Starbreeze has shown the first ever image from Payday 3

Starbreeze Studios has revealed the first artwork from Payday 3.

The image shows the series’ iconic Payday Gang, also known as the Payday Clowns, as they overlook the city.

Payday 3 is due for release in 2023, with Koch Studios publishing it under its new Prime Matter label, and will once again follow the Gang as they pull off more heists.

“The Payday universe has an ongoing narrative that has been created over the years”, game director Erik Wonnevi explained. “The Gang has built a reputation by going after the highest profile targets, setting up some of the craziest heist plans and going up against some of the most powerful of enemies. And through all of this, the Gang keeps coming out on top.

“In their exploits, the Gang has become, as they call it, the tightest crew ever. The wider criminal underworld of Payday lives its own life where movers and shakers want a piece of the action, or a piece of the Payday Gang.

“In the Gang’s life of crime they are way past the point of no return, and as we look ahead for what’s to come, the gang will learn that there’s no rest for the wicked.”

“At Starbreeze, we see Payday as the ultimate bank-robbing experience, inspired by classic heist movies, providing adrenaline-fuelled gameplay where you get to experience the thrill of being on the wrong side of the law with a smart plan and a gun in your hand,” added global brand director Almir Listo.

“This is what we’ve been doing since the original game Payday: The Heist, through the sequel Payday 2, to the upcoming Payday 3.”

Starbreeze revealed last year that it was still searching for a publisher to release Payday 3, and stated that it hoped to present a publishing agreement before the end of the first half of 2020.

This agreement would not be confirmed until March 2021, when Starbreeze announced a €50m co-publishing deal with Koch Media.

Koch will now be co-publishing the game under its new “premium gaming label” Prime Matter.