Will there be microtransactions in Payday 3?

Microtransactions have been a point of contention in gaming for what seems like forever. Many players see them as a part of “modern gaming,” whereas others despise their inclusion. No matter where you stand on the subject, a good customer is an informed one, so let’s go through if there will be microtransactions in Payday 3.

Will there be microtransactions in Payday 3?

Let’s not dance around the subject. Microtransactions are confirmed to be in Payday 3. You don’t have to take my word for it, as it’s on the official developer’s FAQ page. According to correspondence from the Payday 3 website, players can purchase PAYDAY Credits. These credits are for cosmetics only and don’t affect gameplay. The website also states that this system will arrive post-launch, so we won’t have the full details immediately. I’m not a massive fan of systems like this being implemented after launch because they often turn up after reviews go live, where criticisms won’t affect review scores.

This news will surely anger some players, but it shouldn’t be surprising considering Payday 3’s price point and the series’ history with microtransactions.

The lack of details surrounding post-launch monetization is sure to raise some eyebrows. Long-time players may recall the community meltdown over microtransactions in Payday 2. It’s a can of worms I’d rather not open here, but this Reddit thread from 2015 is just as damning now as it was back then. The TLDR is that the developers said there would be no microtransactions before launch, then added them anyway. 

A lot has changed in the games industry over the last eight years, and many players enjoy cosmetic microtransactions. Look no further than Fortnite to see how phenomenally successful they can be. If Payday 3’s microtransactions are purely cosmetic, I expect we will see gun skins galore. Masks are a huge part of Payday’s identity, so we will inevitably see plenty of those as well.

Are Payday 3’s Microtransactions ‘Pay to Win’? 

Everyone has their own definition of what ‘Pay to Win’ means. I define the term as anything that offers any advantage whatsoever, and that includes things like time skips.

If the answer on the official website is accurate and microtransactions are limited to ‘cosmetic’ rewards, then we can rest easy. Given Payday’s history with microtransactions, it’s up to you if you believe the pre-launch correspondence. There are plenty of examples of cosmetic ‘microtransactions done right’ across the industry. Fingers crossed, we can add Payday 3 to that list after launch. Payday 3 supports cross-play and cross-progression. If you want to create an account ahead of time, check out our guide.