Layoffs have taken place at Starbreeze Studios, the developer behind Payday 3, marking another difficult moment for the studio following the game’s troubled launch.
Multiple employees took to LinkedIn on Wednesday to confirm that layoffs were taking place. As of writing, Starbreeze has yet to officially announce the layoffs.
“Today, many of us at Starbreeze, Stockholm, got sad news and I’m now seeking a new role and would appreciate your support,” said QA Alexander Pereswetoff-Morath. “After over 7 years, the longest I’ve ever been at any company in any industry, my time has (more than likely) come.”
Senior Tech Producer Sabina af Jochnick added, “Due to the recent layoffs at Starbreeze, my role has been identified as at risk of redundancy, so I’m beginning to look at what’s next.”
Since launching in 2023, Payday 3 has faced a number of problems. It’s launch was so bad with players frustrated and leaving the game altogether that Starbreeze ultimately fired its CEO Tobias Sjögren. Starbreeze even announced in late 2024 that it was going to invest “significantly less” in year two content for Payday 3.
Despite the lower investment in the game, the studio had continued to update and support the game. It’s most recent update—Update 3.1—on January 13 included a new “Shopping Spree” heist along with a number of game balance changes.
Insider Gaming has reached out to Starbreeze for clarification on the layoffs. Should a response be received, it will be added to this story.
For more Insider Gaming, read about the cancelation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake amid restructuring at Ubisoft. And be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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