TL;DR
Erik Odeldahl of Fast Travel Games shared insights into creating Payday: Aces High for Virtual R, focusing on design choices, feature development, and ongoing support. The game emphasizes co-op heist gameplay with a focus on physical interactions and strategic stealth.
Fast Travel Games’ Payday: Aces High for Virtual R is shaping up as a co-op heist shooter that emphasizes physical interaction and strategic gameplay, according to Chief Creative Officer Erik Odeldahl. The game features six initial heists, multiple difficulty levels, and plans for ongoing content updates, with an emphasis on avoiding jankiness in VR interactions.
During an interview with UploadVR conducted immediately after a media session on August 12, Odeldahl explained that the game will launch with six heists and five difficulty levels, supporting both stealth and loud approaches. The developers plan to add new heists shortly after launch and continue supporting the game with additional content.
In designing Payday: Aces High, the team prioritized core gameplay elements such as guns, gadgets, and physical interactions, deliberately removing complex NPC interactions like hostage exchanges to prevent jankiness—a common challenge in VR. Odeldahl emphasized that the game aims for a higher tempo, creating a more hectic and intense experience compared to traditional VR titles.
Research played a role in development; Odeldahl mentioned consulting a book about the perspective of a thief and conducting a guided tour of a museum inspired by Stockholm’s National Museum of Art. This helped inform the game’s environment design and security systems, although specific details about security measures remain undisclosed.
Inside VR Development: Erik Odeldahl on Creating Payday: Aces High for Virtual Reality
Fast Travel Games’ Chief Creative Officer explains how the co-op VR heist shooter prioritizes tactile gameplay, strategic stealth, and high-tempo action — while deliberately cutting features that cause jank in VR.
Design Pillars
What the team focused onGuns First
Weapon handling sits at the heart of the experience, with physical gunplay tuned to feel natural and responsive in VR.
Gadgets & Tools
Heist equipment gives players tactical options for both silent infiltration and all-out loud approaches.
Physical Interaction
Hands-on manipulation of the world replaces abstract menus — a broader industry trend toward tactile VR gameplay.
No Hostage Exchange
Complex NPC interactions were deliberately removed to prevent jankiness — a common immersion-breaker in VR.
High Tempo
Features were skipped early on to keep the game hectic and intense, delivering a faster pace than typical VR titles.
Real-World Study
Consulting a thief’s-perspective book and a museum tour inspired by Stockholm’s National Museum of Art informed environment and security design.
From the Developer
Erik Odeldahl, CCOWe want to focus on the guns. We want to focus on gadgets. We want to focus on physical interactions. There’s a hostage exchange thing we removed because one thing that is super hard in VR is to physically interact with other NPCs without it becoming a bit janky.
We decided early on to skip in certain features to keep the game more hectic and intense. This allows us to deliver a faster-paced experience that feels more natural in VR.
Feature Decisions at a Glance
Kept vs. cut| Feature | In Payday: Aces High | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Physical gunplay | ✓ Included | Core pillar; tactile handling feels natural in VR |
| Gadgets & heist tools | ✓ Included | Supports strategic stealth and loud playstyles |
| Stealth & loud approaches | ✓ Included | Both supported across all heists and difficulties |
| Hostage exchange | ✗ Removed | NPC interaction risks jank and broken immersion |
| Complex NPC interactions | ✗ Removed | Keeps the tempo high and the experience intense |
| Post-launch heists | ~ Planned | New heist shortly after launch; ongoing support confirmed |
| Launch date | ~ TBD | Official release date not yet announced |
Development & Release Roadmap
Next stepsMedia Session & Interview
Odeldahl speaks with UploadVR on August 12 after a hands-on press preview.
Launch
Initial release “soon” with six heists and five difficulty levels — date unannounced.
New Heist Shortly After
An additional heist is confirmed to arrive soon after launch.
Ongoing Support
Continued content updates, interaction refinement, and player feedback loops.
Where the Focus Lands
Editorial analysisKey Questions
FAQWhen is Payday: Aces High expected to launch?
The exact release date has not been announced. The game is expected to launch soon, with additional content planned shortly after.
What are the main gameplay features?
Six initial heists, multiple difficulty levels, stealth and loud approaches, and a focus on guns, gadgets, and physical interactions in a co-op VR environment.
Will there be more heists after launch?
Yes — another heist will be added shortly after launch, with ongoing support to follow.
What challenges did the developers face in VR design?
The team prioritized avoiding jankiness in NPC interactions and maintaining a high tempo, removing complex features like hostage exchanges.
How authentic is the environment design?
Development research included a guided museum tour inspired by Stockholm’s National Museum of Art and consulting theft techniques for realistic environments and security systems.
Why This VR Heist Game Matters for the Industry
This development highlights how VR titles are increasingly focusing on core gameplay mechanics like physical interaction and strategic planning, rather than overly complex NPC interactions that can hinder immersion. The emphasis on accessible yet intense co-op gameplay suggests a shift toward more refined, player-centric design in VR gaming, which could influence future titles in the genre.
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Development Challenges and Design Choices in VR Heist Games
Creating immersive VR experiences involves balancing realism with technical limitations. Odeldahl noted that complex NPC interactions, such as hostage exchanges, were omitted to prevent jankiness—a common issue in VR that can break immersion. The focus on guns, gadgets, and physical interactions reflects a broader industry trend toward tactile gameplay.
Previous VR heist titles have varied in scope and mechanics, but Payday: Aces High aims to stand out with its emphasis on strategic stealth and high-paced action, supported by ongoing content updates. The game’s development process also involved extensive research into real-world theft techniques and security systems, adding authenticity to the environment design.
“We want to focus on the guns. We want to focus on gadgets. We want to focus on physical interactions. There’s a hostage exchange thing we removed because one thing that is super hard in VR is to physically interact with other NPCs without it becoming a bit janky.”
— Erik Odeldahl
Unanswered Questions About Future Content and Release Timing
Details about the exact launch date, the scope of future heists, and additional features remain undisclosed. It is also unclear how the game will evolve post-launch and whether further technical challenges will influence development timelines.
Next Steps for Payday: Aces High Development and Release
Fast Travel Games plans to release the initial version of Payday: Aces High soon, with subsequent updates introducing new heists and features. The developers will continue refining VR interactions and gathering player feedback to improve the experience. An official launch date has not yet been announced.
Key Questions
When is Payday: Aces High expected to launch?
The exact release date has not been announced. The game is expected to launch soon, with additional content planned shortly after.
What are the main gameplay features of Payday: Aces High?
The game features six initial heists, multiple difficulty levels, support for stealth and loud approaches, and a focus on guns, gadgets, and physical interactions within a co-op VR environment.
Will there be more heists added after launch?
Yes, Odeldahl confirmed that another heist will be added shortly after launch, with ongoing support to follow.
What challenges did the developers face in VR design?
The team prioritized avoiding jankiness in NPC interactions and maintaining a high tempo, which led to removing certain complex features like hostage exchanges.
How authentic is the environment design in Payday: Aces High?
Development involved research including a guided museum tour inspired by the Stockholm National Museum of Art and consulting theft techniques, aiming for realistic environments and security systems.
Source: UploadVR
