Payday 3 is still being outdone by its own 13-year-old predecessor

A new economic report shows this Salary 3 Still surpassed by its predecessor, Salary 2. Numbers may not bode well Salary 3As Starbreeze Studios tries to turn the game around.

Salary 3 Started back in 2023, but it hasn't been a smooth ride for the title. on Steam, Salary 3 Holds an overall rating of mixed, and as of publication time, a 24-hour peak of 384 concurrent players. The title's all-time peak on Steam was just shy of 78,000, which it achieved when it launched in September 2023. By November, that number had dropped to just over 5,000, and it hasn't climbed any higher since then.

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Starbreeze Studios discloses its financials

Official promo for Payday 3's Syntax Error Theft DLC

In an investor report, Starbreeze laid out its wins and losses, as well as its specific financials for the year and last quarter. Salary 3 It was able to come out on top for the full year of 2025, seeing sales compared to 76.5 million SEK ($8.4 million USD). Salary 2 reached 50.1 million SEK ($5.6 million USD). but, Salary 2 The last quarter alone came out on top with 14.8 million SEK ($1.6 million USD) vs Salary 3 Earning only 8 million SEK ($880,000 USD). Salary 2 A year-on-year comparison also experienced growth, seeing an increase from 41.8 million SEK ($4.6 million USD) in 2024 to 50.1 million SEK ($5.6 million USD) in 2025, while Salary 3 Decreased from 82.9 SEK ($9.1 million USD) in 2024 to 76.5 million SEK ($8.4 million USD) in 2025.

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These developments seem particularly problematic given Starbreeze's move to acquire publishing rights Salary 3 By mid-2025. The move is aimed at speeding up content development, among other things, with the game seeing big releases like Party Powder Heist in May, and the Skills 2.0 overhaul starting in December. Earlier that year, the game also launched on PS Plus, possibly introducing new players to the franchise. As for the company's overall earnings, net sales were up year-over-year, with Starbreeze seeing 221 million SEK ($24.3 million USD) in sales in 2025 compared to 186 million SEK ($20.4 million USD) in 2024. However, its net loss has also increased, with a net loss of 402.7 million SEK ($44.3M USD) in 2025, while 2024 saw a loss of just 317.7 million SEK ($34.9M USD).

fans of pay day Franchisees and Starbreeze may already know that unfortunate recent developments have occurred with the company. Starbreeze canceled it Dungeons and Dragons The game, known as Project Baxter, was announced back in 2023. Starbreeze also saw layoffs after the announcement, and further cuts occurred in early 2026.

Although something is possible, it is clear that so far, Salary 2 is preferred Salary 3. In addition to disclosures in financial reports, SteamDB indicates Salary 2 Still watching thousands of concurrent players per day. While the game has seen a significant drop in player numbers since its peak of around 250,000 players eight years ago, a 24-hour peak of over 25,000 players is nothing to scoff at for a 13-year-old game. Despite Starbreeze's efforts, so far, Salary 3 Couldn't come close Salary 2Average number since its inception. However, Starbreeze's financial report says the company is making “tangible progress” to improve the player experience. Salary 3And that “building trust with the players … is a long-term effort.”

Meanwhile, Starbreeze partnered with Sidetrack Games near the end of 2025 to support Salary 2 On PC, ensuring the game continues to receive quality of life improvements and patches. A player survey was hosted earlier in February, asking for players' opinions and preferences, which could help shape the future of the franchise as a whole. If only time will tell Salary 3 is capable of outdoing its predecessor, but Salary 2It is proven to have staying power.