# Probably Stolen Wiki — full text

> Unofficial fan wiki for Probably Stolen – Cyberpunk Shopkeeper Sim (Questing Goose Studio / tinyBuild). Not affiliated with the developer or publisher. Every page is checked against game version 1.0.0.2 (2026-10-29); bracketed links mark the source of each claim. Short index: https://probablystolen.net/llms.txt

## FAQ

URL: https://probablystolen.net/faq/

**When did Probably Stolen come out?**
Probably Stolen launched on Steam on October 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM CET / 9:00 AM EDT / 6:00 AM PDT. It's a full 1.0 release, not Early Access. The free demo was retired at launch. [official: Global Release Times and Pricing](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114044034) [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870)

**How much does Probably Stolen cost?**
The base price is US$19.99 / €19.99 / £16.99, with a 10% launch discount. A Supporter Edition bundles the game with the official soundtrack, and owners of Graveyard Keeper 2, Potion Craft, ReStory, Backpack Battles or TCG Card Shop Simulator get an extra bundle discount. Regional prices are in the table below. [official: Global Release Times and Pricing](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114044034) [official: 200,000 Units Sold!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232244) [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

**Is Probably Stolen multiplayer or co-op?**
No. Probably Stolen is single-player only. The Steam store lists it as Single-player, with no online or local co-op, and the developer has announced no multiplayer mode. [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

**Does Probably Stolen work on Steam Deck?**
Valve rates it Playable on Steam Deck. Valve's report notes that some text is hard to read on the small screen, on-screen glyphs don't match the Deck's buttons and the default controller setup isn't fully functional. The game is mouse-driven, so expect to use the trackpad or touchscreen. [Steam data: Steam Deck compatibility report](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

**Is Probably Stolen on Mac or Linux?**
The Steam store lists Windows only (Windows 10 64-bit). There's no native macOS or Linux build listed. [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

**Is Probably Stolen on PS5, Xbox or Switch?**
No. As of October 29, 2026, Probably Stolen is a PC game on Steam. The developer and publisher haven't announced a console version in their official Steam posts. [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/) [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870)

**Does Probably Stolen have controller support?**
Steam doesn't list controller support. The store lists a Mouse Only Option, and the game is built around mouse drag-and-drop. [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

**What languages does Probably Stolen support?**
The interface and subtitles support English, Simplified Chinese, Russian, Spanish (Spain), French, German, Polish, Japanese. [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/) [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870)

**Do demo saves carry over to the full game?**
Yes, demo saves are compatible, but the developer strongly recommends starting fresh so you don't miss the new storylines. Mods made for the demo probably won't work in 1.0. [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870) [official: Global Release Times and Pricing](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114044034)

**Does Probably Stolen support mods?**
1.0 added Steam Workshop support, a modding API and mod localisation support. The developer reported several dozen mods on the Workshop on launch day. [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870) [official: 200,000 Units Sold!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232244)

**What are the system requirements?**
Minimum: Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core i3 or equivalent, 8 GB RAM, GTX 650 Ti or equivalent, DirectX 10, and 1 GB of storage. [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

**How do you win Probably Stolen?**
Buy the store from your landlord before rising rent breaks you. Owning the deed ends the run with a stats screen. You can pay in full or take a mortgage. See our guide to buying the store. [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870)

**Who makes Probably Stolen?**
Questing Goose Studio develops the game and tinyBuild publishes it. It started as a solo project by developer Bei Ning Pan, who was later joined by four artists and three audio developers. His biggest inspirations were Space Station 13 and, a bit, Papers, Please. [official: Probably Stolen: Cyberpunk Pawnshop Simulator (announcement)](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1839676055895202)

**Is Probably Stolen good?**
Launch went well. A few hours in, the developer reported 200,000 copies sold, a peak of over 86,000 concurrent players and 95% positive reviews from 400+ reviews. [official: 200,000 Units Sold!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232244)

**How many achievements does Probably Stolen have?**
21 Steam achievements. None are hidden. See our achievement list for unlock rates. [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/)

**Will Probably Stolen get more content?**
Yes. The developer plans free updates with the Junker, Organ Trader and Street Food Vendor starts, Expeditions, new appraisal items and a main storyline expansion. No dates have been given. [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870)

---

## Beginner Guide

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/beginner-guide/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Your first run is a rent-versus-greed balancing act. This page covers the daily loop, the controls the tutorial skips, a sourced day-by-day timeline for week one, and the mistakes that end runs early.

**Short version:** Pick the **Apprentice** start for your first run, since the developer calls it the beginner's start [official: 500,000 Wishlists!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114050284). Keep each rent payment covered before you spend on machines. Inspect or test everything you buy. Treat your first run as a lesson in the systems, not a race to the deed.
## What you are actually doing

You're a former scavenger running a storefront on a dystopian space station. You got the shop on a loan, the rent keeps rising, and the win condition is to **buy the store from the landlord** [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/) [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870). In practice each in-game day has two halves:

- **Shop hours.** Customers come to the counter one at a time. You can buy from sellers, sell to buyers, haggle, refuse, report, or "look away" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Every item has its own risk. Cigarette packs need a visual check, water has to be tested and filtered, weapons need permits, and rare items need appraising so you don't overpay [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/).
- **After hours.** You can leave the shop for after-hours locations, such as the scavenging dumping grounds, or stay in and let machines run overnight [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). Community testing says going out costs you one random customer the next day [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020).

Before you sleep, the end-of-day screen bills services such as power. A community guide notes that these fees come out of the cash you hold *at that moment*, so tonight's machine output can't cover them [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## Controls the tutorial goes quickly over

These come from the official patch notes unless marked otherwise [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145):

| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Rotate / flip a dragged item | Mouse wheel up/down, or middle click. Community guides also report **F** flips [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811) |
| Move many items at once | Drag a selection box, then drag the group |
| Precise placement into another inventory | Hold **Shift** while dragging |
| Sort an inventory | Right-click the grid → sort menu |
| Trash an owned item | Hover it and press **Delete** |
| Quick-equip tools | Buy the **Toolbox** from Dr. Jackson (after day 14), then press **1–9** |
| Use one tool on many items | Equip mode for selectable tools |
| Dismiss, call next, call Security instantly | Optional hotkeys in the settings |

> **Free achievement** Changing any item's label with the labeler unlocks **Lower Levels Special**. It's the most common achievement in the game, unlocked by 76.2% of players [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/). See the full [achievement list](https://probablystolen.net/wiki/achievements/).

## Pick a start and a difficulty

1.0 ships with **9 starting scenarios** and **4 difficulty options**, chosen after the scenario [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870). For the first run:

- **Apprentice** is a generalist start, "best for beginners" according to the developer [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254).
- The **Aquafarmer** start is described as slower-paced and more beginner-friendly than rat ranching [official: Demo Update – Aquafarmer](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1846651706689954).
- Avoid the **Sentinel Collapse Disorder** option on your first run. The developer's own advice: "Seriously, don't." [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254)
- The guide author 诺布诺布 notes that the two easier difficulties apply a default retail markup and lower costs, while the two harder ones don't. On the harder ones you live on purchase discounts, event price spikes and value added by crafting [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

Compare all nine on the [starting scenarios page](https://probablystolen.net/guides/starting-scenarios/).

