Starbreeze Studios has acquired the publishing rights for Payday 3 from Plaion, marking a significant shift in the game’s distribution. The deal was made possible through a 33 million Swedish Krona share issue, with 29 million going to Plaion as per their previous agreement, and the remaining amount covering outstanding debts.
Regaining Control
With this acquisition, Starbreeze, the original developer of the Payday series, now has full ownership of Payday 3. Thomas Lindgren, a board member at Starbreeze, stated that this move will allow the team to accelerate their content development roadmap and explore new opportunities for the Payday franchise. The partnership with Plaion will continue, and both parties are discussing future Payday projects.
The image shows a scene from Payday 3, highlighting the game’s intense action sequences.
A Troubled Launch
Payday 3 launched in September 2023 to disappointing reviews from fans, citing limited content, performance issues, and other minor problems that detracted from the gaming experience. Despite several patches, the game’s quality still lags behind its predecessor, Payday 2. The change in publishing rights is expected to help Payday 3 get back on track.
Sources:
– Starbreeze Official Site
– Eurogamer