Starbreeze Pivots Strategy, Focuses on Payday
Starbreeze, the studio known for its heist game series Payday, has announced the cancellation of its upcoming Dungeons & Dragons project, codenamed Project Baxter. This difficult decision will result in a significant write-off and layoffs, as the company aims to fully concentrate its resources on the Payday franchise.
Project Baxter was envisioned as a cooperative game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, with a planned release in 2026. Starbreeze itself was set to publish the title. However, the studio has opted to discontinue its development to bolster its primary focus, the Payday series.
A "Difficult but Necessary" Decision
According to reports from Game Developer, the cancellation is a strategic move to redirect investments toward projects with long-term potential. Starbreeze CEO Adolf Kristjansson called the decision to halt Project Baxter "difficult but necessary." He stated, "We have a clear strategy: Payday is one of the most iconic gaming franchises with unique reach and potential. By concentrating investments and workforce here, we can accelerate content delivery, more actively engage players, and solidify Starbreeze's position as a leader in the heist game genre."
The financial impact of this decision is substantial, leading to a non-convertible write-off of approximately 255 million Swedish Kronor (about $27.2 million USD). Furthermore, the cancellation will result in the loss of around 44 jobs, affecting both full-time and contract employees. While a precise number of layoffs couldn't be confirmed by Starbreeze representatives due to ongoing union negotiations, some staff members from Project Baxter will be reassigned to other teams within the company.
Reinforcing the Payday Franchise
Despite previous struggles, including a rocky launch for Payday 3 in 2023 and an attempt to re-monetize Payday 2 that faced significant backlash, Starbreeze is doubling down on its flagship series. The studio plans to expand the Payday 3 development team by approximately 50 people by the end of the year. The goal is to evolve the game into a "modern live service game" and expand the heist game genre as a whole.
Starbreeze sees the Payday series as a "growth platform" and envisions future possibilities for story-driven spin-offs. These potential new titles would aim to broaden the game's universe and attract new audiences, further cementing Payday's role in the studio's long-term strategy.
What This Means for Players
For players, this strategic shift means an increased focus on the development and support of Payday 3. While the cancellation of a D&D game might be disappointing for some, those invested in the Payday universe can expect accelerated content releases and a more robust live-service experience. It represents a clear commitment from Starbreeze to its core franchise, hoping to turn around the fortunes that have recently plagued the company and its latest release.
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