Payday 3 players still can't get online at peak times three days after launch

For the third day in a row, Payday 3 players are continuing to struggle to get online to play.

Earlier today, developer Starbreeze said that despite recent turbulence, "things are starting to look better", but players have reported throughout the day that matchmaking issues still persist, essentially preventing anyone from playing, even if they want to play alone.

It all started on September 21, when Payday 3 launched across PC and consoles. Although the first day of the early access period had a bit of a wobble, servers had mostly been okay, but the moment the game became available for all players – including those playing via Xbox Game Pass – matchmaking ceased, especially at peak times in Europe and the US.

"We're sorry to report that matchmaking is still unavailable, our team is working overtime to get this resolved," the team announced on social media on launch day. 

"We realise that the matchmaking issues are frustrating, they are for us as well," Starbreeze later added. "We're still here and still working on getting you all back into the game, stay tuned."

SERVERS DOWN AGAIN GOOD JOB STARBREEZE SEE YOU IN 12 HOURS HEISTERS 👊😎 from r/paydaytheheist

Since then, however, servers only seem to stabilize when demand eases and most of the game's European and American player base give up and go to sleep. 

However, the game's social channel and subreddit have been full of comments from unhappy gamers that they still can't connect via matchmaking – and the lucky few that do are getting kicked, too.

"I had to f*cking work like an adult the only time it was working, and now it's not working again. I've never seen such a piece of shit this is literally the new ET of gaming. Throw this shit in the landfill where it belongs," seethed one particularly unhappy player.

"You're right to complain about the server issues, it's unacceptable to still be having these issues so long after launch. You're also right that it should have had offline capabilities," agreed one conciliatory responder.

"But we all know the servers are going to be fixed, likely quite soon. So while the frustration is absolutely warranted, especially to those that cleared their schedules, were super hyped, etc. don't be an idiot and trash the entire game. We'll all be having proper heists soon."

At the time of writing, Starbreeze has not responded to reports of further server disruption. 

STOP DEFENDING THESE SCHMUCKS its been 72 hours since launch. from r/paydaytheheist

Developer Starbreeze recently confirmed a jam-packed calendar of seasonal DLC content, outlining its plans for the next 12 months to keep players of the co-op action game well-fed for much of 2024. 

Payday 3 is out now on PC (Steam/EGS), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can also play for no additional cost, too.

"Payday 3 is a competently made and fairly polished heist-’em-up but while stealth gets an upgrade, the shooting is the same as its decade-old predecessor," we wrote in our 3/5 star Payday 3 review.

"Hitman-esque levels provide a nice distraction, but this feels like a foundation for Payday 3 as a live service game rather than a total product."

If you're also struggling to play Payday 3, then be sure to check out all of these fantastic co-op games, as well as the best shooters on PC  available to play with friends right now.