Payday 2
Cooperative heist shooter set in Washington, D.C.
Payday 2 is a cooperative first-person shooter from Overkill Software and 505 Games. Released in August 2013 for Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, it follows 2011's *Payday: The Heist* and is the second entry in the Payday series. The game turned a profit from pre-orders alone and earned positive reviews.
Set two years after the first game, the Payday gang moves to the Washington, D.C., area for a new crime spree. Players control one of twenty-two gang members, working alone or with up to three teammates. Heists include bank robberies, shop thefts, armored car jobs, and drug production and distribution. Compared to its predecessor, the game offers deeper customization for both appearance and playstyle, a better graphical interface, more varied levels, and reworked stealth mechanics.
An enhanced version, *Payday 2: Crimewave Edition*, arrived for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in June 2015, and for Nintendo Switch in February 2018. It features improved graphics, new content, and some downloadable content. A web series was made to promote the game. A sequel, *Payday 3*, developed by Starbreeze Studios and published by Deep Silver, launched on September 21, 2023.
**Gameplay**
Players can tackle heists solo with AI teammates or in multiplayer. Jobs range from bank robberies and drug trafficking to rigging an election or stealing smuggled nuclear warheads. Some heists emphasize stealth, rewarding bonus experience and money, while others require stealth only. The mission menu appears as a fictional website, Crime.net, showing contracts on a map of Washington, D.C. Players can pick open contracts, join others, or buy contracts using in-game offshore funds. Seven difficulty levels exist: Normal, Hard, Very Hard, Overkill, Mayhem, Death Wish, and Death Sentence, with higher payouts for tougher settings. Some contracts span multiple days, each a separate level with distinct goals. After loud heists (where alarms trigger), an escape level may appear, forcing players to survive until a backup getaway arrives.
Stealth is possible in many jobs. Avoiding cameras, silently killing security guards (without exceeding four pager responses), and preventing civilian calls to police keeps alarms silent, granting an experience bonus. If alarms sound, players must complete objectives, haul loot to drop-off points, and escape under constant police assaults.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Payday 2
- Publisher
- 505 Games (former) / Starbreeze Studios
- Director
- David Goldfarb
- Designer
- Ulf Andersson
- Producer
- Almir Listo
- Artist
- Tomislav Spajic
- Programmer
- George Giannakos · Martin Waern
- Series
- Payday
- Engine
- Diesel Engine 2.0 · Diesel Engine 3.0 (since 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows · PlayStation 3 · Xbox 360 · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One · Linux · Nintendo Switch
- Genre
- First-person shooter · Stealth
- Modes
- Single-player · Multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Two years after the events of the previous game, the Payday gang arrives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for another heisting spree. The player controls one of twenty-two gang members, performing heists alone or with up to three teammates. Heists include bank robberies, shop and armored car thefts, drug production and distribution, rigging elections, and stealing smuggled nuclear warheads. The game emphasizes stealth, with bonus experience for completing heists without raising an alarm, though many missions can also be completed in loud, assault-wave style. The level selection menu is styled as Crime.net, a fictional website where contracts appear periodically. Seven difficulty levels exist: Normal, Hard, Very Hard, Overkill, Mayhem, Death Wish, and Death Sentence. Some contracts span multiple days, and escape levels may trigger after loud heists. The game features extensive customization of player appearance and gameplay, improved graphics and interface, more level variety, and reworked stealth mechanics compared to its predecessor.
Reader's Guide
Payday 2's significance lies in its deep cooperative gameplay and extensive customization, allowing players to tailor their experience through skill trees, perk decks, and cosmetic masks. The game's Crimewave Edition brought enhanced graphics and new content to later consoles. Its profitability from pre-orders alone and positive critical reception established it as a notable entry in the cooperative first-person shooter genre. The game's longevity was supported by a steady stream of downloadable content and a dedicated player base. The 2023 sequel, Payday 3, continued the series, though the original remained a benchmark for team-based heist shooters. The game's influence is seen in its emphasis on stealth versus loud approaches, its unique Crime.net mission system, and its Infamy prestige system that allowed players to reset their level for permanent bonuses.
Did You Know?
- The game was profitable from pre-orders alone.
- An accompanying web series was produced to promote the game.
- Players can burn all their offshore money by pressing a button in their safehouse.
- The game includes 22 playable heisters and 22 perk decks.
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