PAYDAY 3’s upcoming release has sparked intense speculation around supported platforms. With next-gen consoles now available, many fans wonder – will Payday 3 for PS4 and Payday 3 for Xbox Onebe left behind? Developer Starbreeze has provided insight.
Announced for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, PAYDAY 3 aims to push technical boundaries with cutting-edge gameplay. However, last-gen consoles still maintain sizable install bases. Is PAYDAY truly next-gen only?
In a recent interview, lead designer Benoit Pardo addressed this hot topic. While PAYDAY 3 is optimized for modern hardware, Payday 3 for PS4 and Payday 3 for Xbox Onemay still receive stripped down versions.
Targeting Top Performance
First and foremost, Starbreeze is leveraging PAYDAY 3 to demonstrate the newest Unreal Engine’s capabilities.
“We’re focusing our efforts on platforms that can fully realize our vision,” Pardo said. “Next-gen consoles and high-end PCs will deliver the definitive PAYDAY experience.”
Features like advanced destruction, smooth 4K visuals, enhanced enemy AI and larger crowd sizes require serious horsepower. Compromising those elements would undermine Starbreeze’s goals.
Not Ruled Out Entirely
However, Pardo did not definitively rule out eventual PAYDAY 3 launches on older PlayStation and Xbox systems.
“If viable options emerge to bring PAYDAY 3 to past-gen consoles without heavily sacrificing features and quality, we will absolutely consider it,” he said.
The company plans to evaluate technical performance after the game’s initial release. If the game runs acceptably on Payday 3 on PS4 and Payday 3 on Xbox Onewith visual downgrades, ports could happen.
PAYDAY 3 Beta Now Live
The recently launched PAYDAY 3 beta provides an early hands-on with the game for select players on PC and Xbox consoles. This technical test gives Starbreeze valuable data before launch.
While limited to modern hardware, the beta represents Starbreeze’s focus on maximizing next-gen potential. Time will tell if that ambition allows room for PS4 and Xbox One down the road.
