Locked and loaded

CCP Games’ ambitious free-to-play first-person shooter DUST 514 will fire into open beta on 22nd January, the developer has announced. The news comes just weeks after the PlayStation 3 exclusive merged servers with its companion PC MMO, Eve Online. It’s all rather exciting stuff.

"The launch of the Dust 514 open beta is another step towards our long-term vision for CCP and Eve," said gaffer Hilmar Veigar Pétursson. "But this is just the beginning. As we have done with Eve Online, in the coming weeks, and for years to come, we will continually improve upon and add to the Dust 514 experience, as well as add deeper integration between the two games and their communities."

The company added that those of you participating in the closed beta will no longer face any more character resets, so you’re fighting for keeps from now on. If you’d like to get an early head start, you can access the online test right now by purchasing the DUST 514 Mercenary Pack from the PlayStation Store. Anyone that plays a match before 22nd January will unlock a 100,000 Skill Point bonus in the open beta.