{"id":27374,"date":"2026-11-13T17:52:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T17:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/igamemag.com\/?p=27374"},"modified":"2026-11-13T17:52:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T17:52:15","slug":"rob-run-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/igamemag.com\/en-gb\/rob-run-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"ROB RUN Guide: How to Play, From Your First Robbery to Owning a House, a Weed Farm and a Settlement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Prisoners<\/p>\n

This ROB RUN guide<\/strong> takes you from your very first minute in the game to running a weed farm, owning a whole settlement and, if your clan is strong enough, ruling the map as Shadow Governor. Kefir’s free-to-play crime sandbox launched in Early Access on 4 November 2026, and it throws a lot at you with very little explanation: masks, Notoriety, dirty and clean cash, documents, plots, research trees and a server that wipes every week. Here’s how it all fits together, step by step, based on Kefir’s own explanations and the best-tested numbers from the community.<\/p>\n

ROB RUN is in Early Access and Kefir changes the balance often, so prices and timings can shift between updates. Where a number comes from a community guide rather than Kefir, we say so.<\/p>\n

ROB RUN at a glance<\/h2>\n\n
Developer \/ publisher<\/strong><\/td>Kefir<\/td><\/tr>\n
Released<\/strong><\/td>4 November 2026 (Steam Early Access)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Price<\/strong><\/td>Free to play (only cosmetics are sold, per Kefir)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Platform<\/strong><\/td>PC (Steam)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Players<\/strong><\/td>Thousands per server; parties of up to 3; clans of up to 100<\/td><\/tr>\n
Servers<\/strong><\/td>EU and East US; a fresh server opens daily (EU 5pm UTC, East US 8pm ET)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Wipe<\/strong><\/td>Every 7 days (the “Federal Raid”)<\/td><\/tr>\n
Early Access<\/strong><\/td>About 6-12 months, per Kefir<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table>\n

What is ROB RUN?<\/h2>\n

Kefir calls it an extraction shooter<\/strong> with a crime-empire layer on top. You drive into the city of Looty Bay<\/strong>, rob stores, banks and other players, and try to get out alive with the loot. Every cop and every criminal is a real player. The money you make funds a base out in the desert, businesses like farms and labs, and a climb up what Kefir calls the Power Pyramid<\/strong>: Hobo, Settlement Resident, Settlement Owner, District Owner and finally Shadow Governor. Then the server wipes and you start again.<\/p>\n

The ROB RUN progression path in one list<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Leave prison as a Hobo<\/strong> and use Lenny’s Motel as your home.<\/li>\n
  2. Make your first money from small robberies and dumpsters.<\/li>\n
  3. Sell at a Fence and open a bank account<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  4. Buy a Land Plot Title<\/strong> and rent a plot in an owned settlement.<\/li>\n
  5. Build your house<\/strong>, storage, a Workbench and a Laundering Desk<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  6. Set up a Grow Room<\/strong> (weed farm) and other businesses.<\/li>\n
  7. Save up to buy a whole settlement<\/strong> and collect taxes.<\/li>\n
  8. Join or build a clan to take districts<\/strong>, and fight for Highlands.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Part 1: Your first hour in ROB RUN<\/h2>\n

    1. Leave prison and head to Lenny’s Motel<\/h3>\n

    Everyone starts “fresh out of prison with no cash and nowhere to live”, as Kefir puts it, so you begin as a Hobo<\/strong> crashing at Lenny’s Motel<\/strong>. The motel is a safe zone where players can’t shoot each other, and Lenny will store your cash (not stolen goods) until you have a base. Do the introductory quests and talk to Lenny: according to KeenGamer’s beginner’s guide<\/a>, that unlocks the Black Market.<\/p>\n

    2. Get your free car<\/h3>\n

    Everyone starts with a cheap rental car<\/strong>. KeenGamer notes you can rent one free at a Parking Terminal if you don’t have an active vehicle. Your car matters more than your gun: Kefir says criminal cars are more manoeuvrable than police cruisers, and ramps around the city help you shake off a chase.<\/p>\n

    3. Explore Looty Bay as a Civilian first<\/h3>\n

    You only become a Criminal<\/strong> when you put on a mask<\/strong>. Until then you can drive around Looty Bay safely, look at targets and plan escape routes. Each time you enter the city you choose to be a cop or a criminal, or just look around first. Note: taking your mask off doesn’t clear Criminal status; you have to leave Looty Bay and come back.<\/p>\n

    4. Find a weapon<\/h3>\n

    You start empty-handed. Kefir decided against a free pistol after every death because “working your way up from nothing is an important part of ROB RUN”, but at launch it cut the price of the basic pistol and added more starter weapon spawns around the city. Pick one up before your first proper robbery.<\/p>\n

