Payday 3 will be getting an offline mode relatively soon in response to sales and player activity that are at “significantly lower levels” than developer Starbreeze would like. The offline mode is part of an updated comprehensive roadmap of improvements and new content that will be made to the game throughout 2024.

Payday 3 offline mode is part of Operation Medic Bag

Starbreeze has promised that its priority for Payday 3 is “that the game lives up to expectations.” As such, it has created the Operation Medic Bag roadmap that includes “some of the most impactful changes to PAYDAY 3,” like offline mode and improved game stability.

Offline mode will be implemented in two different stages. The first stage is a local stand-alone solo mode that players can access without having to go through matchmaking. This will still require an internet connection for progression and unlocks.

The second phase will remove the need for that internet connection all the time, although players will still have to connect “intermittently” to upload progression. More details on this will be revealed in the future.

In terms of co-op play, Starbreeze recognizes that the Payday 3 matchmaking isn’t enough. Not only will they be rebuilding matchmaking “into a much more robust system”, but there are also new social and co-op features planned for 2024 like a Crime.Net-style server browser. In the meantime, quickplay functionality will be added to support the current system.

The current challenge-based progression system will be removed and replaced with infamy progression tied to heist completion. As such, all heist payout values will be revisited to add scaling per bag secured for Infamy Points and a new bonus for loud playstyles. Challenges won’t be going away completely, though, as they’ll give cosmetic rewards instead.

All of the above features need some preparation before they can be implemented but there are others on which work can start immediately. These are the more immediate improvements that they aim to complete by this summer:

• Quickplay v1
• Loadout Renaming
• Recurring Smaller Content Drops
• Controller Improvements
• Vote Kick
• Rotating Stealth Modifiers
• Unready Button
• Play Again Feature
• Merge Players into Party Post Match
• Daily Activities with Rewards
• Mask Vendor with Weekly Rotating Inventory
• Communication Wheel Improvements v1

Despite this plan, there is still three DLCs planned for 2024 as well as a free heist. In response to complaints about DLC pricing, the price of the upcoming content will be reviewed. More details on all of these plans will be revealed soon.

The post Payday 3 to Launch Offline Mode in Response to Low Sales appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Starbreeze, the studio that created the Payday series, has revealed it is working on a brand new game set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons.

Rolling a 20(26)

The game, currently codenamed ”Project Baxter” is set to be a cooperative action adventure with a “lifetime commitment through a Games as a Service-model, community engagement and a larger than life experience.”

Starbreeze also adds it expects the game to be released sometime in 2026, will be available for ”all major platforms,” and is due to be made in Unreal Engine 5.

The success of Baldur’s Gate 3 will no doubt make Dungeons & Dragons a popular place to park your latest game, and even with that dizzying prospect of waiting until 2026, the iron should still be pretty hot for Starbreeze’s game.

“It is hard to imagine a better pairing than Dungeons & Dragons and Starbreeze – both with their foundation in cooperative and community-driven experiences, ‘play it your way’ and infinite replayability,” Starbreeze CEO Tobias Sjögren said in the press release. “When looking at prospective IPs for our future projects, Dungeons & Dragons was always at the top of our list, and I’m incredibly happy to announce this license. I want to thank Wizards of the Coast for being such a great partner. Development of the game is in full swing, and we are excited to deliver an amazing Dungeons & Dragons action-adventure in 2026.”

In the meantime, Starbreeze is still fine-tuning Payday 3 in the wake of its rocky launch earlier this year.

The post Payday Developer Starbreeze Is Making a Co-op Dungeons & Dragons Game appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Over a month after it was launched, Payday 3 has received a major update that Starbreeze insists makes the game actually work. The game suffered from a rocky launch, following which the studio promised to look into removing its online requirement.

