Payday 3’s Next Update is Coming at a Bad Time

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Payday 3's Next Update is Coming at a Bad Time

Key Takeaways

  • Payday 3 suffered server issues at launch, leading to backlash and dramatic player count drops.
  • Currently, Payday 3 has significantly fewer players on Steam compared to Payday 2.
  • Despite the impending Xbox Game Pass exit, new heist DLC Fear & Greed with free updates are to be released on September 16.

As a dedicated fan of the Payday series since the early days of Payday 2, I can’t help but feel a tinge of nostalgia mixed with disappointment upon seeing the current state of Payday 3. The game was supposed to be the crowning achievement for Starbreeze Studios and Deep Silver, yet it seems to have stumbled at the starting line due to its server issues at launch.

Initially, Payday 3 was anticipated as a major success for Swedish developer Starbreeze Studios and publisher Deep Silver, given its sequel status to the widely popular 2013 co-op heist shooter Payday 2, which achieved sales of over 40 million copies in a decade. Regrettably, on release, the servers for Payday 3 struggled under the weight of numerous players, leading to persistent outages and connectivity problems. Consequently, as it was an online-only game, the first-person shooter was essentially unplayable at launch, sparking a wave of criticism from fans. This backlash significantly reduced the game’s player base.

Initially drawing over 1.3 million players across multiple platforms after its debut, Starbreeze’s cooperative shooter has unfortunately not matched the long-term success of its predecessor. As of now, only 724 individuals are playing Payday 3 on Steam, a minuscule number compared to the 11,528 gamers currently engaged with Payday 2 on Valve’s PC platform. Despite this significant difference in player numbers between the two games, the creators of Payday 3 continue to stand behind their title, regularly releasing free content updates and paid DLC. In fact, a major heist is slated for release later this week. Unfortunately, the timing of this update is less than ideal as Payday 3 is about to depart from Xbox Game Pass in the near future.

A New Heist Will Be Added to Payday 3 Right After It Leaves Xbox Game Pass

The Fear & Greed Expansion Adds A Lot of Content to Payday 3, Including a New Heist

The standout feature in Payday 3’s upcoming expansion, titled Fear & Greed, is the chance for players to pull off a heist at a stock exchange building. This expansion pack promises to enrich the game with a variety of new content.

Payday 3 Is Leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 15

Regrettably for Xbox enthusiasts, when this update becomes available, the game Payday 3 will no longer be accessible through Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft announced earlier in August that Starbreeze’s newest title would be withdrawn from the subscription service’s collection on September 15, along with other games like Ashes of Singularity: Escalation, FIFA 23, Slime Rancher 2, SpiderHeck, and You Suck at Parking. Since Payday 3 was a day-one addition to Xbox Game Pass in September 2023, it will have been on the service for roughly one year before its removal. Although GP subscribers can get a 20% discount on Payday 3 until it leaves on September 15, its exit from Xbox Game Pass is still disappointing.

Payday 3’s Removal from Game Pass Could Impact DLC Sales

In a subscription service, games like Payday 3 become more affordable for players because they don’t have to buy the full game upfront. Instead, they can spend extra on downloadable content and microtransactions. With Payday 3 getting a new, paid DLC soon, Xbox players who were considering purchasing its Fear & Greed expansion might think twice since they may not want to pay an additional $40 for the game. If Microsoft extends their contract with Starbreeze to keep Payday 3 in Game Pass, it could boost sales for future DLCs.

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2024-09-14 20:24