Starbreeze (Payday) lays off staff and cancels its Dungeons & Dragons game
, by Thibaut
These are extremely difficult times for Starbreeze. Following the critical and commercial failure of Payday 3, the Swedish company has changed its leadership and also laid off staff.
Unfortunately, this tumultuous period is far from over, as the studio announced this week that it is halting development of its Dungeons & Dragons game. The title, known by the code name Project Baxter, was officially announced in 2023 and was scheduled for release in 2026.
"Following a strategic review, the Board of Directors and management have concluded that resources are best deployed to accelerate the growth of Starbreeze’s flagship PAYDAY franchise.
As a result, some of the developers working on Project Baxter will be redeployed to other projects. Unfortunately, around 44 people are being laid off at the same time. Starbreeze CEO Adolf Kristjansson issued a statement.
"This was a difficult but necessary decision. Our strategy is clear: PAYDAY is one of the most iconic IPs in gaming, with unmatched reach and potential.
By focusing our investment and talent here, we can accelerate delivery, engage players with more content, and reinforce Starbreeze’s position as the clear leader in the heisting genre. This is about sharpening our focus to create the strongest long-term value for our players, our people, and our shareholders."
Source: corporate.starbreeze.com