Publisher 505 Games unveiledCrime Boss: Rockay City, an upcoming first-person shooter with a cast that’s so incredibly stacked it would likely even turn heads if attached to a Hollywood blockbuster, let alone an indie heist game. The announcement was part ofThe Game Awards 2022showcase, which hosted the unveilings of over a dozen projects, ranging from highly anticipated sequels likeHades 2to completely new IPs such asJudasandCrime Boss: Rockay Cityitself.
The development ofCrime Boss: Rockay Cityis handled by Ingame Studios, a Czech Republic-based company founded in 2020. According to the studio’s website, its current staff encompasses over 70 people, including game industry veterans who previously worked on someglobally successful projects such asKingdom Come Deliveranceand theMafiaseries. The company appears to be much better-funded than an average indie venture, as underlined by the fact that its offices are in what it describes as a downtown “palace” spanning more than 3,200 square feet.
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Ingame Studios' robust backing is also reflected byCrime Boss: Rockay City’sstar-studded cast, which includes Hollywood veterans like Michael Madson, who’s even involved in the game’s marketing campaign, Kim Basinger, as well as Danny Glover, Danny Trejo, and Chuck Norris, among others. Most of the cast was involved in motion-capture work onCrime Boss: Rockay City, in addition to lending their voices and likenesses to the game’s massive character cast.
The TGA announcement trailer reveals thatCrime Bosstakes place in the titular Rockay City, a fictional Florida metropolis that seems to be influenced bythe aesthetic ofGrand Theft Auto: Vice City. The main difference between the two Miami-inspired settings is that Rockstar’s cult classic emulated the ’80s, whereasCrime Boss: Rockay Citywill draw from the ’90s. Gameplay-wise, the title will seemingly be closer to Overkill Software’sPaydaythan theGTAseries, as the developers say they are focused on delivering cinematic, action-packed heists.
Contrary to what its star-studded cast might suggest,Crime Boss: Rockay Cityis an AA game, as perhaps best evidenced by the fact it’s set to launch at a modest price of $39.99. What’s more, the title is currently available for pre-order at a 40% discount via the Epic Games Store as part of an announcement sale that’s running until December 12. Epic obtained exclusive PC distribution rights toCrime Boss: Rockay City, which also happens to be powered by its very own Unreal Engine 5.
It remains to be seen what the upcoming arrival ofCrime Boss: Rockay Citymeans for its publisher’s other first-person heist game, given howPayday 3is still targeting a 2023 release. Even ifPayday 3hasn’t been hit with any significant delays over the course of 2022, it’s likely that 505 Games will want to avoid launching it too close to Ingame Studios' debut title, so it’s plausible that Overkill’s next project could be pushed to 2024 whileCrime Bossis finding its audience.
Crime Boss: Rockay Cityis scheduled to hit PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on June 22, 2025.
