CCP Games has confirmed that Dust 514 will be available for free, dropping the mandatory initial payment for virtual goods. The game will be part of the massive shared, persistent Eve Online universe and will be coming to the PS3 via PSN later in 2012.

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.”

“As the first true free-to-play FPS on PS3, Dust 514 signifies a big step forward in the evolution of console gaming,” said Phil Rosenberg, SVP of Business Development, Sony Computer Entertainment America. “PS3 is the only platform where players will experience a AAA game like this for free and showcases our commitment to deliver the best games exclusively on PlayStation Network.”