Payday 3 Unveiled: Release Date, Intense Gameplay, and Exciting Insider Details

Payday 3, the highly anticipated game from developer Starbreeze, is on the horizon after years of secrecy and even a police raid. While specific details are being closely guarded, we can provide a comprehensive overview of what we currently know about the game and its progress.

Payday 3 DRM

Payday 3 DLC

Trouble (and a comeback) at Starbreeze

Platforms

Payday 3 storyline

Payday 3 gameplay

Release date

Mark your calendars for September 21 because that's the day Payday 3 hits the shelves. You can already pre-order the game and get a sweet 17% discount if you purchase it through Fanatical. But here's an even better deal: if you're an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, you'll be able to download and play Payday 3 as soon as it's released. That's right, it'll be available on day one through this awesome subscription service.

Payday 3 DRM

In a surprising move, Starbreeze, the developer of Payday 3, decided to remove the controversial anti-piracy software, Denuvo, from the PC version of the game just a week before its scheduled release. Known for its negative impact on PC game performance, the exact reason behind Starbreeze's last-minute abandonment of the program remains unknown.

Payday 3 DLC

Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Payday 3 is set to receive post-launch content. While specific information regarding player expectations is scarce, the developer roadmap for the game's first year, named The Bad Apple, promises four DLCs.

Trouble (and a comeback) at Starbreeze

After years of development, Syntax Error is set to arrive in Winter 2023. The game has overcome a tumultuous period at Starbreeze, during which the studio faced financial difficulties and controversy. Following the failure of Overkill's The Walking Dead and allegations of insider trading, Starbreeze underwent a reconstruction phase, which allowed it to repay its debts and regain profitability. One of the key contributing factors to Starbreeze's financial recovery was the success of Payday 2. Now, with a healthier financial state, Starbreeze is gearing up for the release of Syntax Error in Winter 2023.

Platforms

Starbreeze has recently entered into a $54 million publishing agreement with Koch Media in March 2021. This partnership aims to provide financial support for the development, publishing, and post-launch assistance of Payday 3.

Platforms

Payday 3 is scheduled to release on various platforms, including PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. Starbreeze confirms that the game offers an identical experience on both PC and consoles, thanks to its utilization of the Unreal Engine.

Payday 3 storyline

To commemorate the franchise's 10th anniversary in 2021, Erik Wonnevi, the game director, has divulged additional information about the narrative of Payday 3. This third installment serves as a soft reboot of the series, set years after the events of Payday 2. The iconic quartet comprising Dallas, Hoxton, Chains, and Wolf returns to action, tasked with executing daring heists in a rendition of New York City. In this iteration, the crew must navigate the world of cryptocurrency, grapple with mass surveillance, and confront the dark web's ominous presence.

Payday 3 gameplay

In recent months, Starbreeze has unveiled further aspects of the game, remaining faithful to its primary identity as a first-person team-based shooter that revolves around meticulously planned heists.

Payday 3 revolves around strategic planning and adapting tactics in challenging situations. The game introduces new and improved enemy types, customizability and progression systems for weapons, and enhanced enemy AI.

SWAT and Heavy SWAT units are frequent enemy encounters in the game. Senior game designers, Miodrag Kovačević and Jimmy Karlström, revealed in a developer diary that these adversaries will be present in all four difficulty modes of Payday 3. As the difficulty increases, the number, accuracy, and damage of enemies will be amplified. However, enemy health remains consistent across settings to ensure a fair gameplay experience.

Catching up on Payday

To become more familiar with the series, newcomers can enjoy a four-part docu-series released in honor of Payday's 10th anniversary. Each installment can be freely viewed on YouTube by accessing the following provided links.

10 Years of Payday Episode 1

10 Years of Payday Episode 2

10 Years of Payday Episode 3

10 Years of Payday Episode 4