Payday 2 Price Hike Fiasco
Payday 2 Price Hike Fiasco: $50 Increase Sparks Outrage, Starbreeze Calls It a “Mistake” but Fans Aren’t Buying It
September 26, 2025, Stockholm – As Payday 2 celebrated its 12th anniversary, the iconic heist game found itself at the center of a pricing controversy. Developer Starbreeze Studios announced a new subscription service granting access to the game’s massive DLC catalog, but simultaneously raised the price of the Infamous Collection—a bundle containing all DLCs—by $50 (roughly a 50% increase). The move triggered a backlash, tanking the game’s Steam reviews to “mixed” and igniting a firestorm of criticism on social media. Starbreeze backtracked, calling the hike a “mistake,” but players remain skeptical, with many mocking the “coincidence.”
The Details: Subscription Service and Stealth Price Hike
On September 24, Starbreeze unveiled a new subscription model for Payday 2 on Steam, offering full access to over 65 DLCs (heists, weapons, cosmetics, and more) for $4.99 monthly or $19.99 for six months. Subscribers can cancel anytime and explore the vast content library “at their own pace.” The company pitched it as a way to make the sprawling catalog accessible to new players.
However, alongside the announcement, the Infamous Collection—which includes all available DLCs from the game’s 2013 launch, valued at hundreds of dollars—saw its price jump from $100 to $150. The timing, coinciding with the subscription reveal, raised eyebrows. Players accused Starbreeze of inflating the bundle’s cost to push people toward the subscription. According to SteamDB, Payday 2 still draws tens of thousands of concurrent players, dwarfing Payday 3’s struggling 1,000-player count, explaining the studio’s focus on the older title.
Player Backlash: Rage and Sarcasm Erupt
The news spread like wildfire, with Steam reviews shifting to “mixed” and forums like Reddit and Steam exploding with thousands of comments. “Raising the full bundle by 50% the same day you announce a subscription? What a ‘coincidence’!” one user sarcastically posted, echoing a viral tweet by @zen_lef. Another fumed, “After Payday 3’s flop, now they’re robbing us instead of heists.” While some saw the subscription as a “decent deal” (noting it’s cheaper than buying the bundle outright for a two-year commitment), most slammed the “sneaky” price hike as unethical.
Outlets like PC Gamer and IGN described the backlash as “predictable outrage.” Fans, still stung by Payday 3’s troubled 2023 launch (plagued by low player counts and microtransaction criticism), felt betrayed. One forum post vented, “The base game used to cost $5, and now the full bundle is $150? Are they joking?”
Starbreeze’s Apology and Reversal
On September 25, Starbreeze issued an apology. CEO Mikael Båge admitted, “We really dropped the ball and didn’t handle this right,” confirming the price was reverted to $100. The studio labeled the increase a “technical error” and clarified that the subscription wouldn’t affect Payday 3. But the explanation failed to quell the anger. “A ‘mistake’ during the new CEO’s big subscription reveal? Sure, investigate that,” one player quipped. Others demanded more transparency.
Per GamesIndustry.biz, Starbreeze is leaning on Payday 2 to stay afloat while addressing Payday 3’s development woes. Questions linger about whether the subscription will cover future DLCs, as the company only mentioned “existing” content. Payday 2 Price Hike Fiasco
What’s Next? A Turning Point for the Series
With over 50 million copies sold since 2013, Payday 2 remains a beloved co-op shooter. Yet this controversy highlights the gaming industry’s sensitivity to microtransactions and pricing policies. Players are calling for transparency, with some even urging a boycott. Starbreeze’s next steps could shape the franchise’s future, especially as it tries to salvage Payday 3.
For Payday fans, the subscription might be worth considering for short-term access to the DLCs. But this debacle is a stark reminder of how fragile the industry’s “player-first” promises can be. Starbreeze has apologized, but rebuilding trust will take more than words.
Payday 2 Price Hike Fiasco
