Blending Payday, Cyberpunk, and Heat: Den of Wolves Reinvents the Co-op Heist Game Genre

Everything fell apart, even though we had a perfect plan. Leading up to the big heist, my team and I worked tirelessly. We scouted the high-tech bank, gathered the gear to blow the windows for our escape, and even set up killer drones for cover as we stealthily moved in, pretending to make a routine delivery. We were thorough, ensuring nothing could go wrong. But, as it happens in the best of heists, something twisted things up.

The trouble? Good old-fashioned greed. We’d achieved our main goal, securing the crucial data lodged in the mind of a corporate kingpin, encased in a fancy high-tech pod. We hacked straight into his brain and got the schematics we needed. We were all set for our getaway when one of my team members—a developer from 10 Chambers—asked, “Why not grab some of the cash from the other vaults?”

It made sense at the time. Our escape involved jumping from a towering, Dubai-style skyscraper, so a few more bags wouldn’t hurt, right? Positioned in the mezzanine, we suddenly faced a rush of security droids and hired guns, all fully armed. One teammate got caught on the wrong side of the main lobby, while another, typically holding the right flank, was surprised by a grenade. I was at the rear, poised for extraction, only to be taken down by a sniper’s bullet. Game over. The heist was blown.

Despite our failure, this game truly captures the essence of a heist. I love how things can spiral out of control. A developer commented, “I’ve never seen so many enemies swarm like that,” pointing out the unpredictable nature of Den of Wolves. Unlike other games like Payday or its sequel, where plans might be loose—one person sneaks to the vault, another goes full Rambo, and someone spins aimlessly—Den of Wolves demands preparation and thought.

It reminds me of Ocean’s Eleven, with one person assuming the role of George Clooney, orchestrating the plan, while another channels a laid-back Brad Pitt, and someone else is the ambitious Matt Damon willing to gamble for the thrill of it all.

Reflecting on our mission, Simon Viklund, co-founder and narrative director of 10 Chambers, likened it to the classic film, Heat. “It mirrors Heat,” he said. “Look at the movie—the crew meticulously plans, secures explosives, steals an ambulance. Preparation is key.” That blueprint forms the foundation of Den of Wolves. Before you tackle the main heist—an adventure that could last up to 40 minutes—there are preparatory tasks, such as a quick 10-minute mission to commandeer an assault drone, setting the stage for a smoother vault entry. The drone, hidden as a delivery, wiped out opposition as we slid into the target zone.

“Den of Wolves is more serious and badass than Ocean’s,” joked Viklund. “Plus, it offers players more choices. Depending on your prep, you can choose a stealth, sniper, or assault build.” Perhaps that’s where I faltered. I’m most comfortable with a battle rifle or DMR. Had I known about the firestorm of enemies, I might have packed lighter, more explosive options. There’s time to ponder these decisions from the afterlife.

Den of Wolves pushes the heist genre further than its predecessors. With roots in the Payday series, it combines planning, decision-making, and the possibility of failure into a thrilling experience. Lessons learned from designing the hardcore co-op game, GTFO, have influenced this project. Despite its tough scenarios, there’s a level of accessibility that rewards strategic thinking, as our overconfidence ultimately led to our downfall.

Set in a cyberpunk world, the game’s mechanics enhance its excitement. The weapons, from DMRs to guns comparable to Desert Eagles, provide satisfying recoil and impact. Carrying loot shifts your balance, mirroring real-life weight adjustments. Shooting an energy shield—where enemy rounds bounce off harmlessly—feels rewarding both intellectually and tactically.

Let’s be clear—I got hands-on with a very early version of the game, not even in early access, and it’s already this engaging. The core gameplay loop—plan, prep, infiltrate, rob, escape, repeat—promises to get more rewarding as you dive deeper, acquiring more weapons and strategies. It takes what made Payday special back in 2011 and amplifies it. 10 Chambers revealed that the groundwork for a sci-fi heist game had been laid by Ulf Andersson, the brains behind Payday, even before the original game hit the shelves. Den of Wolves is the result of 15 years of crafting and vision.

The quality and innovation in Den of Wolves are unmistakable. It melds top-notch production with a focus on player-driven gameplay, something that Payday 3 didn’t fully achieve. By targeting an under-served niche in the co-op heist genre, 10 Chambers is pouring its resources into making this title stand out. With smart monetization strategies and a deep understanding of the genre, Den of Wolves is poised to be the most thrilling entry in this space. Now, we just cross our fingers that 10 Chambers delivers on all this potential.

Den of Wolves is gearing up to enter Early Access soon, exclusively for PC, though the exact release window remains under wraps for now.