The layoffs keep coming. Industry insider Kknowley revealed today that Starbreeze Studios – creators of the Payday franchise – suffered another major round of staff cuts, primarily targeting the Payday 3 development team at Overkill Software. This follows the game’s disastrous 2023 launch and multiple smaller layoffs throughout 2024-2025.
Payday 3 launched to scathing reviews and record-low player counts, failing to recapture Payday 2’s 14-year success. Despite patches, content updates, and desperate roadmap promises extending into 2026, concurrent Steam players rarely exceeded 2,000 – compared to Payday 2’s consistent 20K+ peaks.
Payday 3’s Death Spiral
The numbers tell a brutal story:
| Metric | Payday 2 (Peak) | Payday 3 (Launch) | Payday 3 (Now) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Peak Players | Record 55K+ | 47K (Day 1) | 1.2K average |
| Steam Reviews | 96% Positive | 62% Mixed | 47% Mostly Negative |
| Content Updates | 14+ years | 12 months | Skills rework flops |
| Player Retention | Active 2026 | 95% gone | Offline mode denied |
Starbreeze bet everything on Payday 3 after Payday 2’s billion-dollar success. The sequel’s always-online requirement, removed progression systems, and live-service pivot alienated core fans while failing to attract new players.
Second Major Layoff Wave
Today’s cuts follow October 2024’s first major reduction:
- October 2024: 75 employees cut (25% of studio)
- January 2026: Payday 3 team specifically targeted
- Skill rework team: Dissolved after failing to boost players
- Live ops staff: Heavily reduced despite 2026 promises
Kknowley’s sources indicate core development capacity effectively eliminated. Remaining skeleton crew focuses on server maintenance rather than content creation.
What Killed Payday 3
Multiple self-inflicted wounds:
- Always-online mandate: No offline/solo mode despite fan demands
- Progression nerfed: Removed skill trees fans loved
- Live-service pivot: Battle-pass model alienated heist purists
- Launch bugs: Matchmaking failures, progression wipes
- Console exodus: PS5/Xbox players abandoned after server issues
December 2025’s ‘Shopping Spree’ heist update drew 1,800 peak players – lowest content launch in series history.
Starbreeze’s Desperate Pivot
With Payday 3 effectively dead, Starbreeze explores survival options:
- Payday 2 remonetization: Microtransaction push on 12-year-old game
- Den of Wolves: 10 Chambers’ sci-fi heist spin-off (spiritual successor)
- Studio sale rumors: Embracer Group, Focus Entertainment circling
- Layoff severance: Minimal packages reported
CEO Mikael Båge faces shareholder pressure after stock plummeted 85% since Payday 3 launch.
Industry Layoff Context
Starbreeze joins gaming’s bloodletting:
- Ubisoft: 6 games canceled, 2 studios closed yesterday
- Microsoft: 9K+ cuts across Xbox studios 2025
- EA: 6% workforce reduction despite record profits
- Sony: London Studio shuttered post-unionization
2026’s grim start continues 2023-2025’s 40K+ industry layoffs.
FAQs
What happened at Starbreeze?
Major layoffs hit Payday 3 team at Overkill Software. Second wave after October 2024’s 25% staff cut.
Is Payday 3 dead?
Effectively yes. Player counts collapsed, skill rework failed, core team gutted. Server maintenance only.
Why did Payday 3 fail?
Always-online requirement, removed progression, live-service pivot, launch bugs, no offline mode.
What happens to Payday 3 now?
Skeleton crew maintains servers. No new content expected despite prior 2026 roadmap promises.
Will there be Payday 4?
Extremely unlikely. Starbreeze financially crippled, franchise reputation damaged.
What about Den of Wolves?
10 Chambers’ independent sci-fi heist game. Payday spiritual successor without Starbreeze involvement.
Is Starbreeze closing?
Not yet, but existential crisis. Payday 2 monetization, studio sale rumors reported.
The Heist That Backfired
Payday 3 represents gaming’s most spectacular self-sabotage. A beloved franchise with billion-dollar pedigree reduced to 1K players through fundamental miscalculations. Starbreeze’s gamble – abandoning offline heists for live-service – destroyed both current and future prospects.
Today’s layoffs close Payday 3’s post-mortem. The series that defined co-op heists exits not with a bang, but with server maintenance contracts. Den of Wolves carries the torch independently while Payday 2’s zombie monetization sustains what’s left of Starbreeze.
Gaming’s 2026 bloodletting continues. When even Payday can’t pay the bills, no franchise proves safe.