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Having the right team can determine whether you pull off the ultimate heist or leave in a body bag, or worse, head to prison. The Payday franchise includes a colorful cast of heisters to choose from. However, what if you don’t want the backup? Maybe you want to reap the rewards all by yourself. Or could it be that you want to test your skills? No matter the reason, it all begs the question of if you can play Payday 3 solo.
Does Payday 3 Have Solo Play?
Since you enter a heist with a handful of criminals at your side, it’s no surprise that players aren’t clear on the game’s solo capabilities. But if you appreciate single-player gameplay too, you can play Payday 3 solo.
You can choose any available heist, select your heister, and dive into the game without having friends or random online players join in. You are not truly alone. Instead, the rest of the Payday Gang consists of AI-controlled characters.
Differences Between Solo and Group Play
There’s one main difference in playing Payday 3 solo compared to a group. You won’t have any support during the stealth sections of the heist. The AI characters will initially follow you, but they’ll stay behind once you go stealth.
It’s useful so they won’t accidentally blow your cover. This way, you can get by solo in Payday 3 well enough. On the other hand, you have to do every stealth portion by yourself. So, some heists might take longer.
Of course, you can always go in guns first. In this case, the AI characters will help you. They’ll always jump in when the shooting starts, and they will stick by your side throughout.
How To Play Payday 3 Solo
Payday 3 lacks an exact button you can press for solo play. Instead, you have to start a heist as you normally would. There is just something extra you’ll need to do. Check out the steps below to learn how to get to single-player mode:
- Choose your heist
- Change the “Lobby” tab to either “Invite Only” or “Friends Only”
- Select “Matchmaking” and choose “Ready” when prompted
Leaving it on “Invite Only” is perhaps the best way to ensure you play Payday 3 solo. If you have friends online that also play the game, there’s a chance they’ll join up if you have it set to “Friends Only.”
The process might take some time, but once you can ready up, you will jump into the heist with AI crew taking over the empty spots. From there, you just have to complete the heist.
