Sony mulls PS3 microtransactions, item trading for Dust 514

Sony is mulling the addition of micro-transactions and item trading on PlayStation Network, beginning with PlayStation 3 and Vita online shooter Dust 514.

Developer CCP said plans for dealing with Dust 514's item management were "breaking new ground" on PSN and, if implemented, could become a universal system for buying, selling and trading content using Sony's online services.

"We're having many meetings with Sony to ensure they have solid policies on virtual currency," CCP boss Hilmar Pétursson told Develop. "Given the amount of back and forth there, we can definitely see us breaking new ground."

CCP said Sony was hammering out price guidelines and item restrictions to allow Dust 514's system to be expanded to other games if successful.

"We are both trailblazing together. CCP and Sony are right there in the same room figuring all this out together," CCP marketing exec David Reid added. "I've only joined the company for about 72 hours and about half that time is speaking to Sony.

"If there is a retail play, Sony has tremendous routes into that. They have PlayStation Network cards sold over the counter. There's so many ways for us to get our brand everywhere."

CCP plans for Dust 514 to include robust systems of virtual commerce similar to its traditional PC MMO Eve Online, which Dust 514 ties into.