Crime Boss: Rockay City’s Update 17 Drops—Can New Heists and Double XP Redeem the Game’s Rocky

Why Update 17 Matters for Crime Boss: Rockay City Veterans and Skeptics Alike

Let’s be honest-Crime Boss: Rockay City didn’t exactly blow the doors off at launch. It arrived with style, sure, but the substance didn’t quite hit the mark for a lot of us who were looking for a worthy successor to the classic Payday formula. So when 505 Games and INGAME STUDIOS dropped Update 17, I’ll admit, my first reaction was curiosity mixed with an eyebrow-raise: Is this the update that finally gets Rockay City firing on all cylinders, or is it just another coat of paint on a wobbly getaway car?

• New bank heist variant shakes up the formula for hardened crews
• Double XP weekends could inject some life into mid-tier progression
• Guides for mastering heists show INGAME knows its player base is still learning the ropes
• Meaningful tweaks to Roguelite Turf Wars-potentially a game-changing move for the meta

Breaking Down What’s Actually New in Update 17

The headliner here is definitely the “S&M: Private Reserve” bank heist variant. Let’s face it, heist games live and die by their heist design. Too much repetition, and even the juiciest loot loses its shine. Based on early chatter, this new variant doesn’t just remix a few guard placements, but actually adds strategic layers-forcing your crew to rethink tried-and-true tactics. For veteran players like me, that is exactly the kind of shake-up that keeps a multiplayer heist game from feeling stale. Rockay City’s best moments have always been those tense, slightly improvisational break-ins, and a new map variant is the right move—even if it’s a bit overdue.

But what really jumped out to me is the addition of permanent Double XP weekends. Let’s be real, Rockay City’s progression curve has been notoriously grindy since launch. Locking core perks and cosmetics behind sluggish XP gain was one of my biggest gripes—especially if you don’t have a regular crew. With Double XP going live every single weekend, I see this as an olive branch to the community and a much-needed boost to player retention. Finally, it feels like the devs are listening to feedback on how painfully slow it could be to actually feel powerful and build out your criminal legacy.

Roguelite Turf Wars and Fresh How-To Guides: A Sign of INGAME’s Maturing Approach?

Roguelite elements in a crime shooter? At launch, I thought Turf Wars sounded awesome—a risk/reward loop that could keep high-skill players coming back. But in reality, the mode was a sprawling mess, with random elements making it difficult to actually strategize. Update 17 promises a systemic and economic overhaul, which is huge if INGAME STUDIOS actually delivers. Tighter rewards and clearer decision points could transform this mode from frustrating wild card to core endgame. It’s not flashy, but for those of us who stick around for meta-progress and long-term payoff, these foundation tweaks matter way more than a few new costumes or guns.

And then there are the two new How to Heist guides quietly added to the in-game system. This may seem minor, but it’s a tacit admission that onboarding was underbaked at launch. For a game where success demands coordination and role mastery—not to mention solid communication—better tutorials can be the difference between a fun night with friends and total wipeout frustration. If INGAME keeps beefing up this library, it bodes well for a more accessible (and less rage-inducing) multiplayer scene.

The Real Question: Is Update 17 Enough to Win Back Players?

In a genre as crowded—and as fiercely loyal—as co-op heist shooters, updates like this have to do more than just tinker around the edges. Payday 3 is looming, and there’s no shortage of indie competitors vying for attention. Rockay City’s initial missteps (wonky AI, thin progression, awkward onboarding) chased more than a few would-be kingpins back to their old stomping grounds. But credit where due: this update shows INGAME isn’t giving up on the game or its players. The strategic upgrades to Turf Wars and the generosity of Double XP weekends actually address some of the game’s core shortcomings.

The real test will be whether these changes feel impactful in practice. Does the new bank job actually reward creative teamwork? Do the XP boosts get players out of the early grind quick enough to see what’s actually fun about building a criminal empire? Will fresh guides pull in new crews, or is it just window dressing for a game still struggling to find its groove? Only time (and a few weekend bank jobs) will tell.

TL;DR

Update 17 for Crime Boss: Rockay City isn’t just a content drop—it’s a real attempt to address long-standing flaws with smarter heist design, XP boosts, and accessible guides. For veteran players burned in the past, this is the most compelling reason yet to give Rockay another shot. But whether it’s redemption or just another distraction before the next big heist competitor arrives is still very much up in the air.