Hotline Miami Collaboration Unexpectedly Announced by PayDay 3

Starbreeze Studios shocks everyone with a collaboration of Payday 3 with the cult classic indie game Hotline Miami. Beginning February 3, Payday 3 players will be able to wear the iconic mask of Jacket, the mute and murderous protagonist from Hotline Miami. Alongside it, the update will introduce a new weapon, called Sociopath, a baseball bat that compares to the baseball bat in Hotline Miami used by Jacket in his brutal and fast-paced fighting style. The crossover will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

It may be an unexpected crossover, but it is not the first time these two franchises crossed paths. Back in 2014, Payday 2 had Hotline Miami DLC at its peak popularity. The indie smash comic-con has aggravated to know new games for the past nine years, but despite that, the kiss between the two franchises is highly awaited by fans; forgetting nostalgia, Jacket and his gear give something else for Payday 3 as this game still finds its way in the industry.

Payday 3 debuted in a spectacularly rocky manner. It garnered mixed reviews at launch, citing it for its lack of content and various technical issues. At some point in 2024, it was classified as “Mostly Positive” on Steam, but that title has reverted back to “Mixed” since. And some players have gone back to Payday 2, where there still exists a loyal player base. Starbreeze Studios has admitted to woes along these lines and has stated that investment into the game will be less moving forward, making collaborations like this all the more crucial to keep the game going for some time to come.

It remains to be seen how this partnership will affect the perception of Payday 3, but for now, fans can look forward to channeling their inner Jacket and embracing the gritty, violent chaos of Hotline Miami in their heists.