Payday 3 developer Starbreeze Studios has introduced that it’ll self-publish the sport going ahead, having acquired the publishing rights from former writer Plaion (beneath its Deep Silver division).
In a press launch on its official web site, Starbreeze board member Thomas Lindgren says the choice will enable the studio to “considerably speed up” its deliberate roadmap for Payday 3, in addition to to “pursue broader strategic alternatives for the Payday franchise as a complete”.
In line with Starbreeze, though this choice marks the tip of Starbreeze and Plaion’s publishing settlement, it “additionally lays the groundwork for a long-term partnership” between the 2 studios as regards to future Payday initiatives. It appears like Plaion would possibly properly publish a hypothetical Payday 4, if that occurs.
I say “if that occurs”, as a result of given Payday 3‘s dismal launch and quite a few workers modifications at Starbreeze owing to the sport’s relative failure, Payday 4 is under no circumstances assured at this level.
Certainly, Starbreeze will probably wish to try to flip Payday 3‘s fortunes round earlier than enthusiastic about a sequel, though on condition that gross sales had been trying fairly grim across the time of the studio’s final monetary outcomes presentation, that may be a pipe dream as properly.
Sadly, a fast take a look at Payday 3‘s Steam participant numbers in comparison with Payday 2‘s paints a equally miserable portrait for Starbreeze. At time of writing, Payday 2‘s 24-hour participant peak stands at a mighty 25,095, whereas Payday 3‘s is at simply 795.
Maybe Starbreeze’s stewardship of Payday 3 can rework the sport’s fortunes, however I would be inclined to say that it’d properly be over for the plucky heist shooter at this level.
Exterior of Payday 3 itself, Starbreeze can be pursuing different collaborations and crossovers for the Payday franchise; again in December, it was revealed that the worlds of Payday and Krafton’s PUBG shall be crossing over.
Payday additionally is not Starbreeze’s solely iron within the hearth. The studio can be at present engaged on a live-service Dungeons & Dragons multiplayer sport, though we do not know an excessive amount of about that challenge simply but.
It stays to be seen whether or not Payday 3‘s change in writer may also end in a change in its fortunes. For now, although, you’ll be able to decide up Payday 3 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Sequence X|S.