Payday Franchise Boasts Over 38 Million Players, Generates $300 Million in Sales

Starbreeze Studios’ Payday franchise now boasts over 38 million players in total, and generates $300 million in sales.

In its First Quarter 2023 report, Starbreeze Studios has reported that the Payday series has amassed over 38 million players, and the franchise has reached $300 million in gross sales thus far. The studio also reiterated that Payday 3 is on target and scheduled for release this year in 2023.

Furthermore, it was mentioned that the company revenue rose by 14%, while profit metric (EBITDA) declined by 11%. The total revenue generated during the quarter by Starbreeze Studios is $2.63m +13% YoY and the profit before tax is -$2.43m -4% YoY. The most recent entry in the Payday series, Payday 2, currently has a Monthly Active User (MAU) count of 910,000.

With regards to Payday 3, it was stated that Starbreeze Studios is aiming for simultaneous PC and Console launch later this year, with a gameplay reveal coming sometime soon during the Summer. It was stated that the game has been wishlisted by 1 million users on Steam. Marketing for Payday 3 is expected to kick off this summer, alongside the aforementioned gameplay reveal. The company has also stated that it has secured financing for future projects in 2025 and 2027.

Payday 3 is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed by Overkill Software and Starbreeze Studios, and published by Prime Matter as the third entry in the Payday series. The game is scheduled for release in 2023 and continues the story of the Payday Gang after they had seemingly left their criminal lives behind at the end of Payday 2. However, a new motivation pushes them back into the life of crime.

The game features the original crew of characters from Payday: The Heist, including “Dallas”, “Chains”, “Wolf”, and “Hoxton,” and takes place primarily in New York. Teaser images suggest that one of the missions will be at the “Gold & Sharke Incorporated” bank. Payday 3 is set in the 2020s and includes new challenges, such as more advanced surveillance and the rise of cryptocurrency, to add depth to the Payday Gang’s crimes.