Starbreeze Transfers Payday 2 Maintenance to Sidetrack Games to Prioritize Payday 3 Development

Starbreeze Entertainment Transfers Payday 2 Maintenance to Sidetrack Games

Starbreeze Entertainment has announced a strategic shift in their operations by transferring the ongoing maintenance of Payday 2 to Sidetrack Games. This transition aims to allow Starbreeze to concentrate its resources on the development of Payday 3. Sidetrack Games will assume responsibility for future updates, addressing bugs, and implementing quality-of-life improvements to ensure that players can continue to enjoy Payday 2.

About Sidetrack Games

In their official announcement, Starbreeze expressed confidence in Sidetrack Games, formerly recognized as the M. U.G. Team. They have a rich history rooted in the Payday modding community, equipping them with the skills necessary to enhance the gaming experience.

Starbreeze highlighted Sidetrack’s previous work on RAID: World War II, showcasing their ability to deliver consistent quality over time. The team is already on the job, with the first update scheduled for release on October 23, aiming to stabilize the game and elevate the overall player experience.

Focus on Future Collaborations

Through this collaboration, Starbreeze aims to fully devote its attention to Payday 3, while ensuring that Payday 2 continues receiving the specialized support it deserves. The dedication of Sidetrack Games is expected to breathe new life into the older title.

We’ve partnered with Sidetrack Games to support PD 2 on PC! They have roots in the modding community, and we have trust they’ll bring the game back to life! Starting Oct.23 the first update will come out, and they’ll be focusing on QoL updates to start: https://t.co/JjEpneo71b pic.twitter.com/USU6I0lU2H

— PAYDAY 3 (@PAYDAYGame) October 21, 2025

Upcoming Live Stream & Previous Updates

In addition to these updates, Starbreeze will host a live stream on Thursday to provide deeper insights into their new partnership with Sidetrack Games.

This change comes on the heels of a controversial DLC subscription service introduced by Starbreeze, which was met with backlash due to increased costs for accessing the Infamous Collection of Payday 2 DLCs. Following community dissatisfaction, Starbreeze reverted the pricing back to its original state.

Starbreeze’s Commitment to Payday 3

Starbreeze’s decision to delegate the maintenance of Payday 2 underlines their commitment to enhancing Payday 3. The studio previously canceled plans for a co-op game based on Dungeons & Dragons to focus more intensively on the Payday franchise. However, challenges remain. It will likely take years for Payday 3 to reach the same level of content richness and player satisfaction that Payday 2 currently offers.

Moreover, Starbreeze has indicated that Payday 3 will not feature an offline mode, which may further complicate its appeal to some players within the community.

Outlook on Payday 3’s Future

Despite the challenges faced by Payday 3, including a troubled launch filled with technical issues and limited initial content, Starbreeze appears dedicated to resolving these concerns.

As fans anticipate new developments, the upcoming year will serve as a crucial test to see if Starbreeze can successfully draw players away from Payday 2 to its sequel, which has struggled to maintain a player base, often recording fewer than 3, 000 concurrent players on Steam, according to SteamDB.

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