## Your first week, day by day

The timeline below comes from a community playthrough of an **Apprentice start with the tutorial on, on the hardest difficulty** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). Prices and dates may differ on easier settings, so use it as a shape, not a script.

| Day | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start with **550 credits**. The first rent payment is **200** | Set aside rent and the nightly fees first, then split the rest between stock and investments |
| 2+ | Scavenging opens up | With a bag and free space, use the first nights to scavenge. A tutorial save is protected from light wounds for the first 10 searches and from heavy wounds for the first 20 |
| 5 | You can see what's piling up and what's selling out | Point the display case at whatever you need to sell |
| 6 | First furnace offer, **180 credits** (with a 50-charge energy cell and 2 flux) | Only buy if you have cheap scrap and a material buyer. The author's math shows the bundled power alone doesn't repay it |
| 7 | **First rent due** | Have the cash on hand |
| 8 | The Appraisal Committee visits, **255** to join | Appraisal income needs no stock. See [appraisal](https://probablystolen.net/guides/appraisal/) |

## Seven habits that keep a run alive

1. **Rent first, always.** The rent rises over the run and confiscated stock can wipe out a week's margin [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Count next rent as already spent.
2. **Inspect before you pay.** Suppliers overstate value and contraband problems often show up only after the deal [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Testing water you buy catches mislabels and gets you a discount [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121).
3. **Don't overstuff the display case.** It brings buyers and sellers, but signs compete for a limited number of customer slots, and low-priority signs may never roll [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020). See [how to make money](https://probablystolen.net/guides/how-to-make-money/).
4. **Keep store attractiveness at 100 or above.** Below 100, the display case stops generating buyers entirely [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020).
5. **Don't sell your starting water jug** on a water start. It can be a long while before you find another [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121).
6. **Machines must earn their keep.** "Every purchase needs to earn its keep" comes from the store page itself [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Count battery and power costs before you buy a production line. See [machines & automation](https://probablystolen.net/guides/machines-and-automation/).
7. **Read the patch notes.** Balance is moving fast after launch. On day two, hotfix 1.0.0.2 cut the Moisture Farm price from 650 to 350 and the Water Filter price from 50 to 25 [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876). We track every change on the [patch notes page](https://probablystolen.net/wiki/patch-notes/).

## When you are ready for more

- Run the numbers on the endgame in [how to buy the store](https://probablystolen.net/guides/how-to-buy-the-store/). The buyout and the mortgage are both covered.
- Learn the most reliable early earner in [water purification](https://probablystolen.net/guides/water-purification/).
- Learn the [security, smuggling & augs](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/) rules before you touch contraband.

### Quick questions

**How do you rotate items in Probably Stolen?**
While dragging an item, use the mouse wheel up or down to rotate and flip it, or press the middle mouse button (official patch 049). Community guides also report that F flips the held item.

**What is the goal of Probably Stolen?**
Earn enough to buy the store from your landlord before rising rent breaks you. Owning the deed ends the run and shows a stats screen with your most profitable sale, days survived, total worth and perks.

**Which starting scenario is best for beginners?**
The developer recommends the Apprentice start for beginners. It is a generalist start that lets you learn each system at your own pace.

**Do demo saves carry over to the full game?**
Yes, but the developer strongly recommends a fresh save in 1.0 so you don't miss new storylines. Mods made for the demo will probably not work in 1.0.

---

## Starting Scenarios

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/starting-scenarios/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

The start you pick decides which kind of trouble you monetize. Here are all nine 1.0 scenarios in the developer's own words, what each one hands you, and the achievements tied to them.

**Best first pick:** The **Apprentice** start. The developer calls it a generalist start that is "best for beginners" [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). The developer also calls **Aquafarmer** slower-paced and more beginner-friendly than rat ranching [official: Demo Update – Aquafarmer](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1846651706689954). For a challenge, **Rock Bottom** starts you with nothing [official: 500,000 Wishlists!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114050284).
## All nine scenarios at a glance

In 1.0 you choose a starting scenario first, then one of 4 difficulty options [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870). The pitches below quote or closely paraphrase the developer's 1.0 overview [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) [official: 500,000 Wishlists!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114050284). "Heat" is our rough read of how much legal trouble the line invites, based on the store page's own warning that "weapons bring inspections, chemicals bring addiction, water brings liability, contraband brings raids" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/).

| Scenario | Developer's pitch | You start with (confirmed) | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Apprentice** | Generalist; upgrade as you go; best for beginners | 550 credits, first rent 200 (hardest difficulty, community-measured) [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036) | Low |
| **Water Merchant** | Test, purify, re-label. Or not. Liability is yours | Water testing strips, a 6 L jug and a Hydratech micro purifier [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). The purifier handles up to 7.5 L [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036) | Medium |
| **Aquafarmer** | Breed fish; water quality, food and environment shape what you get | Tilapia stock and recirculating aquaculture systems [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) | Low |
| **Hydroponic Farmer** | Grow crops in limited space; end with genetically modified breeds | Hydroponic machines and farming supplies [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) | Medium |
| **Chemist** | Profitable chemicals, closely guarded recipes, customers who come back | Chemistry lab equipment [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) | High |
| **Gunsmith** | Weapons & mods. High margins, security inspections | Class 1 weapon permit, firearms and ammunition [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). The 3D printer now ships with its instruction note (1.0.0.2) [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876) | High |
| **Fence** | Stolen goods. Move fast, stay invisible | — | Very high |
| **Rat Wrangler** | Can you grow a healthy 2×3 rat? | — | Medium |
| **Rock Bottom** | Nothing. Start from scratch. Maximum difficulty | Nothing | Brutal |

> **Why some cells are empty** We only list starting kit that an official post or a credited community guide confirms. Where neither does, the cell stays blank rather than guessed.

## Scenario notes

### Apprentice

Learn every system at your own pace [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). 诺布诺布's opening guide budgets the first week around **550 starting credits** and a **200-credit first rent** on the hardest difficulty. It suggests building capital through trading and scavenging, then choosing a production line based on your materials, power and buyers [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). That week-one timeline is on the [beginner guide](https://probablystolen.net/guides/beginner-guide/#your-first-week-day-by-day).

### Water Merchant

The developer describes a station where pure water is "more expensive than gold" [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). Community guides call water the most foolproof money-maker with the least micromanagement [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). Balance is moving here, though: the 1.0.0.2 hotfix reworked the Water Purifier and cut the Moisture Farm and Water Filter prices [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876). The full process is in the [water purification guide](https://probablystolen.net/guides/water-purification/).

### Aquafarmer

From the official update that added it [official: Demo Update – Aquafarmer](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1846651706689954):

- You begin with a basic water circulation system, tilapia and fish food.
- You progress from tilapia varieties to more valuable **eels** and **sturgeons**. Each species has its own habitat needs: water quality, filtration and an energy cell to keep the tanks circulating.
- Healthy fish lay and fertilize roe, which hatches into fry and grows into adult fish. Tanks can be upgraded with the right materials.
- Slaughter and butcher fish with a knife. Use **Surgery Tools on sturgeons to harvest caviar**.

