Fairgames Unveiled: Could It Outshine Payday 3?

Yesterday's PlayStation Showcase had a mixed bag of announcements. With the future line-up of PlayStation being unclear, the Summer Showcase had to make a big impact on the industry. Although there were a few exciting announcements such as the remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, the first look at Marvel's Spider-Man 2's gameplay, and Bungie's Marathon revival, the showcase fell a little short of expectations.

However, the first reveal of Fairgames was an interesting way to kick off the event. Although it may not have been the most exciting way to start off, Fairgames set the tone for the showcase, showing that online multiplayer games were going to be a big focus. Developed by the studio Haven, Fairgames is a brand-new IP that sees teams of robbers competing against each other to loot the same vault. Although it was compared to another heist-centric franchise, Payday, Fairgames might have beaten it to the punch.

Fairgames Could Steal Payday 3's Thunder

Since dropping a 30-second teaser trailer on January 1st, Starbreeze Studios has yet to reveal much about Payday 3. While the teaser showed only silhouettes of four characters and a bold claim that "This is the year of Payday 3," it's now been almost five months with no sign of the game.

With Payday 2 having released in 2013, it's been a decade since the last entry in the co-op heist series. Fans are eager for another excellent installment, but simply copying its predecessor won't cut it. Payday 3 needs to step up its game significantly with new classes and skills, mission types, enemy types, and more. While some fans are impatient for Payday 3, others are content with the clones that have emerged since.

In the absence of a new Payday title, the past decade has seen an influx of Payday-inspired games. Crime Boss: Rockay City, which heavily borrowed Payday's core gameplay loop, was recently released to mixed reviews. While it may have satisfied some fans, it didn't even come close to the quality of Payday 2. Furthermore, Grand Theft Auto 5 has gradually emerged as a top contender in the heist gaming genre, potentially even surpassing Payday as the best heist game ever made. With the market becoming increasingly saturated, Payday 3 will need to offer something truly unique to stand out.

Enter Fairgames, the latest co-op heist game inspired by Payday. While it may draw comparisons to Payday, Fairgames has a competitive twist that sets it apart. Rather than facing AI enemies, players are pitted against each other in a race to secure the loot. This competitive element gives Fairgames a much-needed edge over its competitors, and could potentially overshadow Payday 3.