'Payday 2' release date, news & update: studio Overkill Software defends game's microtransactions

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Overkill Software producer Almir Listo defends the microtransactions in "Payday 2" in a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) thread.

"Payday 2" is a first-person shooter and has gained numerous following over the years. The game is set as players taking the role of bank robbers as they take on banks and cops in missions for rewards to which they can upgrade weapons and other in-game items.

The game studio found themselves under fire when fans of the games called out the addition of microtransactions in the game as it was also pointed out that Listo stated back in 2013 that the game will have "no microtransactions whatsoever."

Listo took on to Reddit to explain their side to their fans. It was revealed that they tripled the number of their game developers to bring more content.

"We want to do everything we can to make Payday 2 as awesome as possible," Listo wrote. "In order to do that, we made the decision to triple the size of the crew. To ensure that we can keep the size of the team, we decided that the best approach was to introduce the Black Market update to the game."

Listo adds that Overkill signed a contract with 505 Games publisher to keep supporting "Payday 2" until 2017 so in exchange, they turned towards microtransactions.

Earlier this month on Oct. 15, Overkill introduced Crimefest where players can open safes by purchasing a drill to open it, Mxdwn.com reports.

"On Thursday the Black Market: Vlads Weapon Deal update will go live which will add new random item drops as you play PAYDAY 2. When a player receives a Safe, the player can purchase a Drill for 2.19€ / 2.49$ that can then be used to open the safe," Listo stated. "When the safe opens, the player receives a weapon skin item of varying quality that can be used, traded or sold using the Steam Community Market. The community driven marketplace decides the value on each item bought or sold."

In the report by Kotaku, Listo concludes the statement that the microtransactions will be here to stay regardless of the ire and scorn from gamers.

"From an economical standpoint however, completely based on statistics, we can already see that the Black Market update is working as we intended," said Listo. "Going forward, we hope we can convince the parts of the community that resist this change that this was the right decision to do to ensure the stability of Overkill as an independent developer and the future growth of Payday 2."

"Payday 2" was released in 2013 on PS3, Xbox 360 and on PC. The Xbox One and PS4 versions were ported just this year.