Play the Payday 3 open beta this weekend on Xbox and PC

06.09.2023 - 09:05 / thesixthaxis.com / John Wick / Open Beta / Xbox And

Just a couple weeks away from launch, Starbreeze has announced that a Payday 3 open beta will take place this weekend across Steam and Xbox, running from 8th September to 11th September.

To play, you need to use Steam and Xbox’s bespoke beta test systems:

PS5 owners will be left out in the cold as Sony doesn’t have an equivalent system.

The technical beta will run from 3PM BST on 8th September until 9AM BST on 11th September.

This will be a re-run of the closed beta tests that have been held earlier this year, but with the intention to “slam” the game’s servers in a stress test, hopefully avoiding painful server issues when the full game comes out. In particular, they want to push the limits all the way through Saturday and Sunday, but you’ll be able to play from Friday and until Monday morning.

Starbreeze note that the features in the beta are going to be very different to what is found in the final game. The build is from April 2023, so this really is about hitting the servers, as performance, game balance, UI and more are several months old. It’s also very limited in terms of content. It includes one heist – No Rest For The Wicked, set in a small bank – and while all difficulties can be played, the Infamy level cap is 22 and weapon level progression cap is at 8.

Don’t worry if you can’t get in this weekend (or are on PS5), because we’re really not far away from launch. The Payday 3 release date is set for 21st September across PS5, Xbox Series, X|S, and PC.

Developed by Overkill Software, Payday’s unique concept of executing intricate heists with friends struck a chord with gamers seeking thrilling cooperative gameplay. Players don the distorted masks of skilled criminals, meticulously planning and executing daring robberies in immersive environments. With a wide range of customisable weapons, diverse skill trees, and countless heist variations, Payday 2 offered an abundance of gameplay options that has kept players coming back, heist after heist, for a decade now.

Emphasising teamwork and coordination, Payday encourages players to collaborate and strategise as they navigate stealth sections, repel ambushes, and manage side tasks. Its enduring popularity is clearly present through the sheer amount of DLC that has steadily dropped throughout the past decades, adding new heists, weapons, and even crossover characters including John Wick.

Source: Payday 3