Starbreeze Studios has secured a deal to obtain the publishing rights for Payday 3 from its original publisher, Plaion. This strategic move is aimed at improving the game’s content development timeline and exploring more extensive opportunities for the Payday franchise.

Starbreeze highlighted the favorable timing of this acquisition, considering Payday 3’s launch in September 2023 as the ideal moment to assume control over its publishing. The agreement is expected to facilitate a long-term partnership between Starbreeze and Plaion for future projects related to the Payday franchise.

“This agreement enables Starbreeze to fully acquire the publishing rights to Payday 3 from Plaion, significantly accelerate our content development roadmap, and pursue broader strategic opportunities for the Payday franchise as a whole,” said Thomas Lindgren, a board member of Starbreeze. “We appreciate Plaion’s support, which underscores their confidence in Starbreeze’ future and strengthens our strategic alignment with major global industry players.”

Despite this positive development, Payday 3 has faced challenges since its release, struggling to attract a substantial player base. The previous two years have been tumultuous for the game, with significant setbacks post-launch affecting its performance and player engagement.

While Payday 2 maintains its position among Steam’s top 100 most-played games, Payday 3’s recent player numbers have fallen short, often hovering just above 1,000 concurrent users. Nevertheless, the community has expressed hope that Starbreeze’s direct involvement may lead to expedited updates and improvements. However, doubts remain regarding whether the past publishing model truly hampered the game’s success.

Revitalizing Payday 3 remains a daunting challenge; the team will need to not only address existing issues but also foster a revitalized interest in the franchise moving forward.