Upon logging in to Payday 3, users are greeted by a full-screen prompt that simply states, “Do you want to enable Telemetry?” If you’ve not heard of the term before, it’s normal to question it. In Payday 3’s case, Telemetry allows the developer to gather data from your gameplay. When phrased like that, it sounds rather sinister, but there’s nothing to worry about. Let me explain what Telemetry is, and should you enable it in Payday 3? Answered.
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What is Telemetry, and should you enable it in Payday 3? Answered
Telemetry allows developers to collect data from your heists and general gameplay. This doesn’t mean Starbreeze Studios are going to rifle through your heists with a fine-tooth comb. It’s more likely that Telemetry will help them to identify player behaviors. This intel can lead to gameplay changes in the future.
What does all of this mean for you as a player if you opt-in? Honestly, not a lot. We’re in an age where people are increasingly tech-savvy and like to know how their information will be used. It’s a good question to ask, but fear not, as enabling Telemetry won’t affect your gameplay experience.
Telemetry will likely track what weapons are the most popular and maybe the most common routes through each map. This data can be used to buff underperforming weapons and could also usher in changes to locales. If certain areas don’t get much footfall, it could indicate that they are too hard to get to, and adjustments can be made. In the long run, this information should improve the Payday 3 experience for the player base at large. Naturally, it’ll probably take a while for any changes to go live.
Is my personal data at risk if I enable Telemetry?
Telemetry only collects data about your gameplay, and your personal information is entirely separate. Because of this, you don’t need to worry, and there’s no risk to your personal information.
Do other games collect data like this?
This sort of data collection is commonplace across the games industry and even features in patch notes. The Call of Duty developers are a great example, and they cite data to justify balance changes. If developers notice certain weapons are underperforming, they can use player data to shape the meta and give those weapons some love. In Payday 3, players are already figuring out what weapons to steer clear of. In a perfect world, every piece of equipment could be viable.
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