Quick answer: Yes, and the reason is remarkable. PAYDAY 2 is thirteen years old and it still has more players than its own sequel. Starbreeze's own Q2 2026 report put PAYDAY 2 at 174,000 monthly active users against PAYDAY 3's 158,000, and on Steam the gap is far wider: roughly 29,000 concurrent against under 1,000. It holds Very Positive at 89% from around 675,000 Steam reviews, it still gets content updates, and it costs $9.99 with regular drops to $4.99. The catch is 84 separate DLC packs and a monthly subscription you need to understand before you spend anything.
Original illustration created for IGGG Guides.
There is a short version of this review and a long one. The short version: PAYDAY 2 came out in August 2013, a sequel arrived in 2023, and the sequel lost. Not narrowly. Players stayed with the old game in such numbers that Starbreeze eventually handed PAYDAY 2 to a different studio so it could concentrate on rescuing PAYDAY 3.
The long version is about what that actually means for you in 2026, because a thirteen year old live game comes with a specific set of problems. Chiefly 84 of them, each with a price tag.
Where it stands now
| Measure | Figure | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Metacritic, PC | 79, Generally Favorable | 51 critics. Console versions scored lower, Switch as low as 60 |
| Metacritic users | 4.2, Generally Unfavorable | 4,416 ratings, 51% negative. Largely a legacy of old monetisation rows |
| Steam, all reviews | Very Positive, about 89% | around 675,000 reviews. An enormous sample |
| Steam, last 30 days | Very Positive, about 91% | still improving, thirteen years in |
| Steam concurrent players | around 29,000 average | 2026 peak of about 37,100 in May |
| Monthly active users | 174,000 | Starbreeze Q2 2026 report, all platforms |
| Price | $9.99 | frequently $4.99, has gone as low as $0.99 |
That Metacritic user score of 4.2 looks alarming next to a Steam figure of 89%, and the gap is worth explaining rather than ignoring. Metacritic user scores are cumulative and almost never revised, and PAYDAY 2 went through several loud monetisation controversies over the years that drove people to leave a one-star rating and never return. Steam's figure, drawn from 675,000 reviews and still climbing, is the better guide to what people who actually play it think today.
The sequel problem, which is the real story
Original illustration created for IGGG Guides.
PAYDAY 3 launched on 21 September 2023 to 1.3 million unique players in its opening weekend and a peak of 218,250 concurrent across all platforms. Within months it had collapsed. By early 2024 its Steam count was dipping under 250 while PAYDAY 2 held above 27,000.
| Measure | PAYDAY 2 | PAYDAY 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Released | August 2013 | September 2023 |
| Steam average, September 2026 | about 29,300 | about 1,160 |
| Monthly active users, Q2 2026 | 174,000 | 158,000 |
| Steam review rating | Very Positive, 89% | recent reviews turned Mostly Positive, 72%, in July 2026 |
| Content library | Thirteen years of heists | Three years, reduced investment since Year 2 |
Two things deserve care here. First, the all-platform gap is much narrower than the Steam gap. PAYDAY 3 has a substantial console audience that Steam charts cannot see, so 174,000 against 158,000 is the fairer comparison and it is close. Second, PAYDAY 3 is genuinely improving: its recent Steam reviews turned Mostly Positive in July 2026 and September 2026 was its best month since mid 2025.
But the consequences were real. Starbreeze posted heavy losses, cut staff in January 2026, and in October 2025 moved PAYDAY 2 development to another studio so its own team could focus on the sequel. The elderly game is now maintained by someone else and is doing fine.
It is still being updated, which surprises people
This is not a game on life support. Update 245 landed on 30 April 2026 alongside the Espionage Weapon Pack. Update 248 arrived on 15 September 2026 with the Under the Hammer heist.
The biggest change came on 13 August 2026 with Update 247, which moved the game from the Diesel 2.0 engine it had run on since launch to Diesel 3.0. Starbreeze left the old build available in a beta branch for a month so anyone with immediate problems could switch back.