### Hydroponic Farmer

You grow crops in small spaces and finish with modified breeds "people pay a fortune for. Including things they probably shouldn't buy." [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) Growing a **Huge Nutrifruit** unlocks *Green Thumb*. It's one of the rarest achievements, held by 0.1% of players a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

### Chemist

Recipes are "closely guarded" and customers come back [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). Producing a **Lab Pure** grade narcotic unlocks *Say My Name* (0.2%) [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

### Gunsmith

High margins come with security inspections [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). Weapon permits also act as display-case signs that bring custom gun buyers. See the [display case section](https://probablystolen.net/guides/how-to-make-money/#the-display-case-is-your-marketing).

### Fence

Fencing discounted stolen goods works "if you believe Security won't reach you". The store page also warns about mob justice [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Read [security, smuggling & augs](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/) before your first run.

### Rat Wrangler, the hidden start

The Rat Wrangler was hidden on the profession selection screen during the playtest. The developer hinted "look closely at the starting professions selection screen" [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.10 – Rock Bottom & Water Upgrade](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314342898), then made it visible in patch 48.3.12 [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.12 – The Rat Wrangler](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314345942). Starting with it still unlocks **We Have Rats!**, which 3.5% of players had a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

### Rock Bottom

You start with nothing [official: 500,000 Wishlists!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114050284). The developer suggests combining it with the hardest difficulty for extra challenge [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870). Two achievements reward it: *From Nothing* (0.2%) and *From Nothing, the Hard Way* (0.1%) [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

## Starts coming after launch

Free updates are planned to add these starts [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254) [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870):

- **Junker**, "coming shortly after launch"
- **Organ Trader**, "for the Butcher fans"
- **Street Food Vendor**

Other planned additions are Expeditions, new appraisal items and a main storyline expansion. Follow them on the [patch notes & roadmap](https://probablystolen.net/wiki/patch-notes/).

### Quick questions

**How many starting scenarios are in Probably Stolen?**
Version 1.0 has nine starting scenarios. They are Apprentice, Water Merchant, Fence, Gunsmith, Chemist, Hydroponic Farmer, Aquafarmer, Rat Wrangler and Rock Bottom. Junker, Organ Trader and Street Food Vendor starts are planned for free post-launch updates.

**What is the hidden scenario in Probably Stolen?**
The Rat Wrangler was a secret start hidden on the profession selection screen during the playtest. It was made visible in playtest patch 48.3.12. Starting a run with the hidden scenario unlocks the We Have Rats! achievement.

**What is the hardest start in Probably Stolen?**
Rock Bottom, where you start with nothing. The developer calls it maximum difficulty. Winning it unlocks From Nothing, and winning it on hard mode unlocks From Nothing, the Hard Way. Only about 0.1–0.2% of players had either achievement a day after launch.

---

## Water Purification Guide

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/water-purification/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Water is the most reliable early money in the game, and the most patched system since launch. Here is the process for turning cheap water into high-quality and pure water, with every price checked against the 1.0.0.2 hotfix.

**The 1.0 recipe:** Kill microbes first with a **purification tablet or UV lamp**, since filters no longer remove them. Reduce heavy metals and chemicals with the overnight **Water Purifier**. Run the result through a **filter pitcher**, then test or label it. High-quality starts at **99.00% purity** [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). The 1.0.0.2 hotfix reworked the purifier and cut prices: **Moisture Farm 650 → 350, Water Filter 50 → 25** [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876).
## What changed on day two (hotfix 1.0.0.2)

The developer rebalanced water on October 29, 2026 "as per community feedback" [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876):

| Change | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Water Purifier machine | Original logic | **Reworked "to be more intuitive"** |
| Moisture Farm price | 650 | **350** |
| Water Filter price | 50 | **25** |
| Dr. Jackson's markup (Normal) | 25% | **15%** |

> **Older guides are now partly stale** Most water guides online, including the community guides we cite, were written **before** 1.0.0.2. Their step-by-step purifier timings, night counts in particular, predate the rework. Use them as a starting point and test your own output with strips.

## Water grades and value

Water carries a quality label, from worst to best [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354) [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121):

**Gutterflow → Rustwater → Ghostwater → Basewater → High-quality → Pure**

A community guide lists the liquid's value **per litre**, measured on the hardest difficulty and not counting the container [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036):

| Grade | Value / L |
|---|---|
| Basewater | 40 |
| High-quality | 60 |
| Pure | 80 |

The same guide's advice: compare that price gap with the consumables and the time your cash sits tied up. If you're short on cash, sell at the grade you already have [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

Some rules from the official patch notes [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145):

- Water containers count as **water goods only while they hold liquid**. Empty, they're household goods, and market events reprice both the liquid and the container.
- **Premium Spring Water** carries the Water tag, but only Upper Level customers accept it. Lower-level customers and tourists turn it down.
- The water pitcher also counts as a household item.

## Testing: never buy blind

The Water Merchant start comes with **testing strips**. Drag a strip into a container to read its purity [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). Tips from Owlie's guide [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121):

- **Pool water into one big container** (the 6 L jug) and test it once. This saves strips.
- **Sellers mislabel often.** Test every bottle before you buy. Calling out a scam gets you a lower price and a discount on top.
- **Water that looks darker than usual** is ghostwater or worse. If it's labelled basewater, it's mislabelled.
- During an **ice-miner event** the ice miner sells high-quality water and never mislabels it. Water prices also drop 25% while the event runs [community: Events and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805977751).

## The tools, and what each removes

Community-measured in 1.0, before the 1.0.0.2 rework [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121):

| Tool | Effect |
|---|---|
| **Water purification tablet** | Removes all microbial contaminants and cuts chemical contaminants down to 0.71% |
| **UV lamp** | Removes all microbial contaminants. Fits into a water pitcher |
| **Water filter** (in a pitcher) | Main filtering step. Has durability (0/400 = spent). **No longer removes microbes in 1.0** |
| **Hydratech purifier** | Brings all contaminants down evenly to basewater level. Sometimes rescues water that otherwise couldn't reach high-quality |
| **Water Purifier** (machine) | Slowly converts contaminants overnight. Best on heavily contaminated water. Reworked in 1.0.0.2 [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876) |

The guide's two biggest "don'ts": don't sell the 6 L jug you start with, and don't try to make high-quality water out of **rustwater or gutterflow** with filters alone [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121).

## The basic process (high-quality water)

From the Water Merchant starting kit, per Owlie's guide [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121):

1. Drop a **purification tablet** into a container of water.
2. Fit a **water filter** onto the water pitcher.
3. Pour the treated water into the pitcher.
4. Pour the filtered water into a clean container. A 6 L jug saves tablets and strips.
5. Test it, or (riskier) set the label with the labeler.

Done right, the author reports high-quality water about 90% of the time. If the strip reads 98–99%, **dilute** it with an equal amount of high-quality water.

