What's Happening?
Starbreeze has announced that it is handing over the development and maintenance of Payday 2 to Sidetrack Games, a team with deep roots in the Payday modding community. This decision comes as Starbreeze shifts its focus to salvaging Payday 3, which has struggled
to attract the audience of its predecessor. Despite Payday 3's challenges, Payday 2 remains popular, with a significant player base and ongoing support through DLC and a subscription service. Sidetrack Games, known for its work on Payday 2 DLC, will now handle quality-of-life improvements and general game fixes for the PC version of Payday 2.
Why It's Important?
The transfer of Payday 2's development to Sidetrack Games is a strategic move by Starbreeze to concentrate its resources on improving Payday 3. This decision highlights the challenges faced by game developers in managing multiple titles and the importance of prioritizing projects that require immediate attention. For the gaming community, this change ensures continued support and updates for Payday 2, maintaining its popularity and player engagement. It also reflects the industry's reliance on community-driven development and the value of modding teams in sustaining long-term game success.
What's Next?
Sidetrack Games is set to release its first update for Payday 2 on October 23, focusing on game stability and player experience improvements. As Starbreeze intensifies its efforts on Payday 3, the gaming community will be watching closely to see if the studio can turn the game's fortunes around. Starbreeze's commitment to doubling the team size for Payday 3 and its recent cancellation of a Dungeons and Dragons game to focus on Payday 3 indicates a determined effort to enhance the game's quality and appeal.