Payday 3’s first update comes with a lengthy list of fixes

Payday 3 launched in September, but this is the first time the game has received a patch. In October, Starbreeze issued an apology for the delay and attempted to assuage players’ “anger and frustration.” “After some instability, we’re finally up and running as things should be!” the studio declared after releasing update 1.0.1.

Patch notes are as follows:

GENERAL

• Added pre-order and edition specific items to everyone
• Last radio call will now provide a last warning before alarm goes off, and will not be interrupted by other radio dialogues
• Players can now not turn the camera during the full tased effect
• Added a fix for the “Cleanin’ It Out” achievement to pop up when the criteria is met
• Fixed an issue where the player doesn’t gain “Rush” when masking up while sprinting
• Fixed an issue where the player could bind “Throw item” and “Request overkill weapon” to the same keybind
• Updated the aim assist function for PS5 controllers
• Closing or opening doors will no longer push/move players in close proximity
• Fixed a crash caused when answering a radio
• Fixed a crash that could happen when vaulting near the heist end
• Fixed an issue where players got stuck in crouch when playing with high ping
• Added a fix so Overkill weapons don’t fall through vehicles
• Fixed so the tutorial scroll box is scrollable the second time you open a tutorial popup
• Added a fix for a crash caused by multiple explosions
• Fixed an issue where the “Closing the Account” trophy didn’t unlock properly
• Fixed so the achievement “Cleanin’ it out” needs to be done on Overkill
• Fixed issue with marking though some windows
• Added a fix to prevent players from getting stuck when using a human shield that dies
• Fixed a DLSS related crash
• Fixed an issue where the player can get stuck and not proceeding to menus after failing a heist
• Removed a state check to fix issue with AI placed bags having wrong rotation
• Added a fix so game won’t crash when joining another player through social or shell
• Fixed an issue with the social list not filling up
• Fixed an issue where a party couldn’t matchmake if the former party leader had left the party
• Fixed an issue where social list didn’t populate after reestablishing an internet connection
• Changing languages should now work
• Fixed a crash related to getting a random character when joining a game
• Fixed a crash related to IP address
• Closed the weapon experience exploit in 99 Boxes

SKILLS

• Using Manipulator Basic Skill will no longer cause an interaction interference when players do multiple interactions in a row
• “Battering Ram” skill can no longer be used to open blue keycard door on “Rock the Cradle”
• “Battering Ram” skill can no longer be used to open the front door on “Touch the sky”

WEAPONS

• Added ability for knives to be thrown through broken shield visors.
• Fixed an issue where throwing knives couldn’t be picked up when the equipped primary or secondary weapon had full ammo
• Adjusted the Vertical Grip spawn point on weapon PC9
• Moved the magazine release lever on SA A144
• Fixed an issue with weapon recoil in lower FPS

ENEMIES

• Dozers will now get closer before engaging heisters with their shotgun
• Updated the enemy flashbangs to apply flash effect more consistently
• Player can no longer open doors leading to enemy spawn locations

TECHNICAL

• The real meat of this update, the tech stuff! There’s a wide variety of fixes and changes on this list. Continue to let us know if you find any bugs and we’ll keep smashing them!

UI

• Added a “Keep these display changes?” message after changing screen resolution.
• Fixed a minor typo in the loadout section
• UI update for favor reward in result screen
• Reduced description text size, in skill line menus
• Added ability for players to review the EULA again after creating their accounts
• Fixed an issue causing player names, and infamy levels, to not load correctly and displaying wrong information
• Fixed translation issue related to the whiskey bottle in “Touch the Sky”
• Fixed overlapping text in heist overview
• Added icons for when buffs are blocked due to certain skills
• Dropdown for offline friends in social screen should now be displayed correctly
• Added a fix for the camera zooming out of screen when inspecting an item from the vendors
• Fixed an issue showing an incorrect amount of remaining radio calls when a player joins an ongoing heist
• Added a fix for overlapping weapon mod names to make them more readable
• Player stats are now shown in result screen when failing a heist
• Added a fix so a joining player’s name is displayed in the chat
• Added a button prompt showing how to exit the safe cracking mini-game
• The phone hacking visualization should now always reach full when completing
• Fixed locked story videos to properly reset color values when initialized
• Adjustments made to fonts in settings menu
• Fixed an issue with the “report player” option not appearing
• Fixed an issue where the user could interact with the menus when the report text box was open
• Added a fix for stock mods “TQ” and “HQ”, their titles are now aligned in the loadout
• Tool input is now shown as blocked when interacting with loot
• Resized the loadout selection bar
• Fixed an issue with joining a friend in the social menu when spamming the join button
• Fixed an issue on with friends not to appear properly

