Starbreeze Studios
Starbreeze Studios business and news from across the web.
Inside the Heist: How PUBG Teamed Up with Payday to Evolve Beyond Battle RoyalePUBG: Battlegrounds has launched a limited-time collaboration with the Payday franchise, introducing a new heist mode developed in partnership with Starbreeze Studios. This mode aims to demonstrate PUBG's potential as a platform for diverse gameplay experiences beyond its core battle royale offering. The Payday mode features cooperative heists with distinct player classes and the choice between stealth or direct combat approaches.- Engagement RingThe game S&box generated nearly $1 million on its launch day, despite experiencing issues that developers are actively addressing. Separately, Starbreeze Studios has not yet declared its financial results for Payday 3.
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena review (2009)This 2009 review of The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena praises its brutal melee combat, stealth mechanics, and dark humor, noting its improvements over the prequel Escape from Butcher Bay. Despite some frustrating checkpointing and a shift to more traditional shooter elements in later levels, the game's engaging gameplay and adult themes make it a memorable experience.
PAYDAY 3 Update 3.4 Brings Reworked Heist and Long-Awaited Bot ImprovementsStarbreeze Studios has released Update 3.4 for PAYDAY 3, introducing a reworked 'No Rest for the Wicked' heist and significant improvements to AI bots, including their ability to pick up bags. This update addresses long-standing player feedback and marks another step in the game's post-launch recovery following a rocky debut. The patch also includes new cosmetic items and gameplay additions like a garbage truck.
Nordic Game 2026 announces speakers for Masterclass Friday programmeNordic Game 2026 has announced the speakers for its Masterclass Friday program, featuring industry professionals from companies like Starbreeze and Ubisoft. The program will offer full-day workshops in design, art, business, and narrative, curated by the Mighty Diamonds mentor group. The event will take place from May 26 to May 29 in Malmö, Sweden.
How PUBG is trying to win back the WestKrafton is implementing a two-pronged strategy to revitalize PUBG: Battlegrounds' appeal in Western markets, aiming to transform it into a content platform and a cultural icon. This involves expanding gameplay with new modes and user-generated content, alongside collaborations with Western artists. The company is also focusing on rapid prototyping for new games in the PUBG universe, learning from early access experiments.
Split Fiction developer Hazelight celebrates 50 million games sales, but it's not its newest game that dominates the pie chartHazelight Studios, known for games like It Takes Two and A Way Out, announced it has surpassed 50 million game sales across its titles. It Takes Two is the studio's best-selling game with 30 million units sold, surpassing Split Fiction and A Way Out. The developer also confirmed it is working on its fourth game, which is expected to feature co-op gameplay.
Were PC gamers right to take against Syndicate's FPS reboot? Only one man with an ancient disc copy can find outThis article examines the 2012 first-person shooter reboot of Syndicate, exploring how EA's attempt to adapt the beloved strategy IP into a blockbuster shooter alienated PC fans. Despite its flaws and a challenging difficulty that frustrated players, the game is analyzed for its strong world-building, voice acting by Michael Wincott, and contributions from developers who later founded MachineGames, creators of the Wolfenstein reboot.- Mega Man and Proto Man Now Available in Sonic Racing: CrossWorldsMega Man and Proto Man, along with the Rush Roadstar Vehicle, are now playable characters in SEGA's Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. The Mega Man Pack includes a new Wily Castle Course and six emotes per character, with music tracks also featured. The pack is available for $5.99 or free for Digital Deluxe Edition owners. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
- Våra starkaste svenska spelminnenThis article shares personal memories from FZ staff about influential Swedish-developed video games. Contributors recall experiences with titles like Battlefield 1942, The Darkness, Soma, Helldivers 2, and Motorhead, highlighting their impact and unique qualities. The piece encourages readers to share their own cherished memories of Swedish games in the comments.
- Evening InterviewsStarbreeze Studios is focusing on the Payday franchise, with a co-developed virtual reality game set to be released. Further details about the VR title are expected to be revealed soon.
There's a new Payday game coming later this year, and it's VRStarbreeze Studios has announced Payday: Aces High, a new co-op heist game built specifically for virtual reality, set to launch in Q3 2026 for Meta Quest and SteamVR headsets. Developed by Fast Travel Games, this VR title aims to bring the signature chaos of the Payday franchise to an immersive format, despite ongoing challenges with Payday 3 and recent layoffs at Starbreeze.
Starbreeze's Payday-focused future starts with a co-developed VR gameStarbreeze Studios is expanding the Payday franchise with Payday Aces High, a co-developed VR title with Fast Travel Games launching this year for Meta Quest and SteamVR. Despite middling results from Payday 3, the company remains focused on the crime heist series, with Payday Aces High being the first of several planned expansions. The VR game will feature new heisters and VR-specific mechanics, with cross-platform play between Meta Quest and SteamVR players.- Payday: Aces High Is a New 4-Player Co-op VR Game Coming to Steam and Meta Where You Can 'Pull Off Daring Jobs in VR Using Black-Market Tech'Starbreeze Studios announced Payday: Aces High, a new 4-player co-op virtual reality game. The title will allow players to perform daring heists using black-market technology and is set to release on PC via Steam and Meta Quest platforms.
- Historien om det svenska spelundretThis article traces the history of the Swedish video game industry, highlighting its rise from humble beginnings to a global powerhouse. It details key companies like DICE, Starbreeze Studios, Paradox Interactive, and Mojang Studios, alongside influential games such as Minecraft, Battlefield, and Crusader Kings. The piece also touches upon the impact of the demoscene, home computer adoption, and the growth of indie development in fostering Sweden's success.
This Heat-inspired FPS is free on PlayStation Plus, for PS5, but not PS4Payday 3 is now available for free on PlayStation Plus, but exclusively for PlayStation 5 owners. While other PS Plus titles like High on Life and Pac-Man World Re-Pac are cross-generational, the multiplayer heist shooter is a PS5 exclusive. This move by Sony highlights a growing trend of games phasing out PlayStation 4 support as developers focus on newer hardware.