Payday 3 developer blames a third-party matchmaking service for the game’s server issues

Tobias Sjögren, CEO of Starbreeze, stated that he is "disappointed" with the state of Payday 3's servers during its launch weekend and that a third-party matchmaking service is largely to blame for the ongoing connectivity issues.

The details:

• Payday 3 has been plagued by an assortment of network issues that began during its early access period on September 18, beginning with PlayStation 5 players receiving the incorrect build of the game. Once fans obtained the correct version, many reported problems connecting to the game's matchmaking service, rendering the game completely unplayable for everyone affected. These issues persisted until the game's full release on the 21st, and have only gotten worse as more players joined the game on other platforms, including Xbox Game Pass.
• Starbreeze stated in a statement (via Eurogamer) that it was "disappointed" with the launch, and that the server issues were caused by the game's "matchmaking software encountering an unforeseen error, which made it unable to handle the massive influx of players.” Starbreeze claims that the problem is the fault of its "third-party matchmaking partner," and that it will begin "evaluating a new partner for matchmaking services and making Payday 3 less dependent on online services.”
• The server issues have become so severe that Starbreeze boss Tobias Sjögren has addressed the community directly via his personal X account, apologizing for the current situation. “We are so sorry that the infrastructure didn’t hold up as expected, and although it’s impossible to prepare for every scenario – we should be able to do better,” said the CEO. “We work tirelessly until we have restored all services and our players can get back to heisting again without issues!”
• Despite Starbreeze's best efforts to keep the game alive, fans have criticized the company for requiring a constant internet connection, demanding that the game be made playable offline. Sjögren responded to a fan who said they passed on the game due to the fact it was always online, saying the team is “looking at possibility to add some sort of offline mode.”

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