Swedish video game developer Starbreeze reported a 52% year-over-year decline in quarterly revenue to SEK 25.6 million ($2.4 million), missing the consensus estimate of SEK 32 million from two analysts.
The drop reflects the company’s decision to exit third-party publishing and work-for-hire services, refocusing resources exclusively on its core PAYDAY franchise. EBITDA remained positive at SEK 3.4 million, though it decreased from the prior-year period, while the group posted a pretax loss of SEK 36.8 million and a loss per basic share of SEK 0.02.
Within the franchise, revenue from PAYDAY 2 increased during the quarter, while PAYDAY 3 declined due to a lighter content release schedule. Starbreeze noted that steady monthly updates and improvements to PAYDAY 3 have bolstered player sentiment and set the stage for future growth.
The company is expanding the franchise through collaborations with PUBG, Roblox, and Fortnite to reach broader audiences. A second PAYDAY-themed game is planned for release on Roblox later this year.
Starbreeze expects continued growth in the PAYDAY franchise’s player base and revenue momentum, while maintaining tight cost controls to preserve margins and cash generation.
