Browsing through the recent classifications this morning, as I do every morning (you’re welcome), I came upon an odd surprise — Payday 3, the upcoming co-op crime-centric team shooter by Starbreeze Studios, has been rated in Australia.
The game, which does not yet have a confirmed release date, has been in development for a very long time. We’ve been hearing about Payday 3 since at least 2017, a year after Starbreeze acquired the rights to the series. It’s gone on so long that whenever its publisher, Plaion, holds a showcase of upcoming titles, its reps know the assembled journos are going to ask about it.
So, what did the Australian Classification make of the game?
Payday 3 was awarded an MA15+ rating in Australia. In its rationale, the Classification Board cited Strong Impact themes and violence as the leading reasons for its decision. Given what the game is about — robbing banks at gunpoint with your friends — that’s not terribly surprising. Moderate Impact language, along with Mild Impact drug use and sex, are also mentioned. The classification application was filed by publisher Plaion (formerly Koch Media) on behalf of its label Prime Matter, which operates here in Australia.
The rating was filed on May 12 and categorised as Level 2 Gameplay. This means Plaion submitted a playable game build to Classification, with extra footage highlighting elements it thinks the Board should factor into its decision-making process.
Despite now being rated MA15+ in Australia, Payday 3 still has no release date. The timing of the rating, however, could point to an imminent release date reveal. It was reported back in 2021 that Starbreeze was targeting a 2023 launch. With Big Papa Keighley’s Video Game Jamboree (aka Summer Game Fest 2023, a show at which Plaion will appear) now only weeks away, things are starting to line up. There’s every chance Plaion is finally ready to kick off a pre-launch marketing campaign.
We’ll find out if I’m right in June.
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