‘Payday 3’ may be too similar to ‘Payday 2’, says series creator

Ulf Andersson, the creator of Payday, has weighed in on how Payday 3‘s decision to “stick to the original concept” may be a double-edged sword for developer Starbreeze Studios.

One of the original creators of Payday, Andersson left Starbreeze, the parent company of Overkill Software, to create 10 Chambers in 2015. The hardcore co-op shooter GTFO was developed as 10 Chambers’ debut because it was the product of the team’s ambition to encourage teamwork in this genre.

While Starbeeze has gone on to make Payday 3, 10 Chambers is winding down development on GTFO and is working on a “techno-thriller” heist game. Speaking to NME at Gamescom 2023, Andersson was asked if there were any design choices with Payday 3 that he would not have made based on his experience with GTFO.

“They’re sticking really close to the original concept,” answered Andersson, adding that the game “looks great” for fans. “And I love a good fight. I’m more of an underdog than anything else. I’m just hoping that they fucking crush it, right?”

He then pointed out similarities between Payday 2 and Payday 3, such as the menus and the composition of the game, and said the enemy artificial intelligence reminded him of Call Of Duty.

Simon Viklund, narrative director, also added that the ability to use hostages as human shields was one of their first ideas for Payday. “We never did that in either of the first two games,” he said.

“It’s like somebody has your playbook now, but like…your old playbook,” said Andersson.

“I think this might be a case where they are just trying to understand what they have,” the CEO continued, who theorised that the outcome of Overkill’s poorly-performing The Walking Dead game may have had a bearing on the aims of Payday 3.

“As a studio, you need to find that confidence again, like, ‘Okay, let’s go back to the roots and make me understand this again.’ I respect the choice of sticking to that,” he said.

However, he wondered whether this reanimation of the familiar features of Payday 2 in Payday 3 would be enough to convince newer players who are curious about the heist simulator.

“The core audience will probably be like, ‘Dope’”, shared Andersson. “A new audience would probably go like, ‘It sort of looks old.’ I don’t know, we’ll see.”

Andersson and Viklund both added that 10 Chambers will be taking a more experimental approach to their untitled heist game, which will attempt to shake up the one-way heist-into-shootout formula popularised by Payday.

For news, previews and announcements on the games you need to know about at Gamescom 2023, be sure to follow NME‘s live blog of the event for the rest of the week.