AUDIO

• A sound of dropping a dead body onto the ground will now be played when players drop bodies
• The sound effect of sliding will now stop playing when players stop sliding
• Added sound effect for closed windows being destroyed
• Cinematic audio volume is now also affected by master volume
• Removed “break” VFX from throwing knives that don’t break when Retriever skill is equipped
• Added a fix for smalltalk between civilians and employees not triggering
• Added more small talk conversations between civilians
• Shade voice over will no longer play, when players return to the main menu after canceling matchmaking
• Improved the sound effect for opening crates
• Disabled the Shade VO about file clues when the actual documents have already been picked up
• Wolf now whisper instead of screams for medic bags during stealth gameplay
• Fixed an issue where dye packs would loop the audio when breaking while being disarmed
• Fixed an issue where civilian cellphone ringtones would loop forever
• Fixed an issue that could cause eye scanner to play incorrect VO when scanning the correct NPC
• Audio balancing for enemy VOs
• Added more door sounds
• Added sound effects for NPC animations
• Fixed an issue where the human shield takedown sound effect would not stop if you reload your gun while choking someone out

VISUALS

• Fixed a visual issue with deployables placed on moving objects that wouldn’t sync up for players joining an ongoing heist
• Fixed deployables floating in the air when placed on a surface that then moved, deployables will now fall to the ground.
• Fixed an issue with deployables floating when placed on certain doors
• Fixed multiple minor graphical issues on the front part of the bank on “No Rest of the Wicked”
• Fixed weapon animation issue when looking upwards and using tools
• Added a fix so that switching between sprinting and placing tools wouldn’t cause issues when sprinting.
• Fixed animation issue when SWATs are freeing hostages appearing as taking damage
• Fixed an issue on lower graphical settings causing the door of the escape helicopter to appear broken. (PC)
• Fixed a bug where the player could get inside the transport van in one of the pot holes in “Road Rage”
• Fixed a bug where standing on the van would cause the player positions to glitch
• Realigned The Butcher’s contractor image with the bottom of the screen
• Subtitle fixes for story videos
• Fixed a animation issue when using microcamera
• In-game heist info screen now scales properly across aspect ratios
• Adjusted enemy sabotage animation
• Optimized foliage LODs

