tinyBuild’s ‘Cartel Tycoon’ Gets Steam Early Access Launch Date

Cartel Tycoon, the story-driven drug empire business simulator from publisher tinyBuild and newly acquired studio Moon Moose, begins its rise to power on Steam Early Access, the Epic Games Store, and GOG for PC on Thursday, March 18. New character stories, deeper management systems, and deadlier dangers will expand upon Uncut Earliest Access.

Rule as a drug baron on a bigger scale than ever. New introductory missions provide a smooth learning curve for new players and a new story for veteran kingpins. Build a personal relationship with your lieutenants, each with a story-driven quest line. