One Year Post-Payday 3’s Troubled Launch, Starbreeze Reduces Game Team Size, Avoiding Immediate Layoffs

In a move that shouldn’t catch anyone off guard, Starbreeze has decided to scale down the team assigned to Payday 3.

It’s no secret that Payday 3 stumbled out of the gates. Even Starbreeze acknowledges it. The developer is determined to win back the trust of its players, but they’ll be tackling this challenge with a leaner team, as noted in a recent report from acting CEO Mats Juhl. Juhl mentioned in the update that “investment will be scaled back over the next few months as we conclude ‘Operation Medic Bag’ for Payday and thus transition into Year 2 with a more streamlined team focused on keeping the game fresh with ongoing new content.”

Juhl didn’t spell out exactly how this would alter the game’s update schedule, but the use of “continuously” hints at some level of regular updates. The report reassures that Starbreeze is “financially robust,” and there’s no hint of layoffs, which suggests that the downsized team might simply be due to staff being reassigned rather than let go. Juhl also mentioned that the game’s latest DLCs have been warmly received, offering a glimmer of hope for a turnaround.

Interestingly, the steadier performance of Payday 2 is lending a hand in shoring up Payday 3’s faltering sales—a reflection of many players opting to return to the second game.

The report also delves into Project Baxter, a Dungeons & Dragons initiative, which is apparently “moving full throttle.” Internal playtests are happening, and there are ongoing discussions with several industry-leading partners about potential collaborations for Baxter’s development and rollout.

For now, fingers crossed that everyone retains their positions so the wave of job cuts seen over the last year doesn’t swell further.