Payday 3 Now Has ‘Mostly Positive’ Reviews on Steam

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Payday 3 Now Has 'Mostly Positive' Reviews on Steam

Key Takeaways

  • Payday 3’s recent Steam reviews climb to mostly positive, while its overall review rating remains mixed.
  • The highly-anticipated shooter had a disastrous launch in 2023 with server issues, negative reviews, and low player count.
  • Consistent quality-of-life improvements and updates based on fan feedback result in a positive uptick for Payday 3.

As a long-time fan of the Payday series, I’ve been through the highs and lows with this crew. I remember the thrill of the original Payday 2 heists, the camaraderie, the tension, and the sheer exhilaration of pulling off a perfect job. But when Payday 3 was released in 2023, it felt like a betrayal. The game was plagued with server issues, missing features, and an unforgiving progression system that left many of us feeling let down.

In 2023, the contentious follow-up known as Payday 3, which initially had a rocky launch, has managed to regain favorable Steam review ratings following numerous updates based on user input. Although its overall rating remains ‘mixed’ on this platform, approximately 71% of the latest 1,000+ reviews for Payday 3 have been positive – a strong indication that this game, which was once thought to be a failure at launch, is gradually evolving towards its intended quality.

10 years after the original, I was eagerly awaiting the release of Payday 3, hoping it would build on the greatness of Payday 2 – a game that’s still one of the best heist games and remains popular on Steam today. However, I was sorely disappointed when the 2023 sequel didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Following a year of enhancements and fresh content additions for Payday 3, the shooter game now boasts an overwhelmingly positive review rating on Steam, particularly from recent evaluations. Many of the game’s initial criticisms are now being commended by these latest reviews. For instance, Steam user Rawroon applauded the new solo mode beta for bypassing the matchmaking queue and allowing players to dive straight into the action, while also appreciating the revamped progression system that “is genuinely enjoyable and rewards you for playing heists rather than completing obscure challenges.” Similarly, Korneel lauded Starbreeze for being receptive to the community’s feedback, stating that each update represents a significant stride [in] improvement.

Payday 3 Claws Its Way to Mostly Positive Review Score

On the official Twitter handle of the game, often joking about the low player count and unfavorable reviews of Payday 3, Starbreeze addressed a fan’s criticism regarding their celebration of positive reviews. “We value community feedback, we’re making strides in the game development, and we appreciate any victories,” the studio replied. Although there’s still much left to accomplish, the progress can be seen in the rising number of concurrent players for Payday 3. In comparison to just a few months ago when the game averaged fewer than 1,000 peak-time players, SteamDB now indicates that it consistently peaks between 1,000 and 3,500 concurrent players.

It’s also plausible that the ongoing expansion of the game might be due to a shift in management, as the game director for Payday 3 stepped down in September. Miodrag Kovacevic, the former game director of Payday 3, remains with the studio but is no longer in a leadership role. Now, Andreas Penninger, who serves as lead producer, and Almir Listo, global brand director, are driving the creative decisions for future updates.

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2024-10-05 12:53