Their game was “a disaster”, but they’ve taken drastic steps to redirect its future. The creators of PayDay 3 have bought back the publishing rights from PLAION for 33 million Swedish kronor—just over 3 million euros.

Starbreeze is entering a new chapter with PayDay 3. The game of heists—whether banks, casinos, or any other money-laden locale—launched in September 2023 to disappointment among many fans. Despite post-launch patches and major updates, the game’s Steam rating has yet to reach a satisfactory level. Now the studio is seizing control by acquiring the game’s publishing rights.

According to a statement posted on Starbreeze’s official website, the developers purchased the PayDay 3 publishing rights from PLAION via a transaction involving 33 million SEK in Class B shares—equivalent to just over €3 million. Board member Thomas Lindgren stated: “This agreement will significantly accelerate our content development roadmap and allow us to pursue broader strategic opportunities for the PayDay franchise as a whole.”

“We appreciate PLAION’s support, which underscores their confidence in Starbreeze’s future and strengthens our strategic alignment with key players in the global industry,” the message continues. While the deal officially ends their collaboration on PayDay 3 distribution, Starbreeze emphasized that “the agreement also lays the groundwork for a long-term partnership between Starbreeze and PLAION for future PayDay projects.”

In short, this is a bold business decision that may reshape PayDay 3’s future. Though the game’s reputation is still reeling from its troubled launch, Starbreeze now has a fresh opportunity to refocus content and direction—this time, without oversight from PLAION. Only time will tell if this move pays off.

PayDay 3 Launched “Unfinished,” Devs Admit

Still, Starbreeze faces an uphill battle in regaining the trust it once had. The developers admitted months ago that they released PayDay 3 knowing it would be “a disaster” and that the game was “unfinished”. Despite that rocky start, the studio has reiterated its commitment to improving the experience—a commitment seemingly reinforced by today’s major announcement.

Source: 3djuegos