CCP fans buying PS3s for DUST 514, developer claims

CCP believes a demographic it describes as 'DUST 514-curious' are buying PlayStation 3 consoles specifically to play the free-to-play shooter.

"We already see that Dust 514, during open beta, had been driving hardware sales for Sony," CCP business development vice president Thor Gunnarsson told Destructoid.

"We actually track that together. We know that our fan base, Dust-curious players, are buying the PlayStation 3 to get into our game."

Gunnarsson doesn't believe the imminent arrival of the PlayStation 4 will throw obstacles in CCP's plans to have DUST 514 last at least five years.

"What we hear, anecdotally, is that PS3 sales are increasing. Sony have done a phenomenal job of managing console transitions, like they did with the PlayStation 2's cost and size reductions," he said.

"We can make the logical assumption that something similar will happen as the PlayStation 4 comes to market. If you look at the large third-party publishers, you'll see that Sony is not falling away from the PlayStation 3. What about Grand Theft Auto V? It took Square Enix years to come to the PlayStation 3."

DUST 514 shares a shard with EVE Online, and the two games economies interact; EVE Online players can even support DUST 514 allies by dropping orbital strikes on opposing factions during contracts.