## Reaching pure water

There are two community-documented routes. Both were measured before the purifier rework, so verify with strips:

- **Water Purifier with Quality modules.** The *Machinery and You* guide found that from a basic source (traders, tap, Moisture Farm) you need about **+100% Quality** on the purifier to reach pure water, or **+75%** if you pre-filter in a pitcher [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811).
- **High-Quality Moisture Farm.** The same guide lists output that skips filtering and comes out pure at **+150% Quality** [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811). Its Moisture Farm figures are from the demo era, though, and 1.0 changed the farm (next section).

Module Quality, Performance and Efficiency are explained in [machines & automation](https://probablystolen.net/guides/machines-and-automation/#modules-quality-performance-efficiency).

## Moisture Farm: nerfed, then cheaper

- **At 1.0 launch** players measured **650 credits**, **6 kWh per day**, **850 ml per night**, and diminishing returns per extra farm [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). 诺布诺布 measured two farms at **1,360 ml combined**, meaning the second farm adds only **510 ml** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).
- **Hotfix 1.0.0.2** cut the price to **350** [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876). Owlie wrote "do not buy a Moisture Farm" before the hotfix [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). At about half the price, the payback math is worth redoing for your own save.

## Upgrades for a water business

Wild's network offers water upgrades: **Retired Water Merchant**, **Gutterflow on Tap** and **Rustwater on Tap** [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.10 – Rock Bottom & Water Upgrade](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314342898). Community figures from launch week:

- **Rustwater on Tap** costs about **550** in favours and credits [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121).
- An Apprentice who buys all three water upgrades spends about **1,800** before any machines or consumables [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).
- A **Water Purifier** cost **345** from the retired merchant or **375** from Dr. Jackson. These prices predate Dr. Jackson's markup cut in 1.0.0.2 [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121) [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876).

## Selling: events and scams

- A **water treatment breakdown** event raises water and water-ration prices by **+100%** for 3 days. A scheduled maintenance event adds **+35%** [community: Events and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805977751). Hold stock for these.
- **Relabelling** basewater as high-quality works early on. Some customers carry testing strips, though, and Owlie reports getting called out after selling roughly **100 L** that way [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121). The store page is blunt about it: "Misjudge the item or the person selling it, and you absorb the cost." [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

### Quick questions

**How do you make pure water in Probably Stolen?**
Remove microbes first with purification tablets or a UV lamp, because filters no longer remove microbes in 1.0. Then cut chemical and heavy-metal contamination with the overnight Water Purifier machine and finish in a pitcher filter. Community testing found pure water needs either a high-quality machine source or a purifier with roughly 100% Quality modules, or 75% if you pre-filter. The purifier was reworked in hotfix 1.0.0.2, so retest those thresholds.

**Is the Moisture Farm worth it in Probably Stolen?**
At launch it cost 650 credits and the community called it heavily nerfed. Hotfix 1.0.0.2 cut the price to 350. At the new price it is worth reconsidering, but players measured its output in 1.0 at 850 ml per night, with diminishing returns as you add more farms.

**What purity counts as high-quality water?**
Community testing puts the high-quality threshold at 99.00% purity. Purity above that does not change the sale value of high-quality water, so diluting extra-pure water with slightly lower basewater stretches your stock.

**Why does my water stay basewater after filtering?**
Usually because microbes are still present. In 1.0 filters do not remove them, so use purification tablets or a UV lamp first. Also check the filter's durability; a used-up filter at 0/400 stops working.

---

## How to Buy the Store

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/how-to-buy-the-store/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Owning the deed is how a run ends. Here is what the store costs and when, how the mortgage compares with saving up, and the permit milestones before it.

**To win, buy the deed from the landlord** [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870). Community testing on the hardest difficulty puts the price at **36,000 credits for days 1–50**. After that it climbs **100 per day, up to 56,000**. You can pay in full on a rent day or take a **mortgage**: 7,000 down plus 16 weekly payments of 2,370 [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).
## The win condition

The official 1.0 ending: "Buy the store from the landlord and become its rightful owner." [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870) You then get a stats screen with your **most profitable sale, days survived, total worth and perks earned** [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). The run-ending achievement is **Keys to the Kingdom** ("Own the deed to the store"). Only **3.5%** of players had it a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

> **Numbers below are community-measured** The prices and schedules on this page come from 诺布诺布's Steam guide, played on the **hardest difficulty** in 1.0 [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). Easier difficulties change markups and costs, so your numbers may be lower.

## Buyout price over time

| Period | Store price |
|---|---|
| Days 1–50 | 36,000 |
| From day 51 | +100 / day |
| Cap | 56,000 |

**Day 50 is a real deadline.** Every day past it adds 100 to the price on top of rent. Before you expand production mid-run, weigh the extra profit against the higher price and the extra rent you'll pay while waiting [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). The *Prodigious* achievement rewards owning the deed **before day 50**. It's held by 1.3% of players [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

**Paying in full:** sell off inventory ahead of time. Once you have the full amount, you can buy on the landlord's collection day **without paying that period's rent first** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## The mortgage option

Worked example at a 36,000 price [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036):

| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Down payment | 7,000 |
| Weekly payment | 2,370 × 16 weeks |
| Total paid for the store | 44,920 |

**How you get the offer:**

1. The **loan shark** introduces himself once your cash reaches the down payment.
2. The formal mortgage offer comes on a **later rent day**. By then you must have met the loan shark, must not have refused the mortgage, and must hold **twice the current down payment** in cash. In this example that's 14,000 on hand, though signing only takes 7,000.
3. The weekly payment **replaces rent**, so you don't pay both. It keeps the existing rent countdown, so check when the first payment is due.

**Is it worth it?** The author's rule: take last week's income, subtract restocking and daily costs (not rent), and compare what's left with the weekly payment. If your cash swings a lot or the margin is thin, keep saving for the full price [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## Business permit

Owning the business permit unlocks **Authorized** (9.5% of players) [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/). Community milestones [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036):

- Start budgeting for the permit from **around day 24**.
- The trade committee official first visits around **day 38**.
- The permit's normal purchase price is **3,000**. Goods-for-deferral deals help with short-term cash flow, but the guide's advice is to budget the permit into any long-term plan.

## Rent: the pressure that never stops

Rent keeps rising for the whole run, and "confiscated stock or a bad deal can leave you struggling to make the next payment" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Two habits help:

- **Set aside next rent first** and plan purchases around what's left.
- **Avoid confiscation.** See [security, smuggling & augs](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/) for how inspections and raids work.

## Endings and what's next

- The game has a fail state: run out of road on rent and the run ends with "a little more sad" stats [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). There's also an **Augmented** ending for missing too many augs. Playtest patch 48.3.10 limited it to Hard mode [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.10 – Rock Bottom & Water Upgrade](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314342898). See [augs](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/#augs).
- The developer plans a **main storyline expansion** "which will affect the station and the ending" [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254).

### Quick questions

**Can you buy the shop in Probably Stolen?**
Yes. Since 1.0 you can buy the store from the landlord and own the deed. That ends the run and shows a stats screen with your most profitable sale, days survived, total worth and perks earned.