    \"Masked<\/p>\n

    Part 2: How to make money in ROB RUN<\/h2>\n

    5. Start with small stores<\/h3>\n

    Looty Bay is full of targets, “from small corner stores and jewelry shops to high-value targets like bank vaults and police armories”. Start small: pick a store with no other players nearby, park facing your exit, mask up, intimidate the staff and grab the cash and valuables. Kefir’s advice for clean jobs is to disable the alarms<\/strong> and use lockpicks<\/strong>: tripping an alarm can bring “the whole precinct” down on you. Leave before the police arrive; a smaller bag you keep beats a bigger one you lose.<\/p>\n

    6. Check dumpsters<\/h3>\n

    Kefir increased the cash in dumpsters at launch. It’s not much, but it’s free money between jobs, especially in your first minutes on a server.<\/p>\n

    7. Understand Notoriety<\/h3>\n

    The longer your crime spree goes on in Looty Bay, the higher your Notoriety<\/strong> climbs. Higher Notoriety means “better loot and higher payout rates”, but more risk. Solo players start at Notoriety level 4<\/strong> and get bonuses when selling goods and collecting loot, according to Kefir’s 13 November FAQ.<\/p>\n

    8. Sell your loot at a Fence<\/h3>\n

    Take your bag to a Fence<\/strong> (the dollar-sign van in Looty Bay) and sell it. KeenGamer warns that the cash lands on the counter, not in your pocket, and other players can grab it, so pick it up straight away. Kefir also says drop-off points can be camped by other players on purpose, so scout before you drive in.<\/p>\n

    9. Don’t sell valuable items by accident<\/h3>\n

    Some loot is worth far more used than sold. Kefir gives examples: “a key can unlock a safe, a lottery ticket can land a huge payout, or a jammer is needed to steal the Buletti from the Grand Hotel.” If you don’t know what something does, store it rather than selling it.<\/p>\n

    \"Armed<\/p>\n

    Part 3: Police, dying and surrendering<\/h2>\n

    10. Know what you lose<\/h3>\n

    Every cop is a real player. If they catch you, you can surrender<\/strong>: Kefir says cops then only confiscate what’s in your bag and your equipped gear stays. Dying as a Criminal costs far more. Your gear also loses durability every time you die, and there’s no repair yet (it’s planned). Cops can also accept a bribe<\/strong>, but that’s their choice.<\/p>\n

    11. Solo against cops: don’t fight, outplan<\/h3>\n

    Kefir’s own tips for solo players: scout your route, hide your getaway car, disable alarms, intimidate NPCs and use ramps. Cops respawn longer after each death and start each new server with pistols only, so early on the odds are more even.<\/p>\n

    12. Or play as a cop<\/h3>\n

    You can choose to be police when you enter Looty Bay, if there’s a free slot (Kefir admits it can be hard to get one and plans to improve it). Cops get free equipment and earn a percentage of confiscated loot, with extra bonuses if they turn on the siren and demand a surrender. It pays less than crime, but it’s lower risk. Cops can trade Police Badges for better gear.<\/p>\n

    Part 4: Banking and laundering your cash<\/h2>\n

    13. Open a bank account<\/h3>\n

    Open an account at the Looty Bay Bank<\/strong> as a Civilian, without your mask. KeenGamer puts the cost at $5,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    14. Launder dirty cash<\/h3>\n

    Stolen cash is “dirty” and can be stolen back. To make it safe, you launder<\/strong> it at a Laundering Desk<\/strong> at your base. Once laundered, it’s in your bank and, as Kefir says, “laundered cash is safe from thieves” (until the weekly wipe). Withdraw it at an ATM when you need it, but remember withdrawn cash can be stolen again. Kefir massively increased how much cash the desk can hold at launch, and KeenGamer’s laundering guide<\/a> notes the Banknote Counters upgrade raises it further.<\/p>\n

    \"The<\/p>\n

    Part 5: How to get a house and base in ROB RUN<\/h2>\n

    15. Research and buy a Land Plot Title<\/h3>\n

    Since the 4 November update, Tier 1 settlements and land rentals “cost documents instead of cash”. The document you need is a Land Plot Title<\/strong>. According to Timesaver.gg’s plot guide<\/a> (using robrun.info’s game data), you research titles in Larry’s Tree<\/strong> (Documents branch) and buy them on the Trade Laptop<\/strong>; KeenGamer says you can also buy one from Lenny’s Black Market. The reported costs:<\/p>\n