Starbreeze's Payday-focused future starts with a co-developed VR game

Over the past decade, the Swedish company Starbreeze has become strongly synonymous with the Payday franchise. Payday 2, released in 2013, sold over 40 million copies and helped the studio navigate through difficult times. In 2023, the company placed significant hopes on Payday 3, but its launch yielded only mediocre results: mixed reviews and "significantly lower than expected" sales and player counts, which led to the formation of a "strike team" to improve the game's situation.

Three years later, the situation has stabilized, and Payday remains the company's primary revenue stream (last year, the in-development Dungeons & Dragons project, Project Baxter, was canceled). The franchise boasts over 50 million players and has generated $400 million in total revenue. In Starbreeze's financial year 2025, Payday 3 contributed SEK 76.5 million ($8.19 million) in sales, while Payday 2 brought in SEK 50.1 million ($5.37 million).

The company continues its full focus on the cooperative crime franchise. Matt Dixon, Starbreeze's Chief Growth Officer, noted that possessing such a beloved intellectual property is a "privilege." He states, "We aim to release more games within the Payday universe." The first such project is a surprising VR title, developed in partnership with virtual reality specialist studio Fast Travel Games, known for games like Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice and Apex Construct. Payday Aces High is set to launch this year for Meta Quest and SteamVR platforms.

Both companies are based in Stockholm. Dixon recalls that the game's concept emerged after a "casual lunch conversation" about Starbreeze's plans to "expand the Payday IP and open it up to external partners."

"From the very beginning, there was mutual respect, and we immediately knew a collaboration would be amazing. Soon after, ideas started flowing, and a pitch began to take shape. Fast Travel presented their vision to us, and the rest is history."

Erik Odeldahl, Creative Director and Co-founder of Fast Travel Games, adds: "We decided very early on that this would be a game featuring a new crew of heisters, with their own unique story to tell."

"Everything unfolds in the same world as the main series games, and there will be many elements that Payday fans will recognize. However, both Fast Travel Games and Starbreeze felt that for a creative production to thrive, room for maneuver was essential."

Adapting an established "flat-screen" game franchise to virtual reality comes with its share of difficulties. ("So far, I haven't been part of a game development without challenges," Odeldahl quipped). Mechanics that work well in conventional games often do not translate effectively to the more immersive experience of virtual reality.

"We’ve reimagined the 'Quiet Mode' stealth phase to better suit immersive VR gameplay," Odeldahl explains. "From the outset, we also prioritized establishing a robust progression system, as we understand that enabling players to experiment with their loadouts for each unique heist will be crucial for replayability. Progression in Aces High involves utilizing your ill-gotten gains and in-game currency to unlock new abilities, gadgets, and weapons. Consequently, we designed VR-specific interactions for every item that feel intuitive and natural."

This isn't Starbreeze's first venture into virtual reality. There was a VR version of Payday 2, and the company also contributed to 2017's John Wick Chronicles. At one point, Starbreeze was even developing its own VR headset, Project StarVR, in collaboration with Acer.

"From our past experiences, we've learned that a VR game must genuinely feel different from its flat-screen counterpart and be entirely built for immersion," Dixon clarifies. "It's not just about the technology. It's about the game's feel, how it's designed for a 3D space, and how the gameplay loop aligns with the device's playstyle."

While virtual reality isn't a minor market, it's also not the largest. Aces High is also a social experience that requires multiple players, which could potentially limit its commercial reach. However, Odeldahl believes the social aspect is actually an advantage.

"Even though VR remains a more focused segment of the overall gaming market, we've consistently observed that social and cooperative experiences are among the strongest drivers for player engagement and retention," he elaborates. "To that end, we've invested significant time and effort into ensuring it's easy to find people to play with. Aces High supports full cross-platform play between Steam and Meta Quest users, and we've incorporated numerous ways to find and connect with other online players. Simultaneously, the game is designed to be fully playable solo, making the core heist experience accessible to any player. Nevertheless, as with any good co-op game, the best and most enjoyable experiences come from playing with others."

Odeldahl of Fast Travel also states he is not overly concerned about Meta's shifting metaverse priorities and their potential impact on the virtual reality sector.

"Let's just say we observe the evolving trends at Meta with great interest," he comments. "The VR industry has always developed amidst changes in platform investment and strategy, and this is something we factor into our long-term planning. However, we consistently find that strong, well-designed games continue to attract audiences regardless of these shifts. For the past decade, our focus has been on creating VR games that excite players and are easily accessible across platforms. Ultimately, sustainable growth in VR will stem from excellent content and player trust, which is where we are channeling our energy."

Aces High represents the initial project in a series of brand expansions from Starbreeze. Dixon describes Payday as the company's "core focus and growth engine."

"Starbreeze is entirely dedicated to delivering more content for our Payday products and extending the IP across additional experiences and platforms," he declares. "It's a tremendous responsibility to manage an IP of this magnitude. Millions of fans worldwide are ready to engage with Payday when it appears in the right venues. Payday content continues to grow, and we are eager to showcase what awaits fans this year."