Payday dev Starbreeze shelves Dungeons and Dragons project to focus on its heist series
In order to focus efforts on the Payday series, Starbreeze Studios has shelved its Dungeons and Dragons title Project Baxter.
Starbreeze Studios has cancelled its Dungeons and Dragons project.
The developer - which is best known for helming the Payday franchise - confirmed it would be shelving Project Baxter after highers ups “concluded that resources are best deployed to accelerate the growth” of its action-heist series.
In a statement, Starbreeze CEO Adolf Kristjansson said: “This was a difficult but necessary decision.
“Our strategy is clear: Payday is one of the most iconic IPs in gaming, with unmatched reach and potential.
“By focusing our investment and talent here, we can accelerate delivery, engage players with more content, and reinforce Starbreeze's position as the clear leader in the heisting genre.
“This is about sharpening our focus to create the strongest long-term value for our players, our people, and our shareholders.”
Project Baxter - which was announced in 2023 - was due to have “the signature Starbreeze game cornerstones of co-operative multiplayer, lifetime commitment through a Games as a Service-model, community engagement and a larger than life experience”, and was aiming for a 2026 launch.
The studio added “part of the Baxter team will be redeployed across Starbreeze's projects, most prominently within Payday”, and where “internal opportunities are limited, Starbreeze will provide active support for affected employees to transition to new roles across the industry”.
As a result of this decision, Starbreeze believes roughly 44 full-time staff members and contractors will be let go.
Kristjansson concluded: “We are doubling down on what our players love - and what we do best - owning the heisting genre.
“Payday is more than a game - it's a genre we created and continue to lead. By redeploying talent and capital, we can bring innovation to heisting gameplay faster, while also laying the foundation for the future expansion of the genre.”
