Released just this September 21, 2023, it seems Payday 3 is having a rough time keeping its player base engaged amid its tumultuous launch, as the shooter has dipped below 100 players on Steam a mere four months after it released.
The numbers come from the reliable Steam Charts, which lists the game as only having 98 players, though it eventually bounced back (image via IceTacos)
Right now this January 27, Steam Charts show the game as having 677 players in the last 40 minutes, with a 24-hour peak of the same value. Note that this is only for Steam, so we don’t know whether the game has more or fewer players on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Regardless of that though, it’s a far cry from the game’s 69,000 peak it had when the game’s first month of release. However, Payday 3’s super rocky launch which resulted in days of server issues didn’t help the game, and add in the complaints from the community not being addressed and lack of content, it’s not really surprising to see its player base dwindle this quick.
Why Is Payday 3 Bleeding Players?
There are several factors as to why Payday 3 isn’t fairing, as well as past entries. From it’s rocky, always online launch, bugs and technical issues, to communication and players not knowing what’s coming next in terms of content. You can take your pick, and though Starbreeze has gotten better on the communication side, it seems that damage has been done.
Whether they can turn things around remains to be seen, but one thing is certain, they’ll need to act fast or risk losing the remaining player base. With this year being very busy with multiplayer releases, some in the extraction genre, Starbreeze has their work cutout for them.
Will the game recover? If Starbreeze hopes to do that, they need to address the community concerns, and maybe lay out a proper roadmap of content outside of the announced DLC. It’d be wise to act on it fast, as the remaining players might jump ship. Don’t forget, there is another heist game incoming, and this one is from the creator of the Payday franchise, even.
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