Summary
- Starbreeze Studios acquires Payday 3 rights.
- Payday 3's launch faced negative reviews due to matchmaking and server problems.
- Starbreeze board member Thomas Lindgren shared that the acquisition would allow the developer to “significantly accelerate [its] content development roadmap, and pursue broader strategic opportunities for the Payday franchise as a whole.”
Starbreeze Studios, the developer behind Payday 3, has announced an exciting update happening behind the scenes, and the change directly affects the sequel’s development. Payday 3 is a co-op FPS that was first launched in 2023, serving as a direct sequel to its 2013 predecessor. Set after the events of Payday 2, the third installment sees the titular gang return to form after going their separate ways, including the original crew members Dallas, Chains, Wolf, and Hoxton, alongside Joy, Houston, Clover, Jacket, and new character Pearl.
Swedish developer Starbreeze had previously developed Payday 2, and other notable projects, such as Overkill’s The Walking Dead, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. Additionally, the Starbreeze team is currently working on an untitled Dungeons & Dragons project with Wizards of the Coast, which is expected to be ready in 2026. As a treat for fans of the series, Payday 3 was added to the list of free PS Plus games for February 2025 that are available to play now, joining the likes of Pac-Man World: Re-Pac and High on Life.
Payday 3 Gets Surprise Collaboration With One of 2012's Best Games
Starbreeze Studios announces a surprising collaboration with one of 2012's best games, coming soon to Payday 3.
Announced in a blog post, Starbreeze confirmed it had acquired the publishing rights to Payday 3, following previous reports that stated Starbreeze was looking to invest less in Payday 3 during year two. The statement noted the developer had “reached a mutual agreement” with former publisher Plaion, and the move was financed by Starbreeze’s new shares, with SEK 29m (approximately $3m) of the worth being invested into repaying Plaion to settle “outstanding claims.”
Starbreeze Studios Acquires Payday 3 Rights
Speaking about Payday 3’s development after the acquisition, Starbreeze board member Thomas Lindgren shared that the acquisition would allow the developer to “significantly accelerate [its] content development roadmap, and pursue broader strategic opportunities for the Payday franchise as a whole.” It’s no secret that the anticipated sequel did not have a successful start, with Payday 3 gaining mostly negative reviews on Steam shortly after its launch. Matchmaking issues and constant server problems plagued gameplay for the majority of players, and the community also requested an offline mode, so fans could play solo.
Payday 3 fans should also mark May 26 on their calendars, adding to the excitement of Starbreeze’s acquisition. The team behind the shooter teased that new content would be dropping on this date, and the news seemed like a direct response to the players who have recently been asking for new content to be added to the sequel. Payday 3’s future looks much brighter with the promise of added content and a shift in gear regarding development.
Payday 3
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 63 /100 Critics Rec: 25%
- Released
- September 21, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Overkill Software
- Publisher(s)
- Starbreeze Studios, Prime Matter
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS
