Catching lightning in a bottle as an indie game publisher is hard enough, but then you have to get the public to look at it. Probably Stolen is proving to be a perfect example of such marketing done right. The ‘cyberpunk shopkeeping simulator’ launched just two days ago, and it’s already cut through the noise on the Valve store, earning itself the elusive ‘overwhelmingly positive’ rating from user reviews, more than 350,000 sales in its first 24 hours, and a peak player count of more than 125,000.
“Finishing day one as the twelfth most-played game on Steam is not an outcome we expected, but is definitely beyond anything we have ever imagined,” Developer Questing Goose Studio writes. Probably Stolen puts you in charge of a small storefront that deals in “merchandise with flexible origins.” Having secured a spot thanks to a surprisingly generous loan, you’re faced with determining what risks to take to keep up with rising rent, attempting to earn enough to buy your shop out before the collectors come calling.
You’re able to choose between a range of different specialities: gunsmith, chemist, farmer, fence, or water merchant – or even start “from absolute rock bottom.” Will you opt for the safer jobs that require special permits and equipment, or take on under-the-table projects that promise big profits but could spell ruin if things go wrong? Make connections with the right factions to secure better deals, fleece wealthy customers with counterfeits, or cut corners on quality – the choices, and the consequences, are in your hands.
A big part of the job is having a good eye for authenticity. You’ll need to inspect goods that come in, run tests on water and chemicals, and ensure you aren’t overpaying for low-quality products. You’ll also haggle with suppliers and customers alike – and be sure to keep out for the Augs who hide in plain sight, looking much like regular humans but controlled by a sinister sentient AI. Laws permit you to take lethal action should one come your way, but accidentally misjudging someone’s identity would naturally cause big problems.
Perhaps the most interesting element of Probably Stolen’s success, however, is that it used to be a different game with simpler visuals. Questing Goose had originally released a demo for that project, Deepspace Emporium, and it reached a peak of just 28 players. It was noticed by TinyBuild, however; CEO Alex Nichiporchik explains, “We loved the concept and gameplay so much that we worked with the dev to reimagine visuals, marketing, and focus on key gameplay mechanics.” The results speak for themselves.
Probably Stolen is out now on Steam, with a 10% launch discount available through Wednesday, November 11. Expect to pay $17.99 / £15.29. You’ll find it here – and there’s even a bundle offering to grab it at an extra discount alongside retro repair sim ReStory, another TinyBuild-published hit from earlier in 2026.
