As its much newer sequel struggles, the 13-year-old Payday 2 is getting a ‘massive engine upgrade’ that improves performance and cuts the install size in half
Payday 2, the 13-year-old heist-shooter, is receiving a significant engine overhaul from its new developer, Sidetrack Games. In 2025, original publisher Starbreeze handed development of Payday 2 to Sidetrack Games to focus resources on salvaging the struggling Payday 3.
The engine upgrade represents a major modernization effort. Payday 2 will be ported to 64-bit architecture, eliminating persistent out-of-memory crashes that have plagued the game throughout its extended lifespan. The rendering system is being upgraded to DirectX 11, bringing it in line with modern graphics standards.
The technical improvements deliver tangible player benefits. The upgrade significantly improves overall game performance while reducing the install size by approximately 50 percent—a substantial reduction that improves accessibility for players with limited storage space.
This development reflects the continued popularity of Payday 2 compared to its newer sequel. Rather than investing exclusively in Payday 3, the decision to dedicate resources to modernizing the older title underscores its lasting appeal to the playerbase. The 64-bit port and modern rendering pipeline should address long-standing technical limitations and provide a more stable, performant experience.