Choose PAYDAY 2
Choose PAYDAY 2 if you want the Tracked Controller Support, VR Supported, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 87.3% positive across 174,145 reviews.
PAYDAY 2 vs PAYDAY 3
PAYDAY 2 and PAYDAY 3 both land in Action, RPG on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, RPG on Steam. PAYDAY 2 (2013) is 10 years older than PAYDAY 3 (2023). PAYDAY 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (87.3% positive) than PAYDAY 3 (43.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose PAYDAY 3
Choose PAYDAY 3 if you want an Adventure game with Subtitle Options and Surround Sound. On Steam, it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 30,990 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both PAYDAY 2 and PAYDAY 3 sit in Action and RPG on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Camera Comfort, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 PAYDAY 2 |  PAYDAY 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, RPG | Action, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.3% positive (174,145 reviews) | 43.3% positive (30,990 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | OVERKILL - a Starbreeze Studio. | Starbreeze Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Action, RPG on Steam.
- PAYDAY 2 (2013) is 10 years older than PAYDAY 3 (2023).
- PAYDAY 2 scores higher on Steam reviews (87.3% positive) than PAYDAY 3 (43.3% positive).
- PAYDAY 2 is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than PAYDAY 3 (9.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: PAYDAY 2 is Deck Verified, PAYDAY 3 is Deck Playable.
PAYDAY 2 vs PAYDAY 3 — FAQ
- Which is better, PAYDAY 2 or PAYDAY 3?
- On Steam reviews PAYDAY 2 scores higher (87.3% positive) than PAYDAY 3 (43.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, PAYDAY 2 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play PAYDAY 2 or PAYDAY 3 first?
- If you want chronology, PAYDAY 2 (2013) came out before PAYDAY 3 (2023). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are PAYDAY 2 and PAYDAY 3 similar?
- They overlap on Action, RPG on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both PAYDAY 2 and PAYDAY 3 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: PAYDAY 2 ships Online Co-op, Co-op; PAYDAY 3 ships Online Co-op, Co-op.