Linux players, read this before buying. The native Linux build was retired with that same engine update on 13 August 2026. It is no longer in development. If you were running the native Linux version, that path has closed, and you will need Proton or another route instead. The game remains Steam Deck Verified.
The DLC situation, explained properly
Original illustration created for IGGG Guides.
There are around 84 purchasable add-ons on the Steam page. That is the single most confusing thing about buying this game, and most guides just tell you it is confusing and move on. Here is the actual structure.
In April 2026 Starbreeze simplified pricing across the franchise. The current tiers are:
| Content type | Price | Do you need it? |
|---|---|---|
| Heist DLC | $4.99 | Only the host needs to own a heist for the whole lobby to play it |
| Weapon packs | $2.99 | Optional. Adds choice, not power you cannot live without |
| Tailor packs | $2.99 | Cosmetic only |
| Character DLC | $1.99 | Optional |
| DLC subscription | $4.99 a month or $19.99 for six | Full access to every DLC while active |
That host rule is the most useful thing a new player can know. If one person in your group owns a heist pack and hosts the lobby, everybody plays it. You do not all need to buy the same content.
Know the history before you judge the subscription. Starbreeze introduced it in late 2025 immediately after quietly raising the price of the full Infamous Collection bundle by roughly $50. Players review bombed the game and the studio publicly admitted it had messed up. The subscription itself is reasonable value if you want everything temporarily, and progress earned in DLC content is retained if you cancel. But it arrived attached to a price rise, which is why the community reaction was so hostile, and that context matters when you see it recommended as a bargain.
What the game actually is
You and up to three others take contracts through CRIMENET, pick a loadout and skills, put on a mask and rob something. Each heist can usually be played quietly, by managing cameras, guards and civilians, or loudly, which turns it into a wave-based co-op shooter against escalating police response.
The depth is in the build system. Skill trees and perk decks let you specialise in armour tanking, dodge evasion, stealth concealment, ammo and health support, crowd control or explosives. A team of four identical loud builds will struggle on higher difficulties in a way a balanced team will not.
That teamwork requirement is the whole appeal and also the main warning. Playing with AI companions works, but they cannot answer a cable tie request or carry bags on a schedule. If you have nobody to play with, you are getting maybe half the game. For a co-op shooter that leans less on coordination, our The Division 2 review covers a friendlier solo option.
What is genuinely dated
It looks thirteen years old. The Diesel 3.0 upgrade improved the foundation but this is not a visual showcase, and animations in particular show their age next to anything modern.
The learning curve is steep and badly taught. Concealment values, detection risk, perk decks, skill point thresholds and weapon modding all interact, and the game explains almost none of it. Expect to read a wiki.
Stealth is unforgiving. A single civilian spotting you at the wrong moment can undo twenty minutes of careful work, and on some heists that means restarting rather than adapting.
The storefront is genuinely overwhelming. Eighty four items is not a catalogue, it is a wall. Even experienced players lose track of what they own.
It is a large install. Steam lists roughly 83 GB, which is substantial for a game of this vintage and grows as you add DLC. On a 25 Mbps connection budget most of a working day.
Official PC requirements
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 7 | Windows 10 |
| Processor | 2 GHz Intel dual core | 2.3 GHz Intel quad core |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GPU with 512 MB VRAM | GPU with 1 GB VRAM |
| DirectX | Version 9.0c | Version 9.0c |
| Storage | around 83 GB | around 83 GB, more with DLC |
| Steam Deck | Verified | |
Those CPU and GPU figures are ancient and most machines clear them easily. The parts that actually matter in 2026 are an SSD, current drivers and a stable connection, because loud heists with heavy police pressure are where frame rates dip on weaker hardware.