**How much does it cost to buy the store in Probably Stolen?**
Community testing on the hardest difficulty found 36,000 credits during the first 50 days. From day 51 the price rises by 100 per day, up to 56,000. Lower difficulties may differ.

**Does Probably Stolen have a mortgage option?**
Yes. In the community example at a 36,000 price, the mortgage needs 7,000 down and 2,370 a week for 16 weeks, 44,920 in total. The formal offer only comes once you have met the loan shark and hold twice the down payment in cash.

**What happens after you buy the store?**
The run ends and you get a stats screen with your most profitable sale, days survived, total worth and perks earned. The developer plans a main-storyline expansion that will change the ending.

---

## How to Make Money

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/how-to-make-money/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Margins in Probably Stolen come from steering the right customers to your counter, then knowing when to haggle and when to sell. This guide explains the display case and the events that move prices.

**The short answer:** Stock the display case around **one tag you want to sell**, keep **store attractiveness at 100 or more**, and sell into **market events**. Water and appraisal are low-capital starters [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121) [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). Haggle hard only where the reputation cost is worth it [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
## The display case is your marketing

The display case does two jobs: it attracts **buyers** for what's inside, and signs placed in it turn random walk-ins into specific **sellers**. Everything in this section comes from *Display case and You* by The Exceptional Fisherman. The guide is community-measured, written during the demo and updated on launch day [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020).

### Buyers: tags and tiers

- Buyers from the display case are always **the first customers of the day**.
- You get **1 display buyer** at base. A buyer referral, the first case upgrade and the second case upgrade add 1 each, for **a maximum of 4**.
- **If store attractiveness drops below 100, the case generates no buyers at all.**
- The buyer type follows the item's **tag**, and the tier follows the **combined value** of everything with that tag in the case:

| Combined tag value | Buyer tier |
|---|---|
| 1–144 | Tier 1 |
| 145–349 | Tier 2 |
| 350+ (Household: 300+) | Tier 3. **Tier 3 buyers don't appear before day 14** |

If you have more tags than buyer slots, the tag with the highest combined value wins. Water has its own label-based tiers: gutterflow up to basewater draws tier 1, high-quality draws tier 2 and pure draws tier 3. Whichever scale reaches the higher tier applies.

Example tier-3 buyers include the upper-level servant (Household), upper-level private chef (Food) and upper-level hedonist (Substance). They are the highest-budget clients [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020).

### Sellers: signs, permits and boards

Signs don't add customers. They **replace random customers**, and only up to the number of random customers you're expected to get that day:

- **+1** random customer at 200 store attractiveness, **+2** at 250, and more at higher attractiveness.
- **+1** with at least 20 Lower Levels reputation. **−1** below that.
- **−1** if you went out the previous night. **4 random customers max.**

Signs roll **in priority order**. The order shows in-game in the clientele panel. Example odds from the guide:

| Item in display | Spawns | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Water / Food / Material / Medical / Household neon sign | Matching seller | 75% |
| Firearm neon sign | Lower-level or mercenary gun seller | 40% |
| Heavy firearm neon sign | Upper-level gun seller | 25% |
| Class 1 / 2 / 3 weapon permit | Custom gun buyer | 50% / 40% / 35%, rising each time it fails |
| Appraisal board | Appraisal customer | 33–55% by tier, rising each time it fails |
| Scavenger's token | Scavengers | 20% each, stacks to 100% |
| Black lamps | Thieves | 10–30% each + 1% per 2 Black Market rep (max 95%) |

> **The most common display-case mistake** Put out more signs than you have expected random customers and the low-priority ones fight over leftovers. The guide's example: with two expected customers and a water sign, a material sign and an appraisal board, the board's real chance drops from 33% to about **8%** [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020).

## Haggling and reputation

- **Bargaining changes customer budgets** [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- **Buy-side and sell-side bargains affect reputation separately.** The bargain panel shows a reputation multiplier for each direction [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- 诺布诺布 measured reputation losses at **2× Normal** on the hardest difficulty. The guide suggests skipping hard bargaining on small deals and protecting long-term buyer and supplier relationships [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).
- The **bulk-buying Merchant** is an outlet for stock you can't move. He takes a **25% cut** on the hardest difficulty and less on easier ones [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). Since 1.0.0.1 he states his real discount for your difficulty, where before he always claimed 15% [official: Hotfix – 1.0.0.1](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302231579).

## Sell into market events

Station events shift prices for a few days. These are measured values from *Events and You* [community: Events and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805977751):

| Event | Price effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Water treatment breakdown | Water +100%, water rations +100%, beverages +90% | 3 days |
| Scheduled treatment maintenance | Water +35% | 3 days |
| Station-wide blackout | Energy cells +100%, weapons +25%. **Your power goes off** unless you bought the power hijack | 2 days |
| Power shortage | Energy cells +66%. Power goes off without the hijack | 2 days |
| Medical supplies shortage | Medical +50% | 2 days |
| Bad Nutrifruit harvest | Food +50% | 3 days |
| Construction project | Materials +30% | 3 days |
| Ice-asteroid miners return | Water −25%. The ice miner never mislabels water | 2 days |

Keep a buffer of the goods that spike (water, energy cells, medical) so you have stock to sell when an event hits.

## Money while the shop is closed

- **Vending machines**, new in 1.0, keep selling overnight after you close [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870).
- **Production machines** work overnight. See [machines & automation](https://probablystolen.net/guides/machines-and-automation/).
- **Scratch tickets.** Winning tickets can be cashed in immediately [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). Hitting the jackpot unlocks *Jackpot*, which 6.2% of players had a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

## The grey zone

The store page lists the tempting options: **cut quality, relabel counterfeits as genuine, or fence stolen goods** "if you believe Security won't reach you" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Each has a cost:

- **Relabelling** gets noticed eventually. One player reports getting called out after selling about 100 L of mislabelled water [community: Water Trading Made Easy](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3828856121).
- **Contraband** risks raids and confiscation. Read [security, smuggling & augs](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/).
- Winning without ever selling stolen goods or contraband unlocks **Clean Hands**, which only 0.7% of players had a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

### Quick questions

**How does the display case work in Probably Stolen?**
Items in the display case attract buyers matching their tags. The combined value of a tag sets the buyer tier, with 145 or more for tier 2 and 350 or more for tier 3. Signs, permits and boards in the case can turn a random customer into a specific seller. Buyers arrive first each day. If store attractiveness falls below 100, the case stops generating buyers.

**Why am I not getting the sellers I put signs out for?**
Signs don't add customers. They replace your limited random customers in priority order. If you display more signs than you have expected random customers, lower-priority signs only get a chance when higher ones fail their roll.

**Does haggling hurt reputation in Probably Stolen?**
Yes. Bargaining changes customer budgets and affects reputation in the direction of the trade. Community testing on the hardest difficulty reports reputation losses twice as large as on Normal.

**What do vending machines do in Probably Stolen?**
Vending machines, added in 1.0, keep selling goods overnight after you close the shop. They bring in profit while you sleep.

---

## Appraisal Guide

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/appraisal/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Appraisal pays without stock. You value other people's rare items for a fee. This guide covers how to unlock it, how to attract appraisal customers and whether the membership pays for itself.

