When Crime Boss: Rockay City launched in 2023, first on PC via the Epic Games Store and later on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, it seemed like the latest celebrity-backed dud. It was critically panned on launch, and despite its Hollywood star power getting a lot of eyes on it, lacking gameplay and several severe technical issues earned it low scores across the board. But that was three years ago. Now, it's reached over 1 million copies sold and is celebrating its two-year Steam anniversary with a major free 2.0 update.
Wccftech's Alessio Palumbo called Rockay City a "half-baked, rushed heist" in his initial impressions piece when the game launched, acknowledging that it was not worth checking out at the time, but could improve with future support and updates. Developer INGAME Studios had committed to providing that support, and it has never wavered over the past three years.
A year after its EGS release, it arrived on Steam, providing several key technical and content updates along the way. Today, it debuted its biggest update yet with Update 21, introducing the long-awaited story mode on all platforms and the full release of the ModKit for PC players, so they can create their own heists.
"We've never stopped believing in Crime Boss: Rockay City and the unique experience it can offer players," said INGAME Studios chief executive officer, Jarek Kolar, in a press release. "Update 21 represents everything we've learned over the past three years. It's our biggest step yet toward making the game more accessible, more creative, and more enjoyable for every type of player."
In no way did Crime Boss: Rockay City have the start that 505 Games or INGAME Studios wanted. No one aims for a 52 on Metacritic, or for their game to release in a state that our own Alessio Palumbo called "an early access release, and a middling one at that."
But it has had the upwards arc that so many strive for. It's never been a smash hit, of course, but it has consistently improved and sold more copies as INGAME Studios never stopped trying to make the game better. It's the kind of arc that a game like last year's MindsEye, for example, would dream of.
It's been an interesting game to follow, and it'll be even more interesting to see if the game that it has grown into over these last few years can suddenly pick up more momentum.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