HEIST

• Melee damage no longer affects environment details that should only take damage from explosions/gunfire in Gold & Sharke
• Fixed missing collision, in a small area on the bank roof, on “No Rest for the Wicked”
• Removed an area that was tagged as “public” on the roof in “Under the Surphaze”
• Fixed a bug that led guards to sometimes walk through a closed door on “No Rest for the Wicked”
• Added a fix for the Security Door that was openable without a Blue keycard on “99 boxes”
• Added a missing out of bounds screen filter in “Under the Surphaze”
• Deployables no longer disappear when thrown through vents on “Touch the Sky”
• Added a fix for canceling sliding into panic room’s door on “Touch the Sky”
• Fixed the texture of the panic room’s door on “Touch the Sky”
• “Favors” and “Difficulty” are no longer visible in tutorials when holding Tab
• Players will no longer stutter when jumping and sprinting inside the truck on “99 Boxes”
• Added collision to block players from getting stuck behind a curtain on “Under the Surphaze”
• Added collision to prevent bags from being thrown outside of the playable area on “Road Rage”
• Fixed a vent navigation issue in “Rock the Cradle”
• Fixed an issue where bags would get stuck in the forklift on “Road Rage”
• Fixed an issue where loot bags would disappear when throwing them into the zipline on “Touch the Sky”
• Fixed an issue where AI crew could get stuck in “99 Boxes”
• Fixed issues where you could throw bags out of reach on “Dirty Ice”
• Fixed an issue where some jewelry trays are clipping in the VIP room on “Dirty Ice”
• Added so the drill option appears during Stealth on “Touch the Sky”
• Disabled all interaction for placed planks once all four have been placed on “Road Rage”
• Added a fix for where the Escape Objective sometimes didn’t appear on “Dirty Ice”
• The “Enter the Workshop”-objective will get disabled if players secure maximum loot
• Fixed an issue where Mason gets poisoned despite not being delivered the poisoned drink on “Touch the sky”
• Fixed an issue where the armored truck would get stuck before the final ramp on “Road Rage”
• Fixed an Overkill difficulty issue where the bouncer wouldn’t let you proceed after showing him the VIP invitation on “Rock the Cradle”
• Adjusted the ambush setup timer on “Road Rage”
• Added collision to prevent cage bags falling through the ground on “Rock the Cradle”
• Added a fix so players cannot throw the zipline bag in the escape van on Gold & Sharke

The post Payday 3 Actually Works as Intended Now, Starbreeze Insists appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Payday 3 developer Starbreeze is investigating the possibility of removing the game’s always-online requirement after a volatile launch saw servers plagued with issues.

Starbreeze seeking solutions

At present, even though you can play the co-op heist shooter with AI bots instead of real people, you still have to be online to play the game. With the issues faced by the servers since the game’s release earlier this month, that’s made it a nightmare for pretty much everyone.

Since launch, Starbreeze has been putting out small fires like server connectivity issues and matchmaking problems, but getting the always-online requirement out of the way is the ultimate goal.

In a statement by the developer, it laid out its plans and rounded out by saying,

“In the short-term, this means Starbreeze’s focus is to ensure the player experience. In the long-term, this means evaluating a new partner for matchmaking services and making Payday 3 less dependent on online services.”

Payday 3 was released on PC and consoles on September 21, 2023.

The post Payday 3 Studio Seeks to Remove Always Online Requirement After Rough Launch appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Just a day after launch, Payday 3 servers are down as player demand has caused them to crash on all platforms. Since yesterday’s launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the game has been riddled with matchmaking issues that have seen many players left sitting in their safehouse.

The Payday 3 team is “working hard” to restore server functionality

Earlier this afternoon, developer PLAION reported another increase in matchmaking issues. A few minutes later, it became clear that all platforms were unable to matchmake and they were “working hard to restore functionality.”

Matchmaking issues began shortly after Payday 3 launched. After the developer deployed some fixes for the initial issues, the team declared the game open for business earlier this morning. Unfortunately, the issues have reared their ugly heads again. As Payday 3 doesn’t have an offline mode, it leaves everyone unable to rob banks and art galleries, although the most frustrated players are those who were able to start heists but have found themselves unable to escape as the servers disconnected, as demonstrated by Reddit user b1sakher.

The server issues have reopened the debate about online-only games. Despite also being a live service game, the game’s predecessor, Payday 2, had an offline mode that allowed players to take on the heists single-handedly and many players are calling for a return of that option. In fact, one PC player is already working on a mod that will add an offline mode for players on that platform, but there’s no ETA on its arrival and PS5 players will miss out, of course.

It’s too early to tell whether the matchmaking issues will be a short or long term problem, and even whether they will get in the way of the planned schedule of post-launch content. Starting later this year, there are four add-ons planned to be released through Fall 2024.

