In what year is the game occurring?

Found on one of the chairs of the Bank's lobby, this newspaper is dated but it's pretty hard to read. (2015?) Does anyone know when Payday 2 is occuring? Are there any other clues in other heists?

PS: oh hello First World Bank easter egg :)

Solution 1:

I did a bit of research and found this from Payday: The Heist, yes I know that this question is about the sequel, but take a look at this image - this is the same newspaper, with the same news story, from the "No Mercy" scenario from Payday: The Heist;

^{(click to enlarge)}

As you can see much clearer in this image, the date of the newspaper appears to be Sunday 13th December 2012. The line you're pointing at in your picture actually says LOCAL PAPER OF THE YEAR 2011*, with the date detailed below the paper title **NPC Daily News, which can be more clearly seen in this image;

Solution 2:

Payday 2 occurs at least partially in 2014. Several heists (e.g. Four Stores) have ads encouraging people to vote in the 2014 mayoral elections, and the Election Day heist has the crew mess with said election.

Of interest, there actually is a mayoral election in Washington D.C. in 2014, and unlike in Payday 2, there isn't any Republican candidate in the real world.

Though the game also takes place in the present day. When one views security cameras, for example, during any of the bank heists, it shows your actual system date and time, as seen in this screenshot from a few minutes ago. This bank is apparently open really late. Or early. One of the two.