Starbreeze Studios has secured a hefty €50 million investment from Koch Media to develop Payday 3, with a planned release date in 2023.
The funding will support development and marketing of the base game, and also support at least 18 months of post-launch “games as a service” content. Koch Media’s contribution completes the project’s funding, and they will co-publish the anticipated follow-up to 2013’s Payday 2 with Starbreeze.
“We are excited to announce this exclusive long-term PAYDAY 3 co-publishing deal with Koch Media who shares our passion for the PAYDAY franchise and the “Games as a service” model,” said Starbreeze Acting CEO, Tobias Sjögren. “In addition to securing the continued development, this deal secures global publishing of Payday 3 as well as the marketing efforts through the entire game life cycle. We now have a strong foundation for a successful launch.”
The series began with Payday: The Heist in 2011, developed by Overkill Software. Starbreeze acquired Overkill in 2012 and together published Payday 2 in 2013, with an upgraded “Crimewave Edition” hitting PlayStation 4 in 2015 and a Switch port in 2018. A disappointing launch for Overkill’s The Walking Dead in 2018 led the company to restructure, but today’s announcement is encouraging for the future of the franchise. To date, the Payday games have sold over 28 million copies, and Payday 3 will seek to further expand the IP.
Koch Media GmbH has over 25 years of experience in digital media, and stands as a leading publisher in Europe. As part of the Embracer Media Group, they also hold Ravenscourt, Vertigo Games, and Flying Wild Hog.
“We are delighted to welcome Starbreeze as a new partner for our global publishing business,” said Koch Media Group CEO, Klemens Kundratitz. “Payday 3 is shaping up to be an incredible game. Based on what we’ve seen already, Payday 3 is going to take the franchise to new heights and will delight [franchise] fans as well as new audiences alike with innovative multiplayer gameplay.”
