Payday 3 requires an internet connection, even when played solo
Unlike its predecessors
Payday 3 looked pretty similar to its predecessors when shown during last month's Xbox Games Showcase. Almir Listo, global brand director at developers Starbreeze, confirmed one way the heist 'em up sequel would differ during a recent livestream: it's 'always online' and so will require an internet connection even when you're playing solo.
At around the 9m 16s mark during the stream of Payday 2, a viewer asked if Payday 3 would have an offline mode. "No, you will be able to play by yourself, but I do believe you will have to have a connection in order to play cause it's made in the Unreal Engine, it's using cross-progression, crossplay, I do believe we need you to be online," said Listo.
Payday 1 and 2 both also allowed you to play solo, taking on its various robbers vs. cops heists with AI at your side, but it was also playable while offline.
'Always online' has become an increasingly commonplace property of many games, and it's often justified by developers - as it was here - as being about preserving the sanctity of various progression mechanics. Diablo 4 is another recent example. The downsides are many, however, including the most obvious that it means games are often unplayable by those without an internet connection. It also tends to stop games from being modded, and means they're rendered unplayable when it's no longer profitable for the developers to keep the servers online.
I like first-person shooters where I can crack them open like an egg and cook what's inside however I please. Perhaps Payday 3 and developers Overkill don't deserve to be called out in particular for a route many developers have taken, but I do think this is useful information to have before making a purchsasing decision.
Payday 3 will launch on September 21st.