Payday 3 Developer Starbreeze Appoints New Interim CEO
Starbreeze Studios, grappling with the disappointing outcomes of Payday 3, has initiated a leadership change by appointing Juergen Goeldner as the interim CEO, taking over from Tobias Sjögren. This transition comes with the assurance of Sjögren's support during the handover period.
The shift in leadership is a strategic move by Starbreeze's Board of Directors, aiming to refocus on developing captivating games leveraging both original and licensed intellectual properties (IPs). Torgny Hellström, the Chairman of the Board, emphasized that the board unanimously believes in the necessity for a fresh perspective in the company's leadership to effectively carry out their strategies. He appreciates Sjögren's contributions over the challenging past three years and wishes him well in his future professional endeavors.
Goeldner, having been a board member since 2023 and bringing over four decades of industry experience, is seen as well-equipped to guide Starbreeze in this interim phase. His prior role as CEO of Focus Home Interactive highlights his substantial experience in the gaming industry.
In his response to the appointment, Goeldner expressed enthusiasm about Starbreeze's strong foundation in global game development and publishing. With the release of Payday 3, he sees an opportunity for the company to harness its organizational strengths, further develop, and monetize its IP portfolio. He shared his eagerness to work closely with the management team to ensure the strategic vision is realized.
While specific mention of Payday 3's performance post-launch was avoided in the announcements, Starbreeze had acknowledged last month that the game's performance fell short of expectations. Despite its anticipation, Payday 3 faced criticism from its player base and encountered several issues at launch, including server problems and design criticisms. The game's always-online requirement and absence of several improvements present in Payday 2 were particularly noted.
In efforts to address feedback, Starbreeze released the Syntax Error DLC and a significant update as part of Operation Medic Bag, which introduced over 300 fixes and improvements, reflecting the company's commitment to refining the gaming experience for its player base.