**Appraisal is income without inventory.** Join the **Appraisal Committee** when it visits, around day 8 in a community playthrough, for **255 credits**. Keep the certificate in the display case so appraisal customers show up. An exact appraisal of a 300-value item paid **65** at the junior rank [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). Ten perfect appraisals unlock **An Eye for Value** [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).
## Why appraisal matters

The store page puts it simply: "Rare items need proper appraisal to avoid overpaying" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Appraisal works two ways:

1. **Protecting your buys.** Suppliers overstate value, and appraising rare items before you pay keeps you from absorbing the loss [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/).
2. **Selling a service.** Appraisal customers bring their items to you and pay for the valuation. This works even when your shelves are empty [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## Unlocking it

Community milestones from an Apprentice run on the hardest difficulty [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036):

- The **Appraisal Committee** comes to the shop around **day 8**.
- Membership costs **255 credits**.
- At the junior rank, an exact appraisal of an item worth **300** paid **65**. Four such jobs cover the fee, before shop costs.
- Before ranking up, compare the upgrade fee with your current job income and how well you know the new items you'll be asked to value.

## Attracting appraisal customers

The appraisal certificate or board goes in the **display case** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036). Its odds, measured by The Exceptional Fisherman [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020):

- An **appraisal board** has a **33–55%** chance, depending on tier, to turn a random customer into an appraisal customer.
- Each failed roll adds **16–27%** to the next one, by tier.
- It competes with your other signs in **priority order**. Put out too many signs and the board's real chance collapses. See [how to make money](https://probablystolen.net/guides/how-to-make-money/#sellers-signs-permits-and-boards).

> **Quality-of-life notes from the patches** Appraisal customers leave on their own once their business is done [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). The 1.0.0.1 hotfix fixed tooltips on the Appraisal Certificate window that hid behind the window on ultrawide displays [official: Hotfix – 1.0.0.1](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302231579).

## Perfect appraisals and the achievement

**An Eye for Value**, "Get 10 perfect appraisals", is the second most common achievement. **37.5%** of players had it a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/). If you join the committee early, it tends to come during a normal run.

## What's coming

The developer lists **new appraisal items** among the planned post-launch content [official: Opening October 28: What’s in Store for 1.0](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847286114030254). We'll update this page when they ship. Follow the [patch notes](https://probablystolen.net/wiki/patch-notes/).

### Quick questions

**How do you unlock appraisal in Probably Stolen?**
The Appraisal Committee visits your shop early in the run, around day 8 in a community playthrough. Joining costs 255 credits on the hardest difficulty. After that you can take appraisal jobs.

**How do you get more appraisal customers?**
Put your appraisal certificate or board in the display case. Community testing gives the appraisal board a 33–55% chance by tier to bring an appraisal customer, and the chance rises each time it fails. Don't crowd it out with higher-priority signs.

**How do you get the An Eye for Value achievement?**
Get 10 perfect appraisals. About 37.5% of players had it a day after launch, making it the second most common achievement.

---

## Machines & Automation

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/machines-and-automation/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Machines are how a pawnshop becomes a production line, and they work while you sleep. This guide covers modules, power, the furnace and the automation pieces that pay for themselves.

**Machines work overnight and run on energy.** Their output depends on **Quality, Performance and Efficiency modules**, and most effects only change at fixed steps [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811). **Vending machines**, new in 1.0, keep selling after you close [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870). Owning **10 machines at once** unlocks *Industrious* [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).
> **Where these numbers come from** Mechanics in this guide come from the official patch notes. Machine stats come from *Machinery and You* by The Exceptional Fisherman, which was written during the demo and is marked **"Missing 1.0 info"** by its author [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811). Machines known to have changed in 1.0, such as the Moisture Farm and Water Purifier, are covered on the [water page](https://probablystolen.net/guides/water-purification/) instead.

## Modules: Quality, Performance, Efficiency

Most machines accept modules that raise or lower three stats. Each machine reads them differently, and **only thresholds matter**, so partial progress toward the next step does nothing [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811):

- **Quality** usually improves the product. On the furnace, every **+100%** raises ingot purity by one stage. +99% has no effect.
- **Performance** usually means more output or more work per night. On the furnace it does nothing.
- **Efficiency** lowers energy use in fixed steps. On the furnace that's 1 energy per **12.5%**. On the security alarm it's 1 per **25%**.

Push one machine to **+250 Quality** for *Cranked to Eleven* (1.1% of players) [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/). For layouts, Discord member hoydoy built a [module optimisation tool](https://hoydoy.github.io/probably-stolen-module-optimization/) [community: Module optimisation tool](https://hoydoy.github.io/probably-stolen-module-optimization/).

## Furnace: scrap to ingots

The furnace smelts **2 materials into 1 metal ingot** for **8 energy per night** [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811).

| Recipe | Purity |
|---|---|
| 2 scrap | Low |
| 1 scrap + 1 metal ore | Fair |
| 2 metal ore | High |

| Purity | Ingot value |
|---|---|
| Low | 42 |
| Fair | 50 |
| High | 62 |
| Very high | 75 |
| Perfect | 100 |

- **Flux smelting agent** raises purity by one stage. It isn't consumed if the furnace has **+100% Quality**, or +200% with the blast module.
- **Blast module** turns 3 materials into 2 ingots. Its first +100% Quality is ignored.
- **Junk processing module** turns 6 junk into 4 scrap metal. Quality doesn't matter here. A playtest fix stopped it from secretly drawing twice its listed power [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.12 – The Rat Wrangler](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314345942).

**Is the first furnace worth it?** 诺布诺布 got a first offer of **180** on day 6, bundled with a 50-charge energy cell and two flux. Dr. Jackson's regular price was **400**. With 10-credit scrap and no modules, they worked out about **22 gross profit per smelt**, or 30 with flux, so the bundled power alone doesn't pay back the 180. Buy one when you have cheap scrap and a buyer for metals [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## Power and batteries

| Piece | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Recharger** | Charges batteries stored inside it by 3 energy per night, doubled to 6 with Wild's upgrade. Needs the power bill paid. Dr. Jackson sells it for **300** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036) |
| **Powerbloc** | Charges batteries touching it, and batteries in machines touching it, by 2 energy per night (4 with the upgrade). Needs the power bill paid |
| **Advanced turbo charger** | Charges for 5 energy per day and fills a 15-point meter. When full, it makes any machine run one extra cycle during the day. There's no limit on how often a machine can be boosted |
| **Power service** | 10 credits per night on days 1–9, rising over time. A blackout or power-shortage event turns it off unless you own the **power hijack** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036) |

From the patch notes: you can **swap batteries** by dragging one onto another if you own both [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). After you unlock **Power Hijack**, power is always on and disappears from the end-of-day screen [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). A fixed bug had the Powerbloc failing to charge on its first night [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).

