Swedish studio Starbreeze has acquired the full rights to the Payday franchise, which is good news for fans of the popular video game.
Not only did the development bring news of a possible forthcoming Payday 3, it also revealed that the contentious microtransactions will be removed from Payday 2.
One of the most popular titles on Steam, Payday 2 was developed by Overkill, which promised upon the game’s launch that microtransactions would never appear in-game.
But after Starbreeze partnered with 505 Games, microtransactions arrived in Payday 2, causing significant anger among fans.
Now, in a press release, Starbreeze announced it has acquired the full Payday rights from 505 Games.
Shortly afterwards, Overkill announced the removal of microtransactions via the game’s Steam page.
As the developer states: “The PAYDAY franchise is ours again and to celebrate it, we’re giving away a community grenade, the skills tree and we’re making the black market free for everyone going forward.”
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As well as this, Starbreeze Studios’ press release makes mention of a Payday 3: “Furthermore, 505 Games will retain a 33% revenue share of Starbreeze’s net revenues from future sales of PAYDAY 3.”
It’s hardly confirmation of the seemingly forthcoming title, but does seem to suggest the game is at least a possibility, if not currently in the works.
Overkill has stated it will continue to support Payday 2 for at least the next 18 months.
Aside from its Steam release, Payday 2 was also launched on consoles as Payday 2: Crimewave Edition.
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Are you happy to see the end of microtransactions in Payday 2? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