The post Payday 3 Servers Down Again After Rocky Launch appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Developer Starbreeze Studios has released an action-packed trailer for Payday 3, showing off a brand-new character and the return of an old favorite. The studio also revealed its DLC roadmap for the third entry in its high-stakes heist game ahead of the release of Payday 3 on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S on September 21.

Starbreeze reveals two new Payday 3 launch characters and four planned DLC packs

As reported by VGC, a new trailer for Payday 3 gives gamers their first glimpse of the recently revealed characters, Pearl and Snow, who will be joining the game’s launch lineup. Payday 2 alum Joy will be returning to the franchise to serve as the group’s hacker once again, while the all-new character Pearl is an expert con artist and infiltrator. The trailer shows the duo pulling off a portside heist before things go south and they are forced to mow down waves of responding officers to make their daring escape.

Alongside the reveal of the new Payday 3 characters, Starbreeze also released its DLC plans for the highly-anticipated sequel. A post on the official Payday 3 Twitter account earlier this week outlined the developer’s plans for add-on content over the next year, with four DLC entries currently set to be released between the game’s launch later this month and Fall 2024. Though no information about what all will be included in the quarterly DLC releases was provided, it’s possible they could see the gang traveling outside of Payday 3’s New York City setting to pull off a heist in a new locale.

Gamers hoping to try Payday 3 ahead of its September 21 launch can take part in an open beta that launched today and runs through September 11. However, its limited availability is likely to lead to some frustration. While players on PC and Xbox Series X|S are free to take part in the game’s brief test period, the Payday 3 closed beta won’t be coming to PS5 for reasons that are still unclear. Unfortunately for PS5 players, they’ll have to wait for Payday 3’s official launch to get their hands on new additions Joy and Pearl and all their criminal cohorts.

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Get ready for Payday 3, as the closed beta is set to begin next week, which will allow you to take on the role of a bank robber in this third installment in the heist series. But, it’s not good news for everyone.

Only on Xbox and PC, for some reason

If you have a PS5 and were hoping to try Payday 3 before it releases on September 21, well it turns out it’s not happening for the Sony console.

A post over on the official Twitter page announces the closed beta will begin on August 2 and go through until August 7. However, it only mentions that Xbox Series X|S and Steam users will be able to sign up for a chance to play the game.

You can find more details on the Payday website, but there’s no mention of the trial coming to PlayStation at all. It also doesn’t look as though the developer or publisher has given a reason as to why it’s not coming to PS5.

A recent press releases confirms what you’ll be able to experience in the beta. If you do manage to sign up for it, the “iconic clown-masked characters that made the Payday franchise infamous are all playable, each with its own unique skillset.”

All difficulties will be available, but weapon levels will be capped at eight, while infamy levels will be capped at 22. You’ll get the chance to take on one heist, and it’ll be up to you whether you choose to take on the mission more stealthily.

We’ve already seen a recent stealth teaser, suggesting that robberies don’t necessarily have to be completed guns blazing.

It seems a bit weird that the closed beta for Payday 3 isn’t coming to PS5, given that the actual game is being released on the system. A lot of PlayStation owners are understandably going to be ticked off at not being given the chance to try before they buy.

The post Payday 3 Closed Beta Won’t Be Coming to PlayStation appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

For all the heist fans out there, a new trailer for Payday 3 has just dropped, giving players a sweet taste of the stealth mechanics to come.

Payday 3 looks to offer more stealthy options

While the Payday games are all about breaking into banks and robbing the place blind, this latest trailer for the third entry looks like it might be putting more emphasis on stealth mechanics, or at least including it as a more substantial offer.

The teaser shows the criminals advancing on guards quietly, taking them out through choke holds and gas grenades as they creep around the facility making little sound.

Previous games didn’t allow for such careful planning, but this trailer suggests you and your gang may be able to go into a job with a certain element of clandestine care.

Payday 3 will also not be an Xbox exclusive. The game will be available on PS5 as well as on PC through Steam and Epic Games Store.

