- Image of Payday 3, courtesy of Plaion.

Starbreeze Reclaims Payday 3 Rights: An Incredible Change for the Heist Shooter

Originally posted on Total Apex Gaming | By James Clark | Last updated May 7, 2025 11:36 PM ET

Big news just dropped for Payday fans! Starbreeze Studios has taken back the publishing rights for Payday 3 from Plaion in a $3.4 million deal. This move, announced on May 6, 2025, could finally turn the tide for a game that’s been struggling since its messy launch. With Starbreeze now in full control, players might see faster updates and a real shot at fixing what’s been broken. Let’s break down what this means for Payday 3 and its future.

The Deal: What Happened Between Starbreeze and Plaion?

Image of Payday 3, courtesy of Plaion.

Starbreeze paid $3.4 million to reclaim Payday 3’s publishing rights from Plaion, a subsidiary of Embracer Group. The deal involves issuing 147,676,204 class B shares to Embracer at SEK 0.2235 per share. It’s set to wrap up on May 15, 2025, giving Starbreeze complete ownership over the game’s publishing. According to Starbreeze board member Thomas Lindgren, this will “significantly accelerate our content development roadmap,” per Starbreeze Press Release. Interestingly, Plaion isn’t fully out of the picture—they’ll still team up with Starbreeze for future Payday projects, keeping the partnership alive.

Payday 3’s Rough Start: What Went Wrong?

Since its release on September 21, 2023, Payday 3 has had a tough time. Between server crashes, missing features, and gameplay groans, it left players frustrated. Sales dropped drastically from $44.5 million in FY2023 to just $7.7 million in FY2024, according to Game Developer. The community didn’t hold back, pointing out issues like no party system after missions. Check out Reddit. Starbreeze launched Operation Medic Bag to tackle these problems, adding things like server browsers and in-game chat. Want more details on the launch woes? Check out our breakdowns at Total Apex Gaming.

The Future: Can Starbreeze Turn It Around?

Now that Starbreeze has the reins, they’re promising quicker updates and more flexibility to respond to player feedback. They’re already working on DLCs like Boys in Blue and Houston Breakout, alongside new features via Operation Medic Bag. Check out updates on the Payday Official Site. CEO Adolf Kristjansson has doubled down on making Payday 3 a success, calling this deal a key step forward per Eurogamer. Full control could mean a faster turnaround, but the pressure’s on to deliver consistent improvements and win back the fanbase.

Final Thoughts: A Second Chance for Payday 3

This $3.4 million deal is a bold move for Starbreeze. It’s a chance to fix Payday 3’s rocky start, plus rebuild trust with players. With new content on the way and a renewed focus, there’s hope yet for this heist shooter. Stay in the loop with the latest gaming updates at Total Apex Gaming News. What do you think—can Starbreeze pull this off? Let us know!

This article first appeared on Total Apex Gaming and was syndicated with permission.

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