Payday 3 2024 Roadmap Revealed

I’ve sat, four maybe five times over the last 6 months, getting mostly the same ideas down that have already been said but with less vitriol in the Steam reviews section. Payday 3‘s launch was a disaster, there are no two ways about that. Many things just aren’t great about the latest adventure for the Payday gang, and very few are. Announced late last week, the 2024 roadmap was laid out and it looks promising, but I can’t say all that surprising given we’re looking at a Cyberpunk 2.0 revamp.

One of the most important things revealed as part of the roadmap for the second Payday sequel to have issues on launch is the offline mode. Presently requiring an online connection to even play solo, this is what makes a lot of people frustrated. Often with connection times nearing closer to 1 minute, I’m stunned anyone thought this live-service model was a great idea. Though “Solo mode” and “Offline mode” are major improvements on the horizon, there is no word when these major features are set to release.

Joining the offline mode in the major improvements section is: A revamp of progression, “new content,” UI revamp, as well as stability, matchmaking, and a server browser. So most of the game? This is why I say the turnaround for Payday 3 is going to have to be akin to Cyberpunk 2077. Entire swathes of the game will be ripped out and built back up from the ground with the feedback received over the last several months. Though reading the statement released, it isn’t going to be easy for the team at Starbreeze as undoubtedly more negativity comes their way.

On the subject of the solo mode/offline mode, there is something that’s going to cause an uproar initially because it is stupid in the first place. This update is set to be rolled out in two separate phases over time, with phase one being solo mode: “Phase One will still require an online connection to our backend systems for progression, unlocks, etc.” In other words, exactly what we have right now, but with a change of phrasing; you can already do this by selecting “invite only/friends.”

Phase two isn’t much better, but it will at least give you an offline mode to play on. If only progression wasn’t tied to an online service. The statement reads: “Phase Two will look to improve on the solo mode implementation and allow you to play the game without requiring a constant internet connection. You will need to connect intermittently to our backend to upload your progression, but will otherwise be able to play offline. We’ll need to come back with details on exactly how this will pan out.” Great, it isn’t really an offline mode, it is an anti-piracy method that once again harms those with proper copies.

Though the progression itself is also set to get a whole new face in the coming months. The post reads: “The challenges will be removed and we’ll switch infamy progression to be tied to heist completion. As part of this, we will revisit all the current heist payout values, add scaling per bag secured for Infamy Points[,] and also a new bonus that rewards loud playstyles. The existing challenge framework will be repurposed to give cosmetic rewards for hardcore accomplishments instead.” Thank the baby Jebuz, I won’t have to use that spreadsheet someone made on Reddit.

In terms of UI, that’s also getting a face-lift, something desperately needed as tabbing through 46 pages to find challenges to progress through is quite annoying. I’m not allowed to swear here, so I can’t give my full opinion of it. “We’ll be working on creating a more intuitive UI that better explains what’s happening around the player as well including a simplified friends menu [and] a menu UI that better communicates the heisting theme. We’ll be rolling out improvements and eventually a revamp of most of the current UI during 2024,” as the update notes.

So far it sounds like great in-roads are being taken, but let’s not forget that Payday 3 launched with all the amenities of a live service. “Once we are satisfied with the improvements we’re intending [sic] to make to PAYDAY 3, we’ll revisit this topic in 2025,” the post notes on implementing an in-game store. Because that’s what everyone really wants, as they moan about the DLC that has already been released being priced a little too high, more ways to spend money on a game that isn’t up to snuff.

Alongside these long-term updates, the initial focus items are many of the quality-of-life things we should have seen at launch. Since they are being worked on immediately, this is what was said, “As such, we have a list of goals that we would like to finish by summer 2024.” This includes vote kicking, unready buttons, play again, loadout renaming, and a couple of other features. As I said, many of these should have been in Payday 3 at launch. In fact, everything noted should have been. Only making these a priority 6 months post-launch is a bit stupid.

The problem with Payday 3 right now is simply the fact that it is Payday 2 again but without all the features that make 25,000 people play it consecutively in the last month. Gunplay is the same and still great, there are some decent missions, and there are some decent ideas. Sadly, at the end of the day, it is a grind to play something that actively doesn’t have anything to keep you playing. While Payday 2 had a rough launch and a terrible community to start with, Payday 3 somehow outdid that launch by leaps and bounds which makes a good long-term review difficult to write.