happened to that flexible PSN, there is a reason MS keeps things closed."

    ...but security isn't one of them.

  • telboy007 #35 12 months ago

    @Poontash

    I'll answer your question!!!! Yes, come join us in the chat room "eurogamer.net" - the unofficial official EG corp. :) I think the official official is still going but not 100%.

  • riseer #36 12 months ago

    Well everyone should know their won't be Mmo's unless Microsoft changes their rules.I understand what this guy is saying i would love to see Keyboard and Mouse support as well.Maybe get Pc gamers in the mix that would really open up the communty aspect.I just find it sad that Microsoft won't let mmo's on their network.

  • scoop #37 12 months ago

    @Murton: "The reason being is that Eve is information overload for the console demographic"

    This is the sort of elitist pc gamer bullshit that makes this old gamer glad to no longer play on that particular platform, I'd rather not be associated with such drivel quite frankly. A sizable portion of the demographic that CCP seems to think are incapable of playing Eve are going to be people who played the original Civ, Populus, Deuteros etc. You'll find them, as players, every bit as capable of the level of macro and micro management as the average Eve Online player.

    Totally agree, but worth pointing out that it's Sony who think it's too much for the PS3. Specifically, Eve as it stands wouldn't pass their own TRCs. Sony don't even like small fonts...I've had headaches dealing with their stupid rules over this stuff -- you can't argue that 1080p is fine, because everything has to work on both 1080p and PAL/NTSC. Think you could fit all that Eve GUI data in a 720x480i window, and still call it Eve?
    Edited by scoop at 10/06/11 @ 18:26

  • curtlikesmeat #38 12 months ago

    This is an incredible idea, hope they can bring it to reality.

    Tried EVE again this year, couldn't get into it, I just found it too boring and not really my cup of tea.

  • Lemming81 #39 12 months ago

    Tbh, this was music to my ears. Can you imagine if there HAD been a deal struck with MS? 'In the next patch, Even will be integrated into GFWL!" *shudders*