Payday 3 Launch: Poor Reviews and Disappointing Sales Lead to CEO’s Removal
The launch of Payday 3 in 2023 was a disaster, with poor reviews, negative Steam ratings, and fans returning to Payday 2. The game’s underwhelming performance resulted in the removal of CEO Tobias Sjögren. Find out the consequences for Starbreeze and the future of the franchise.
Payday 3 Launch: A Disastrous Start for the Highly Anticipated Game
The highly anticipated launch of Payday 3 in 2023 turned out to be a complete disaster. The game received poor review scores, had a negative Steam rating, and saw fans abandoning it to return to playing Payday 2 instead.
( Credit to: Kotaku )
Released in September 2023, Payday 3 encountered numerous issues right from day one. Players experienced broken servers and problematic matchmaking. Additionally, PS5 players found themselves stuck playing an older version of the game.
Even after these initial problems were resolved, more issues persisted. One major complaint was the absence of a solo option for players who prefer to play alone. There was also no quickplay feature to jump into matches, and the ability to vote to kick players was missing as well.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the developers announced plans in February 2024 to address these concerns and incorporate the features and content that players had demanded. They also aimed to fix the game’s progression and user interface.
Underwhelming Performance: Payday 3 Fails to Attract a Significant Player Base
Unfortunately, despite these efforts, Payday 3 failed to attract a significant player base. SteamDB data reveals that the game typically has fewer than 400 players online on most days, while Payday 2 consistently maintains over 25,000 active users. These numbers are undoubtedly disappointing for Starbreeze and the future of the Payday franchise.
Consequences for Starbreeze: CEO Tobias Sjögren Removed from Position
As a consequence of the disappointing launch and underwhelming performance, Starbreeze made a significant decision regarding its leadership. On March 12, the company’s board of directors announced the immediate removal of CEO Tobias Sjögren from his position.
Sjögren is no longer associated with the company, and Juergen Goeldner, a board member and former CEO of Focus Home Interactive, has been appointed as the interim CEO. Starbreeze’s board expressed the need for “different leadership” to execute the company’s strategy, which revolves around creating appealing games based on their own and licensed intellectual properties.
Torgny Hellström, Chairman of Starbreeze, stated, “[Starbreeze] has a clear strategy centered around creating attractive games on our own and licensed IPs. The board’s consolidated assessment is that the execution of strategy needs a different leadership. Juergen Goeldner has been part of the board since 2023 and, with over 40 years of industry experience, is a strong interim solution.”
Uncertain Future: Can Payday 3 Be Revived?
The future of Payday 3 remains uncertain, but with the appointment of a new CEO, Starbreeze hopes to turn things around and regain the trust and support of its fanbase. Only time will tell if the necessary changes and improvements can be made to revive the franchise and bring it back to its former glory.