PAYDAY 2 engine-upgrade beta starts June 30 with 64-bit and DX11 changes

PAYDAY 2's engine-upgrade open beta starts June 30 and runs through the end of July, according to a June 26 Steam post shared on r/Games. Starbreeze says the update moves the game to 64-bit, upgrades rendering from DX9 to DX11, cuts the file size to about 32GB, improves SSD load times, and adds six-character lobby codes.

The change is unusually large for a 2013 co-op shooter that still has an active PC audience. A 64-bit build can address memory limits that affect stability and mod-heavy setups, while DX11 rendering changes the base graphics path that players and modders have been using for years. File size reduction is also directly useful for players who keep the game installed with DLC and mods.

Starbreeze is using an open beta rather than pushing the upgrade directly into the main branch. The stated reason is bug risk: a rendering and architecture change can break older assumptions, and the studio says modders will need time to update their work. More details about the beta are scheduled for June 30, the same day the test begins.

The Reddit thread focused on compatibility more than novelty. Players want to know which mods survive, how old machines handle DX11, and whether load times and install size improve enough to justify the disruption. The concrete date is June 30; the practical question is how smoothly a decade-old live PC game can move its technical base without breaking the habits of its existing community.

Original source · Reddit thread