With just a fortnight left before Payday 3 makes its much-anticipated release, developer Starbreeze Studios has already unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for the game’s first year, promising a slew of downloadable content and updates that are sure to keep players engaged.
Starbreeze has titled the game’s first year as ‘The Bad Apple’, drawing inspiration from the bustling city of New York. The roadmap reveals four major DLCs scheduled for release throughout the year, namely:
- Syntax Error: Scheduled for release in winter this year. While specific details remain under wraps, the title suggests missions centered around hacking and digital heists.
- Boys in Blue: Scheduled for release in spring 2024. This DLC might revolve around deadly altercations with the police, given the title’s reference.
- The Land of the Free: Scheduled for release in summer 2024. The name hints at missions that might explore themes of liberty and perhaps political undertones.
- Fear and Greed: Scheduled for release in fall 2024. This DLC’s title evokes a sense of high-stakes heists, possibly involving large corporations or influential figures.
Beyond the major DLCs, Starbreeze has plans to roll out a variety of updates. Players can look forward to seasonal events, new playable characters, cosmetics, skill trees, features, enemies, and weapons. One of the most notable changes is the transition to Unreal Engine 5 post-launch, which will provide the upcoming title with enhanced visuals and performance.
For those eager to get a taste of the action before the game’s official launch, Payday 3 will have an open beta that begins today and runs through the weekend until Monday. This beta will allow players to try out a heist named ‘No Rest For The Wicked’ and play as one of four characters, namely Dallas, Hoxton, Chains, and Wolf.
The unveiling of a roadmap full of DLCs spells doom for players’ wallets. While a year-long roadmap promotes transparency and the assurance of long-term support, savvy players can’t help but perceive it as Starbreeze Studios’ maneuver to extract more money from their pockets.
The announcement that Payday 3 will carry a $40 price tag elicited cautious enthusiasm, particularly in an era where most games fetch prices ranging from $60 to $70. It’s likely that this will be balanced out by pricier DLC releases as time goes on.
Although the specific DLC costs remain undisclosed, the pricing of Payday 3 Gold Edition at $90, which bundles a 12-month Season Pass, strongly hints that the individual DLCs may come at a higher collective cost. This naturally leads players to wonder whether these DLCs truly justify their cost or if they ought to have been integrated into the base game from the outset.
Payday 3 is now available for pre-order on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam ahead of its release on September 21.
