One of the key points of criticism when Payday 3 launched last year was that the game required a constant internet connection, even when playing solo. In fact, players were still required to go through the matchmaking process in order to play alone. Starbreeze Studios has been working to let players play how they want, and has now outlined their plans to deliver an offline mode to Payday 3.

Starbreeze Studios recently published a 2024 roadmap that runs down the various updates, fixes, and changes it has planned for Payday 3 this year. This includes a section dedicated to a planned solo and offline mode for the heist game. This will be done in two phases: the first will introduce the ability to load directly into solo missions without needing to go through the matchmaking process, but an internet connection will still be required. The second phase will introduce the ability to play Payday 3 without an internet connection.

Though players will eventually be able to play Payday 3 offline, they’ll still need to connect to the servers intermittently to upload their progress. Starbreeze plans to share more details about this element in the future.

There is no timetable for Payday 3’s new solo and offline features other than the fact that they’re planned for this year. We had a decent amount of fun with Payday 3, but its always-online requirement was one of the cons highlighted in our review.