## Automation pieces worth knowing

| Machine | Energy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Vending machine** | — | Sells overnight after closing, new in 1.0 [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870) |
| **Vacuum robot** | 4 per run (8 with the incinerator) | Moves animal feces into its storage at night, or on double-click. Upgrade with 1 common electronic part to destroy the feces [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145) |
| **Mirage projector** | 16 / night | Adds its attractiveness (100% base = +100) to the next day's store attractiveness |
| **Security alarm** | 4 / night | Chance to cancel a theft. **+50% Performance blocks thefts entirely**. The *alarm transmitter* module gives +1 reputation per night to Security, Black Market, Upper Levels or Revolution |
| **Cryptographic desequencer** | 10 / night | Works blank keycards into typed disposable keycards. Chipsets need 75–150 work, with 33 work per night at base |
| **Bottle printer** | 4–11 per bottle | Prints 450 ml bottles. Upgrade with 3 electronic parts for 750 ml, then 6 more (9 total) for 2 L [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145) |
| **Fridge** | 2+ / night | *Chilled* +20%, *Frozen* or *Ice cold* +25% on valid drinks and ice cream. Wine and water containers don't qualify |
| **Wine ager** | 24 / night | Ages wine an extra day each night. See [wine making](https://probablystolen.net/guides/wine-making/) |
| **Aug scanner** | 25 per scan | Double-click to check whether the current customer is an aug. See [augs](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/#augs) |

Machine stats without their own citation come from *Machinery and You* [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811).

## Rules from the patch notes

- Machines **can't be placed inside containers**. Cage equipment such as the vacuum robot and feed dispenser is the exception [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- You can **open and preview containers and machines before buying** them [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- The **Hypertech Storage Bay** can no longer go inside smuggler bays (1.0.0.1) [official: Hotfix – 1.0.0.1](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302231579).
- The developer's warning on buying machines: "Every purchase needs to earn its keep." [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/)

### Quick questions

**How do modules work in Probably Stolen?**
Machines take Quality, Performance and Efficiency modules. Each machine converts these stats differently. Many effects only change at fixed steps, for example every +100% Quality on the furnace raises ingot purity by one stage, while +99% does nothing.

**What does the furnace do in Probably Stolen?**
The furnace smelts two scrap metal or metal ore into a metal ingot overnight for 8 energy. More ore gives higher purity. Community-measured ingot values run from 42 (low purity) to 100 (perfect).

**Do vending machines sell while the shop is closed?**
Yes. Vending machines, added in 1.0, keep selling goods overnight after you close the store.

**How many machines do you need for the Industrious achievement?**
Own 10 machines at the same time at the start of a day. About 9.2% of players had it a day after launch.

---

## Wine Making Guide

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/wine-making/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Wine turns a few berries and a bottle of water into a product that gains value every day it ages. Here is how the scoring works, how to make Master Vintage and where to buy supplies.

**Recipe:** 1–2 **BloomBerries** + **750 ml water** + a **wine bottle**. Fermentation takes 4 days, 2 with yeast and 1 with super yeast. For **Master Vintage** (sells at 175) use **two small berries, any yeast and high-quality water**. Pure water is no better than high-quality for wine [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354) [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).
> **Source** The scoring below is from *Winemaking and You* by The Exceptional Fisherman, with data from several contributors, last updated on launch day [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354). We cross-checked the berry maths against 诺布诺布's priced examples [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## How fermentation works

You need **1 BloomBerry, 750 ml of water of any quality and a wine bottle** to start. Base fermentation takes **4 days**. Any yeast (normal, bioreactor, or synthetic) cuts that to **2 days**, and **super yeast** to **1 day** [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354).

## The scoring system

Start at 0 and add up each ingredient [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354):

| Ingredient | Score |
|---|---|
| Each **small** BloomBerry | +2 |
| Each **standard** BloomBerry | +1 |
| Each overripe / underripe berry | 0 |
| Each moldy berry | −1 |
| Using **two** berries | +1 |
| Any yeast (amount and type don't matter) | +1 |
| Pure or high-quality water | +1 |
| Basewater | 0 |
| Ghostwater / Rustwater / Gutterflow | −1 / −2 / −3 |

The total sets the wine's grade:

| Score | Wine | Sell price |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Undrinkable (pour it out or bottle it as gutterflow) | — |
| 1 | Bucket Brew | 85 |
| 2 | Homebrew | 100 |
| 3–4 | Production wine | 125 |
| 5 | Reserve | 150 |
| 6 | Master Vintage | 175 |

### Worked examples

Each example below matches the prices in 诺布诺布's table, made with basewater and normal yeast [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036):

- 1 standard berry + yeast + basewater = 1 + 1 = **2 → Homebrew (100)**
- 1 small berry + yeast + basewater = 2 + 1 = **3 → Production (125)**
- 2 small berries + yeast + basewater = 2 + 2 + 1 + 1 = **6 → Master Vintage (175)**
- Swap basewater for **high-quality water** and two *standard* berries with yeast score 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = **5 → Reserve (150)**.

**Small berries are the money berries.** In the community price check, two small berries had the best margin of the tested recipes [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## Aging

Wine keeps gaining value while it ages, and testers found **no cap** [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354). The base gain is +3 per day, scaled by the grade's price modifier:

| Wine | Value per day aged |
|---|---|
| Bucket Brew | ~+2.55 |
| Homebrew | +3 |
| Production | ~+3.75 |
| Reserve | ~+4.5 |
| Master Vintage | ~+5.25 |

A **wine ager** machine adds an extra day of aging every night for 24 energy. Every +125% Quality adds one more day [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811). If cash is tight, sell finished wine to cover rent rather than tying money up in aging [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).

## GloomBerry wine (synthetic yeast)

Adding **any synthetic yeast** always produces **GloomBerry wine**, whatever berries or water you use [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354). It's mid-level contraband: 44 base value with a +70% contraband modifier, roughly 74 a bottle. It **can't be aged**. The community use for it is turning otherwise worthless gutterflow into sellable wine. Gutterflow comes from Wild's tap upgrade or from rat feces in a water bottle. Selling contraband carries risk, though. See [security & smuggling](https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/).

## Where to get supplies

From *Winemaking and You* [community: Winemaking and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805647354):

- **Retired winemaker** (Fridays): 8 BloomBerries and 4 wine bottles a week. Unlocking him costs about **400** [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036).
- **Supply runner** (Sundays): 3 wine bottles at a higher markup.
- **Hydroponics farmer** via Wild's seller referral: 5–6 berries per visit, not limited to once a week.
- **Your own hydroponics:** 6 berries per harvest. Plant health at harvest sets their quality.
- **Scav general** (a random customer, or summoned with a scavenger's token): 0–2 bottles per visit.

## Patch notes that touch wine

- Pouring wine into a liquid container now creates **Wine Extract**, which changes the liquid's colour [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- Fixed: players addicted to alcohol couldn't drink wine made before a reload [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).

### Quick questions

**How do you make wine in Probably Stolen?**
Put a BloomBerry, 750 ml of water and a wine bottle together to start fermentation. Base fermentation takes 4 days. Any yeast cuts it to 2 days, and super yeast to 1 day. Berry quality, berry count, yeast and water quality decide the result.

**How do you make Master Vintage wine?**
Use two small BloomBerries and any yeast. In community testing each small berry scores +2, using two berries adds +1 and yeast adds +1, so that alone reaches the score of 6 needed for Master Vintage, even with basewater. High-quality water adds another +1 as a safety margin.

