Payday 3's first update is delayed to mid-October 'to ensure its stability,' more server maintenance is coming this weekend

(Image credit: Deep Silver)

It's another bump in the road for beleaguered heist-shooter Payday 3 as Starbreeze Studios has delayed an update that was expected to go live today and says it also needs to do yet more server maintenance.

"We're extremely sorry for this, but we've chosen to delay today's planned patch to ensure its stability," Starbreeze tweeted. "The patch needs some changes that would require us to go through console certification again. We hope to be ready to deliver this one for mid-October."

Heisters. We're extremely sorry for this, but we've chosen to delay today's planned patch to ensure its stability. The patch needs some changes that would require us to go through console certification again. We hope to be ready to deliver this one for mid-October. — (Image credit: Starbreeze Studios (Twitter))

The update delay is the latest in a series of misfortunes and missteps that have plagued Payday 3 in its first two weeks since launch. Matchmaking problems made it difficult to get into the game, even for people who didn't want to play online, thanks to the always-online requirement. That led to a "mostly negative" rating on Steam—currently, only 39% of the more than 30,000 user reviews are positive—and, eventually, an acknowledgement by the studio that an offline mode might not be a bad idea.

There's no action on that front yet: Starbreeze said in a statement provided to PC Gamer that it is "keen on finding the best possible solutions to improve the player experience, so [offline mode] definitely on the table," but no work on it has actually started at this point.

Starbreeze did say earlier this week that Payday 3's matchmaking stability and performance had been straightened out over two previous updates rolled out on September 26 and 29, but apparently more work is needed as Starbreeze said in a follow-up tweet that further server maintenance is also required. "Ideally this will not be noticeable, but we still want to give you a heads up of our maintenance window of 8am-11am CEST on the 6th and 10th of October," Starbreeze tweeted. "Thanks for sticking with us!"

We will also be needing to do some more server maintenance. Ideally this will not be noticeable, but we still want to give you a heads up of our maintenance window of 8am-11am CEST on the 6th and 10th of October. Thanks for sticking with us! — (Image credit: Starbreeze Studios (Twitter))

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.