If you were a fan of Payday: The Web Series, we've got good news. Nearly a decade after the first attempt at a live-action adaptation, developer Starbreeze Studios is once again committing to a film adaptation of its popular first-person shooter game.
The company’s financial reports for the last quarter of 2022 have been made public and the documents show that the developer has partnered with Stockholm Syndrome, Los Angeles-based production firm, to reinvigorate the crime-focused shooter franchise in other forms of media. This is a big deal considering the series of Payday games has been played by around 40 million people.
With the development of Payday 3 "ongoing" according to the released documents, while targeting a release window later this year with a games-as-a-service model, there’s no better time to expand the franchise. This model works best with free-to-play games, but it's unclear if Starbreeze’s new title will fall under that umbrella. The paperwork also shows the studio’s plans for expanding its portfolio of IPs, by acquiring and licensing an existing IP.
The move is understandable given the success that other video game adaptations are enjoying on the small screens. Stockholm Syndrome CEO Greg Lipstone also acknowledged this saying, "The timing couldn't be more perfect. Just look at the success of The Last of Us, Halo, and The Witcher, all based on well-known games."
Stockholm Syndrome founder Peter Settman also chipped in, "We’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of different IPs over the years, and Payday has always been on our radar. It has a cinematic quality and narrative that lends itself to a fantastic live-action adaptation."
This news further stirs up the excitement surrounding the upcoming Payday 3 release, which was teased earlier this year.
If you’re in the market for another free-to-play FPS game, 2023 is your year, as XDefiant is currently undergoing cross-platform playtesting ahead of its release later this year. Far Cry 6 is also having a free trial this weekend on consoles and PC.
