Starbreeze Announces Cancellation of Offline Mode Development for Payday 3, Citing Feasibility Challenges

Starbreeze Entertainment Cancels Project Baxter to Focus on Payday 3

Today, Starbreeze Entertainment made headlines by officially terminating Project Baxter, its Dungeons & Dragons-themed venture announced in 2023. The studio is redirecting its focus toward its flagship franchise, Payday, resulting in the unfortunate layoff of 44 developers. Coinciding with this announcement, Starbreeze hosted an anniversary live stream celebrating the second anniversary of Payday 3, where general manager Jonas Skantz and community manager Elisabeth Elvestad revealed significant updates regarding the game, including the disappointing news that the long-awaited offline mode is no longer in development.

Details of the Live Stream Announcement

The live stream, available on the official Payday Twitch channel, was designed to discuss the future of Payday 3. Elvestad opened the session by directly addressing a frequently debated topic among fans: the status of the offline mode. Skantz humorously acknowledged the tension with the fans, saying, “I thought we were friends, ”before delivering the disappointing news.

Challenges in Developing Offline Mode

In his explanation, Skantz touched upon several constraints the development team faces.“We had good intentions with offline mode, ”he stated. However, he underscored that the studio must prioritize its resources on aspects crucial for game progression and core gameplay mechanics. Skantz elaborated, stating that the current update model requires significant time to implement changes, which hampers the team’s ability to respond swiftly to player feedback.

“To improve our responsiveness, ”he continued, “we need a backend framework that allows for faster updates. This will boost both our speed and the significance of player feedback.”While improvements will still be made to the online experience, Skantz reiterated that developing the offline mode is currently not feasible.

Community Reaction and Future Plans

The decision to lay off 44 developers while simultaneously claiming the studio lacks the capacity to fulfill the offline mode request has left many players bewildered. Furthermore, when discussing future plans for Payday 3, Skantz suggested that the team would be “more than doubling”their workforce to expand their development capabilities.

Players eagerly awaiting an offline mode may feel justifiably let down, as this situation raises questions about the studio’s priorities. While the developers for Project Baxter might have possessed different expertise, the rationale behind the decision seems opaque.

Content Issues in Payday 3

It’s worth noting that the absence of offline mode is not the core issue plaguing Payday 3. Since its poorly received launch, the game’s most significant shortcoming has been a lack of content in comparison to its predecessor, Payday 2. Starbreeze must present compelling reasons for players to transition to the new installment rather than relying on familiar content from the past.

While hopes remain that an offline mode might eventually be integrated when Payday 3 reaches the end of its lifecycle, community sentiment seems skeptical. As voiced on platforms like Reddit, there’s uncertainty whether players will still care enough for such a feature by that time. The future of Payday 3 remains to be seen, but immediate actions are critical for regaining player trust.

Source&Images