Payday 3 is finally getting an offline mode... that you need to be online to access
Payday 3's long-awaited offline mode is close, but it's not going to work the way you expect it to - for now, at least.
It’s been a wild ride for Payday 3, the sequel to the beloved heisting game best-seller. Launch woes that lasted longer than anyone expected, and delayed patches and fixes have lead most players to lose interest (and many to go back to Payday 2).
But Starbreeze never stopped working on the game, and its next update is adding new content and bringing the first iteration of an often-requested feature.
As part of Dev Update 6, the developer revealed the next heist coming to the game: Boys in Blue. This one, as the name suggests, is centred around the cops. The heist takes place in and around a police precinct, and brings back some beloved mechanics from Payday 2.
The heist arrives alongside a major patch on June 27, which is already generating a lot of enthusiasm. Apart from a bunch of free and paid new cosmetics, new weapons (including the first LMG), and exciting tech additions like DLSS Frame Generation, the biggest feature in this one is the beta launch of Solo Mode.
One of the biggest criticisms Payday 3 faced at launch is its lack of a true offline mode. Plenty of Payday 2 players enjoyed hundreds of hours sneaking around (or going loud) in the game’s many heists on their own, offline. That option didn’t make the jump to Payday 3, thanks to the game’s constant online connection requirement.
Starbreeze always promised to bring back the ability to play solo and without the need of an internet connection, and the first iteration of Solo arrives with the update.
Unfortunately, the mode intended to be enjoyed without relying on an internet connection or servers… does require both still. To launch the Solo Mode beta, you’re going to need to connect to a server. At the end of your session, a connection will also be required to upload your progress.
This is far from ideal, and Starbreeze knows it. The developer stressed in the developer update that future iterations will move towards a fully-offline option, as well as hosted co-op games. The developer also warned that performance will be affected, as many of the elements typically handled by servers must now run on the player’s device.
Starbreeze has also been slowly moving to a new matchmaking service, which should hopefully result in faster matchmaking and better stability. Some matches have already been trialled on the new service, but more players will soon get to enjoy the upgraded infrastructure on its way to a full launch by the year’s end.
Looking at the general sentiment online, players certainly appear to be more hopeful about Payday 3’s future. We spoke to former Payday devs at GTFO maker 10 Chambers who had faith in Starbreeze turning things around.