Payday 2 Progress Shifts to Sidetrack games as Starbreeze Focuses on Payday 3
Starbreeze Studios has transferred ongoing development and maintenance of Payday 2 to Sidetrack Games,a studio with origins in the Payday modding community,effective immediately. The move allows Starbreeze to concentrate resources on improving Payday 3, which has yet to surpass its predecessor in player numbers.
Sidetrack games, formerly known as MUG Team, has a history of creating modifications for the Payday franchise. Starbreeze expressed confidence in the studio’s understanding of the Payday 2 player base and their ability to revitalize the twelve-year-old title.
The first update under Sidetrack’s stewardship is scheduled for release on October 23rd, focusing on quality-of-life improvements and game stability. This suggests a period of collaboration between the two studios prior to the official handover.
“We’ve partnered with Sidetrack Games to support PD 2 on PC! They have roots in the modding community, and we have trust they’ll bring the game back to life!” stated the official PAYDAY 3 Twitter account on October 21, 2025.
despite the shift, the long-term success of Payday 3 remains uncertain. A meaningful disparity exists between the content and polish levels of the two games, presenting a challenge for Starbreeze as they work to elevate the newest installment in the series.
We’ve partnered with Sidetrack Games to support PD 2 on PC! They have roots in the modding community, and we have trust they’ll bring the game back to life!
Starting Oct. 23 the first update will come out, and they’ll be focusing on QoL updates to start: https://t.co/JjEpneo71b pic.twitter.com/USU6I0lU2H
– PAYDAY 3 (@PAYDAYGame) October 21, 2025
