Starbreeze Introduces PayDay 2 DLC Subscription, Faces Player Backlash
Starbreeze's cooperative shooter, PayDay 2, which launched to acclaim in 2013 and has seen years of ongoing content additions, has recently found itself in the midst of controversy. The developer's decision to introduce a new monthly subscription service, granting access to all of the game's downloadable content (DLC), has not been well-received by its dedicated player base.
Within days of the subscription's rollout, players took to Steam to express their disapproval, causing recent reviews to drop to a "mixed" rating of just 52%. Many players criticized the studio, accusing it of greed. This frustration was amplified by the fact that just weeks before the subscription was introduced, Starbreeze had significantly increased the price of the "PayDay 2: Infamous Collection," the game's most comprehensive edition that includes all existing expansions.
Starbreeze Responds to Player Outcry and Adjusts Prices
The immediate player backlash, often referred to as "review bombing," quickly yielded results. Starbreeze swiftly reverted the "Infamous Collection" to its original price. Furthermore, the studio launched a PayDay franchise sale on Steam, set to run until September 29th.
Gustav Nisser, Starbreeze's Head of Commercial, offered an explanation for the situation. He stated that the price increase for the "Infamous Collection" was an unintentional coincidence with the subscription's launch, and the studio admitted fault for "insufficient communication with players." Nisser framed the subscription itself as an "alternative, offering players greater flexibility in experiencing PayDay 2's extensive content." He elaborated:
"The negative reaction is quite understandable. We agree with the community that we made a mistake and immediately returned the set to its previous price. The studio should have understood how this looks from the outside. Given PayDay 2's more than ten-year history, we want to provide players with greater flexibility in exploring the vast content. The subscription makes it easy and economical to enjoy everything PayDay 2 has to offer, whether you're a newcomer or a returning veteran looking to explore missed add-ons. All existing DLCs remain available for individual purchase as before. This is done to give players more choice."
Player Sentiment Remains Divided
Despite Starbreeze's quick response and explanation, many gamers remain unconvinced. The community largely continues to accuse Starbreeze of attempting to extract as much revenue as possible from PayDay 2, particularly in light of the perceived underwhelming performance of its sequel, PayDay 3.
For players, this situation highlights the ongoing tension between developers' monetization strategies and community expectations. While Starbreeze aims to offer more options, the initial implementation and pricing changes clearly misjudged player sentiment, leading to a significant and vocal pushback from the game's long-standing fans.
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