It’s been nearly 10 years since Payday 2 came out, which itself came just two years after the original, so fans have been waiting a good while for a new entry to finally emerge.

Payday 3 will be coming to PC and current-gen consoles on September 21. You can pre-order the game, either the standard version or one of the special editions, today.

The post Payday 3 Trailer Shows Stealthy Gameplay appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Is Payday 3 coming out on PS5, or is it an Xbox exclusive? Developed by Overkill Software and Starbreeze Studios, Payday 3 is the much-anticipated third installment in the heist-based FPS series and is a direct sequel to Payday 2. At the end of that game, the heisters decide to part ways, but they have decided to come back. It’s taken a long time for Payday 3 to be fully developed, with Overkill Software announcing the game all the way back in May 2016. Fortunately, the game is already set to release on September 21, 2023, so fans won’t need to wait too much longer to get their hands on it. Here’s all you need to know about whether or not there’s a Payday 3 PS5 release date.

Is Payday 3 coming out on PS5?

Yes, Payday 3 is coming out on PS5.

As detailed in the FAQ on the game’s official website, Payday 3 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It will cost $39.99 at launch and can be pre-ordered on all these platforms at various retailers and storefronts.

Is Payday 3 an Xbox exclusive?

No, Payday 3 is not an Xbox exclusive.

Perhaps some of the confusion comes from Payday 3 gameplay being featured during the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase. But it’s become clear that the game will be multiplatform. Payday 3 will support crossplay and cross-progression across all platforms, so that you can form a party easily.

The game’s synopsis reads:

“The PAYDAY Gang once struck fear into the hearts of law enforcement and citizenry all across the United States, with some reports accusing them of crimes as far away as Russia. The seemingly unstoppable criminals were responsible for a spree of audacious heists, made even more remarkable by the fact that the gang was never caught.

Then, one day, the robberies that shook the world suddenly ceased. The PAYDAY Gang seemed to vanish off the face of the Earth. This peaceful reprieve has lasted years… But peacetime never lasts forever.”

For more Payday 3 updates, check out whether the original Payday crew will be in the game.

The post Is Payday 3 Coming to PS5 or Is It Xbox Exclusive? appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The upcoming Payday 3 will mark the return of the original Payday crew, and will once again take place in the city of New York. Developer Overkill Software shared new details about the heist simulator in a recent 10th-anniversary stream. In addition to revealing some concept art, the developers announced that the game will also focus on the gang’s work “in the digital age” and feature new gadgets, as well as references to mass surveillance and cryptocurrencies.

According to Overkill Software, Payday 3 will take place “several years” after the events of Payday 2. The four crew members of the original gang from Payday—Dallas, Hoxton, Chains, and Wolf—are forced out of retirement against their own wishes, though the reason why is yet unknown. What we do know is that the game’s story will also follow the gang’s resurgence in status, including how the media’s portrayal of the crew will affect the world’s narrative.

Overkill Software is also updating Payday 3 for the modern era, most reflected in the game’s gadgets and companies. The world has evolved since Payday 2 released in 2013, and so have the tools at the crew’s disposal. In addition to new gadgets, software giants, cryptocurrencies, mass surveillance, and the Dark Web will also play a role in the game’s story and gameplay. Concept art also shows that the game will be set “in the heart” of New York. Maps will also reflect this and will showcase big “living and breathing” urban environments that react to whatever the player is doing.

Promisingly, Overkill Software is reportedly using Unreal Engine 4 to develop the game. Back in 2020, the company announced that it would switch development from the Diesel Engine mid-production which raised quite a few eyebrows. However, this change will apparently help keep console and PC versions of Payday 3 in line with each other, making cross-play easier to develop.

You can check out the official Payday 10th anniversary stream below:

Payday 3 doesn’t yet have a release date.

[Source: YouTube via ResetEra]

The post Payday 3 Will Take Place in New York, Original Crew To Return appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.