**Does wine get more valuable with age in Probably Stolen?**
Yes. Wine gains about +3 base value per day of aging, and community testing found no upper limit. The quality label multiplies the gain, from about +2.55 a day for Bucket Brew to about +5.25 a day for Master Vintage. GloomBerry wine cannot be aged.

**Is pure water better than high-quality water for wine?**
No. Both add +1 to the wine score, so high-quality water is the cheaper choice.

---

## Security, Smuggling & Augs

URL: https://probablystolen.net/guides/security-smuggling-augs/
Checked against game version 1.0.0.2 · updated 2026-10-29

Contraband pays, until Security comes through the door. Here are the confirmed rules for inspections, smuggler bays, fines, reporting and factions, plus what is officially known about Augs.

**The rules:** Weapons bring **inspections**, contraband brings **raids**, and confiscated stock can sink your rent [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Hide contraband in a **smuggler bay**. You can pay your way out of trouble with a **bribe**, and an affordable fine won't become an arrest [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). **Augs** "look like everyone else… until they don't". The **Aug Scanner** checks a customer for 25 energy [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/) [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811).
## What draws Security's attention

Each product line has its own way of ruining you, per the store page: **weapons bring inspections, chemicals bring addiction, water brings liability, contraband brings raids** [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Customers aren't always who they seem. "Today's customer could be a security fisher for evidence" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Every choice you make (approve, refuse, report or look away) is noted by someone.

## Inspections and smuggler bays

- **Smuggler bays** hide contraband during inspections. The **Mini Smuggler Bay** can sit behind the poster. Hotfix 1.0.0.1 fixed items being confiscated when the bay sat in the trash can or behind the poster [official: Hotfix – 1.0.0.1](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302231579).
- Don't put a **Hypertech Storage Bay** inside a smuggler bay. That's blocked since 1.0.0.1 [official: Hotfix – 1.0.0.1](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302231579).
- **No reputation farming:** since playtest patch 48.3.12, passing an inspection after showing contraband in the display case no longer gives Security reputation [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.12 – The Rat Wrangler](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314345942).
- The **underground exchange** for the smuggler bay takes priority over temporary exchange deals [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).

## Fines, arrests and evidence

From the patch notes [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145):

- Your **criminal record** sets the outcome. The officer decides the sentence when they **arrive**. If a fixer or nightly decay has lowered your record to fine territory by then, you get a fine, not an arrest.
- The officer visits **the morning after the investigation completes**.
- Security **can't arrest you over a fine you can afford**.
- You can hire **Wild** to remove evidence.
- The **Intimidating** perk cuts evidence generation by **33%** and costs 2 perk points.

Store-page options when caught: **hide it, or bribe your way out** [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Mob justice is also a risk.

## Reporting criminals and the wanted list

- Wanted criminals show up on the **wanted list**. In 1.0 they have expanded backstories, including the **Butcher** [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870).
- The **Model Citizen** perk raises the credit bonus for reporting criminal customers to **+50%** [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- Report **10 criminals** for *Snitches Get Riches*. Only 0.5% of players had it a day after launch [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).
- Arresting **Odin** after calling him for a delivery crosses him off the wanted poster [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145).
- **Lou**, the criminal mastermind with a full storyline in 1.0 [official: Probably Stolen is OUT NOW!](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302230870), can't be shot during any visit (1.0.0.2) [official: Water Balance & Hotfix – 1.0.0.2](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302232876). Reporting her doesn't cost Black Market reputation (1.0.0.1) [official: Hotfix – 1.0.0.1](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1847920302231579).

## Factions and reputation

Reputation tracks you with the station's factions. The ones confirmed in game data are **Security, Black Market, Upper Levels, Revolution** and the **Lower Levels** [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811) [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020). Reputation "buys access and protection, but it also paints a target on your back" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/). Some known effects:

- **Black Market:** the Thief's stock scales with it [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145). At **−40**, the janitorial service costs double but stays available [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.10 – Rock Bottom & Water Upgrade](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314342898).
- **Lower Levels:** at **+20** or more you get one extra random customer a day. Below +20 you get one fewer [community: Display case and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805664020).
- A security alarm with the **alarm transmitter** module gives +1 reputation per night to a faction you pick [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811).
- Max out any faction for *Diplomatic* (2.7%) [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/).

## Augs

The official setup: "A sentient AI chip went rogue and took its hosts with it. Augs look like everyone else ... until they don't. Stay alert, pick up on the signs." Every faction agrees on the policy, and "you have the gun to enforce it", but missing or misreading the signs "carries its own price" [official: Steam store page](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4348910/).

What's confirmed:

| Fact | Source |
|---|---|
| **Aug Scanner:** double-click to check whether the current customer is an aug. **25 energy per use** | [community: Machinery and You](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3805839811) |
| Dr. Jackson sells the Aug Scanner, and stops offering it once Security declares the aug threat over | [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145) |
| Missing too many augs can end the run (**Augmented** ending). Playtest patch 48.3.10 limited this to **Hard mode** | [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.10 – Rock Bottom & Water Upgrade](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314342898) |
| Some essential recurring customers are **non-shootable** | [official: Playtest Patch 48.3.10 – Rock Bottom & Water Upgrade](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1840310314342898) |
| Offering an aug mislabelled items **no longer costs reputation** | [official: UPDATE 049 Patch note – Release Date + New Demo](https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4348910/view/1843481262702145) |
| **Bargaining reactions** are not a reliable way to identify augs | [community: 开荒顺序与投资取舍 (Opening order & investment trade-offs)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3829320036) |
| Shoot **10 augmented** for *Aug Hunter* (1.0% of players) | [Steam data: Global achievement stats](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/4348910/achievements/) |

> **What we haven't verified yet** Several sites publish checklists of visual aug "tells". The developer hasn't published an official list, and we haven't been able to confirm one against 1.0, so we don't repeat them here. Until there's a confirmed list, the safe approach is to **confirm with the scanner before you shoot**.

### Quick questions

**How do you hide contraband from inspections in Probably Stolen?**
Keep it in a smuggler bay. The Mini Smuggler Bay can be kept behind the poster. Hotfix 1.0.0.1 fixed a bug where items in a smuggler bay were confiscated during inspections when the bay sat in the trash can or behind the poster.

**How do you spot an Aug in Probably Stolen?**
The game asks you to read the signs. Augs look like everyone else until they don't, and misreading them carries a price. Dr. Jackson sells an Aug Scanner that checks the current customer for 25 energy per scan. A community opening guide warns that bargaining reactions are not a reliable tell.

**What happens if you miss an Aug?**
Missing too many augs can end the run with the Augmented ending. Playtest patch 48.3.10 limited that game over to Hard mode. Shooting 10 augs unlocks the Aug Hunter achievement.

**Can you shoot Lou in Probably Stolen?**
No. Hotfix 1.0.0.2 made Lou unshootable during all of her visits. Reporting Lou to Security no longer lowers your Black Market reputation since hotfix 1.0.0.1.