Payday 3 Syntax Error DLC Not Available for All Season Pass Owners

Payday 3 has released its first premium DLC, Syntax Error. The high-tech heist pits our masked crew against the “SINS” AI and introduces several new pieces of content for heisters to enjoy. Sadly, only some of the game’s playerbase is able to access the new mission, weapons, and masks they are entitled to.

See, I should be writing about Syntax Error, specifically whether it’s aiding Payday 3 in its uphill battle against its lengthy launch woes. The volatile player counter is in need of positive stimulus, and that first shot of life came in the form of two legacy heists which were well received. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for DLC #1, Syntax Heist.

The issue isn’t so much with the heist itself. Although I can’t personally speak on behalf of the quality of the new content, those who have played the DLC are reporting that what’s on offer is enjoyable and a solid addition to the game. But that favorable feedback is only coming from those who can actually access the content.

Payday 3 Silver and Gold Edition players have taken to Reddit and X to share their issues with accessing the new content despite being season pass owners through one of the aforementioned editions. The problem seems to be primarily affecting the PS5 version, which has been the recipient of most of the troubles plaguing Payday 3 since launch. As a Gold Edition owner, I can confirm the existence of the problem. The Syntax Error heist is showing as locked with an “Available Through DLC” message in-game and the PSN Store listing for Syntax Error is showing as full price.

Starbreeze hasn’t fully acknowledged the existence of the issue beyond the following tweet (xeet?):

The replies aren’t too happy, with many calling out the lack of an official response from the developer as more players come forward about being barred from their paid-for content. To make matters worse, a group of players have found out how to access the new heist without having paid for the DLC through the all-inclusive editions or standalone purchases. Obviously, we won’t be sharing details on the workaround, but it paints an even messier picture for the state of Payday 3 and its first paid content drop.

Needless to say, this is another rough bump for Payday 3 and we can only hope a resolution comes much faster than that first patch. We’ll provide a review for Syntax Error once the content becomes available to us. For now, monitor the Payday social media accounts for more information.