The Payday 3 multiplayer modes mean players can team up with their buddies and clean out a whole bank. It seems to be the Heat-esque fantasy this title (and whole series) is very clearly built upon. Here’s how multiplayer works and how to play with your friends in Payday 3.
How to play with friends in Payday 3
To play with friends in Payday 3, you will first have to team up. Press the button near the bottom of the screen that says “Social.” This will bring up a few of your friends lists for you to see (as well as the players you have blocked). For example, it will show a list of your PlayStation Network friends list as well as your Payday friends (which is through your Nebula account) if you are playing on a PS5, so you can invite people from both. This game supports full cross-platform play, which explains the two lists.
From there, choose the mission you want to play and then pick the lobby type. You will want to either pick “Friends Only” or “Invite Only” to match up with your friends and keep out unwanted heisters. Pick the more appropriate one and you should be able to hop into any of the maps and get to stealing. There is no competitive multiplayer, though, so you will only be able to work with your friends.
However, as is the case with an always-online game like this, the matchmaking servers will have to work for you to be able to play with others. The game has currently launched in a less-than-ideal state, meaning it is hard for most people to play with anyone, let alone their friends. If the servers are up, you will be able to play with your friends in Payday 3. If not, then you will be out of luck.
Payday 3 Multiplayer FAQ
A: To play with friends in Payday 3, press the “Social” button at the bottom of the screen to access your friends lists. You can invite people from both your console’s network and your Payday friends through your Nebula account, as the game supports full cross-platform play. After choosing a mission, select either “Friends Only” or “Invite Only” for the lobby type to match up with your friends.
A: No, Payday 3 does not feature a competitive multiplayer mode. You can only work cooperatively with your friends in the available multiplayer modes.
A: No, if the Payday 3 servers are down, you won’t be able to play with others, including your friends. The game requires functioning matchmaking servers as it is always-online, so any server issues can prevent you from playing multiplayer modes.
