Dust 514, the first MMO free-to-play shooter for consoles, officially launched today for PlayStation 3. To start playing, just hop on your PlayStation 3, download the game, and start shooting.

Dust 514 is a companion game to EVE Online, with the outcomes of battles of both games having an effect on one another. Dust 514 is a free-to-play title, but you can spend money to speed up the leveling process, and gain access to exclusive gear. Here's what's available to buy now:

• Mercenary Pack – An updated version of the popular open beta bundle that includes 40,000 Aurum to spend in-game, a 30-day skill booster (+50%), and exclusive gear.  ($19.99)
• Veteran Pack – Comes with dropsuits, boosters, 100,000 Aurum, a permanent Blood Raider Acolyte vehicle, a deadly sniper rifle, and more. ($49.99)
• Elite Pack - The ultimate in mercenary preparedness, the Elite Pack offers 200,000 Aurum, boosters, four dropsuits, multiple weapons, a permanent light attack vehicle, and a collection of Heavy Assault Vehicles. ($99.99)

Developer/Publisher CCP Games has long-term plans for Dust 514 saying, "New features, content, and upgrades are planned for years to come, beginning with an update in June and additional major releases throughout 2013."

To check out the full press release, head to page two.