Buy, wait or skip
| You are | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Playing with a group of friends | Buy, base game only | $9.99 or less, and only one of you needs each heist pack to host it |
| Mostly playing solo | Think carefully | AI teammates work but cannot coordinate. You are getting the lesser half of the design |
| Wondering about PAYDAY 3 instead | Start with 2 | Vastly more content and a far larger Steam population. PAYDAY 3 is improving but is still the smaller game on PC |
| Tempted by the full DLC catalogue | Try the subscription first | $4.99 for a month beats guessing across 84 items. Cancel and your progress is kept |
| On native Linux | Check your setup | The native build was retired in August 2026 |
| Short on disk space | Wait | Around 83 GB before DLC is a serious commitment for a budget title |
| Wanting a modern looking shooter | Skip | No engine upgrade hides a 2013 art pipeline |
Verdict: one of the most successful co-op designs ever made, and the proof is that a thirteen year old game is still outdrawing the sequel built to replace it. At $9.99, and routinely half that, the base game alone is an absurd amount of shooter for the money, and it is still receiving heists and engine work in late 2026. Go in with friends, ignore the DLC wall until you know you like it, and remember that only the host needs to own a heist. Solo players and anyone wanting modern visuals should look elsewhere. Everyone else is getting one of the best value purchases on Steam.
Frequently asked questions
Is PAYDAY 2 still worth playing?
Yes. It holds Very Positive at around 89% from roughly 675,000 Steam reviews, averages about 29,000 concurrent Steam players, and Starbreeze reported 174,000 monthly active users across all platforms in its Q2 2026 report.
Is PAYDAY 2 or PAYDAY 3 more popular?
PAYDAY 2, on both measures. Starbreeze's own Q2 2026 figures were 174,000 monthly active users for PAYDAY 2 against 158,000 for PAYDAY 3. On Steam the gap is much larger, roughly 29,000 concurrent against about 1,000, because PAYDAY 3 has proportionally more console players.
Is PAYDAY 2 still getting updates?
Yes. Update 248 arrived on 15 September 2026 with the Under the Hammer heist, and Update 247 on 13 August 2026 moved the game to the Diesel 3.0 engine. Development was transferred to another studio in October 2025 and has continued.
Do I need to buy all the DLC?
No. Only the host needs to own a heist pack for the whole lobby to play it. There are around 84 add-ons, priced from $1.99 for characters to $4.99 for heists, plus a subscription at $4.99 a month or $19.99 for six months that unlocks everything while active.
How much does PAYDAY 2 cost?
$9.99 at list price, discounted to $4.99 most months and as low as $0.99 historically. Check for a sale before buying, because they are frequent.
Can I play solo?
Yes, with AI teammates, but the game is built around four humans dividing roles. Solo is playable rather than ideal.
Why is the Metacritic user score so low?
It sits at 4.2 from 4,416 ratings, largely as a legacy of monetisation controversies across the game's lifetime. Metacritic user scores are cumulative and rarely revised. The Steam figure of 89% from a far larger and more current sample is more representative.
Does it run on Linux or Steam Deck?
Steam Deck is Verified. The native Linux build was retired on 13 August 2026 with the Diesel 3.0 engine update and is no longer developed.
Is it suitable for children?
No. It is a mature rated game built around armed robbery, with gun violence, hostage taking and strong language throughout.
Buy it from official stores only
This game costs under ten dollars and regularly sells for five. There is no version of the maths where a cracked build makes sense: you get no updates, no online co-op, which is the entire point of the game, and a meaningful malware risk. Use the official Steam page or the official PAYDAY site.
Where to go next
- For a co-op shooter that handles solo play far better, read our The Division 2 review.
- Another old multiplayer game outliving expectations: our Battlefield 2042 review covers the opposite outcome.
- For asymmetric co-op instead of cooperative heists, see our Dragon Ball The Breakers review.
- On long term support done right, our Mount and Blade II Bannerlord review is the other big survivor.
- If you want a shooter campaign rather than a live service, try Terminator Resistance.
- On live service games that did not make it, see the live service graveyard.
- And on why sequels keep underperforming their predecessors, read why AAA games are not fun anymore.
- Browse the Shooter, FPS, Multiplayer and Action hubs.
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