Payday 3 Loses Offline Mode, Starbreeze Cuts 44 jobs Amidst Recovery Efforts
Stockholm, Sweden – Starbreeze Studios has announced the cancellation of an offline mode for Payday 3 and concurrently laid off 44 employees, signaling a important shift in strategy as the company works to revitalize the game’s performance. The decision regarding the offline mode comes as Starbreeze refocuses its limited development resources on core gameplay improvements and consistent updates.
“I think we have to face the fact that it is not worth where we are going to go with the game,” stated General Manager Jonas Skantz. “First of all,we have a limited number of people.we want to ensure that they do the most valuable things for the game; These are the things we will talk about: development, core loops and so on.But more importantly, we today have a renewal model where we need weeks to issue client updates.” The cancellation impacts players hoping for an offline experience, but Starbreeze maintains the move is necessary to prioritize ongoing development.
The layoffs primarily affect the team working on Project Baxter, a co-operative game based on the Dungeons & Dragons property. Starbreeze had previously announced its intention to develop a cooperative game set in the D&D universe, but the project has now been shelved.
These moves follow a disappointing launch for Payday 3, released in September 2023. Starbreeze is now concentrating its efforts on improving the existing game and solidifying its position in the market. The studio appears committed to supporting Payday 3 long-term, despite the setbacks.
