Payday: Aces High is a new VR title from the popular co-op heist series coming in 2026. Check out what fans can expect with this new game and how Starbreeze Studios plans to handle the Payday franchise moving forward.
Payday: Aces High Announced for MetaQuest and SteamVR
Coming 2026; Wishlist Now Available
Payday: Aces High, the latest entry in the hit co-op heist franchise, brings high-stakes, 4-player tactical shooting exclusively to VR. As announced in its reveal trailer, this upcoming title is set to launch on Meta Quest and SteamVR this year.
To bring this vision to life, Starbreeze Studios is collaborating with Fast Travel Games, leveraging their extensive VR expertise behind hits like The Midnight Walk and Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz on March 24, Starbreeze Chief Growth Officer Matt Dixon and Fast Travel Games Chief Creative Officer and co-founder Erik Odeldahl shared what fans can expect from the new Payday game.
According to Odeldahl, Aces High will feature a new group of heisters with an original, fresh narrative. "It all takes place in the same world as the mainline games, and there are tons of things in the game that Payday fans will recognise, but both Fast Travel Games and Starbreeze felt that for a creative production to work best, you need room to manoeuvre," he said.
In terms of adjusting Payday’s gameplay and systems for VR, Odeldahl stated that they reworked certain mechanics, which includes the Quiet Mode stealth phase. He added that they also emphasized the game’s progression system, allowing players to experience unique heists and increase Aces High’s replayability.
Learning From Past VR Experiences
Starbreeze is no stranger to the world of VR. In 2018, the studio launched PAYDAY 2: VR, a free DLC that brought the entire heist co-op shooter to life through immersive headset support.
Beyond software, the company previously ventured into hardware with the StarVR headset, a high-end collaboration with Acer that was eventually discontinued. Dixon stated that these past ventures helped them transform Aces High into a completely immersive title, distinct from Payday’s traditional flat-screen versions.
"It's not just about the tech. It's about how the game feels, how it's designed for a 3D space, and how the loop fits the playstyle of that device," he explained.
Expanding the Payday Franchise
The Payday franchise established a massive legacy with its first two entries, both of which became staples of the co-op shooter genre. However, the series hit a significant roadblock with the 2023 launch of Payday 3. Debuting to "Mostly Negative" reviews on Steam, the sequel’s player base plummeted, at one point bottoming out at fewer than 100 concurrent players.
Seeking to regain its momentum, Starbreeze finalized a deal in May 2025 to fully acquire the publishing rights for Payday 3 from Plaion (an Embracer Group subsidiary). By issuing roughly SEK 33 million in new shares to finance the buyout, the studio effectively ended its co-publishing arrangement, granting it total creative and operational autonomy over its flagship series.
Dixon noted that Aces High marks the beginning of a broader expansion strategy, emphasizing that the Payday IP remains the company’s "focus and [our] growth engine" for the foreseeable future. He highlighted their commitment to deliver more content with the franchise and expand it to more avenues and platforms.
"It's a huge responsibility to have an IP of this magnitude. There are millions of fans around the world ready to engage with Payday when it turns up in the right places. Payday content is continuing to grow, and we’re excited to show fans what’s coming this year.," Dixon concluded.
Payday Aces High is set to be released in 2026 on Meta Quest and SteamVR. The game is now available to wishlist on the Horizon Store and Steam.
Sources:
Starbreeze's Payday-focused future starts with a co-developed VR game
PAYDAY: Aces High - Reveal Trailer Meta Quest, SteamVR
Starbreeze enters into agreement regarding the publishing rights for PAYDAY™ 3 and carries out a directed share issue of class B shares amounting to SEK 33 million
