In a major shift for Payday 3, Starbreeze Studios has officially reclaimed full publishing rights for the game from Plaion, ending a co-publishing partnership that’s been in place since 2021.

The announcement was made Late Tuesday Night via a press release on Starbreeze’s investor portal, where the company confirmed it has assumed all publishing responsibilities for the troubled co-op heist shooter. This move effectively gives Starbreeze full control over the title’s future development, content roadmap, and community engagement strategy.

“This transfer of publishing rights marks the beginning of a new chapter for Payday 3,” said Tobias Sjögren, CEO of Starbreeze. “With full control over both development and publishing, we can now act more swiftly on community feedback and execute our long-term vision for the game.”

What Went Wrong?

The original agreement between Starbreeze and Plaion (formerly Koch Media) was signed in March 2021, with Plaion providing over €50 million in funding for development, marketing, and post-launch support. While the deal ensured the game’s launch across multiple platforms, Payday 3 stumbled out of the gate when it released on September 21, 2023.

At launch, players were met with persistent server issues, long matchmaking times, and content shortages. Starbreeze admitted in a late 2023 earnings report that the game was “massively underperforming” and had fallen short of both internal expectations and player satisfaction.

In response, Starbreeze established a dedicated team to triage ongoing issues and stabilize the experience. Still, criticisms mounted as promised updates were delayed and communication with the player base faltered. The co-publishing setup appeared to slow Starbreeze’s ability to pivot and implement necessary changes quickly.

Why Now?

While Starbreeze and Plaion never publicly expressed tensions, today’s announcement confirms what many suspected — a streamlined, in-house publishing model is what Payday 3 needs most. According to sources close to the situation, the transition has been in the works for months, coinciding with Starbreeze’s efforts to restructure internally and redefine its post-launch roadmap.

Despite the publishing shift, financial arrangements between the two companies remain intact. Revenue from Payday 3 will continue to be shared after each party recoups its costs and platform fees — a stipulation likely baked into the original agreement.

What’s Next for Payday 3?

Starbreeze is now in the driver’s seat, and it’s wasting no time. The studio plans to accelerate development on upcoming seasonal content and improve live service operations. A new roadmap is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks, which sources say will include long-awaited features like offline mode, enhanced matchmaking, and new heist content.

The studio is also looking to rebuild community trust after a rocky first year. An upcoming developer livestream, reportedly set for late May, will detail upcoming fixes and offer transparency into Starbreeze’s plans moving forward.

Final Thoughts

It’s no secret that Payday 3 has struggled since launch, but taking back full publishing control could be the spark the franchise needs. With the community still deeply engaged — albeit frustrated — the ball is now in Starbreeze’s court to turn things around.

Whether they succeed remains to be seen, but at least now, there’s no middleman in the way.