Payday 3 gross sales dropped off exhausting in 2024, however Starbreeze has hope for the long run

After its tough launch, Payday 3 hasn’t been bringing within the money its developer may’ve hoped for, with Starbreeze reporting gross sales of $7.7 million in its 2024 monetary yr, down from $44.5 million in its launch yr of 2023. To place that in perspective, the very a lot aged Payday 2 introduced in $3.9 million in gross sales in FY2024—greater than half of what its sequel managed regardless of releasing 10 years prior.

A report from Recreation Developer outlines the problems dealing with Starbreeze, drawing from its company fiscal stories to point out the extent of Payday 3’s poor efficiency. The sport wasn’t making company gross sales expectations in its launch yr and certainly did not attain them final yr, both. The troubles led to the early 2024 departure of its CEO.

All instructed, Starbreeze reported a full yr lack of $18.5 million in 2024.

Payday 3 did get a giant remedial replace final yr, however consumer critiques are nonetheless fairly blended. It additionally noticed the departure of its recreation director final September, and a Payday 3 lead producer characterised the 2023 launch as ‘disastrous’ in an interview that made it clear the event crew was nonetheless hounded by the botched launch.

In line with Starbreeze, issues are wanting up, nonetheless. They have Payday collaborations with PUBG and Roblox. They have it as a free recreation on PlayStation Plus for February—which they clearly hope will herald some longer-term customers to purchase DLC.

Past Payday, Starbreeze can also be engaged on a co-op Dungeons & Dragons recreation that they are saying is being playtested internally, and has gotten a constructive reception from potential enterprise companions.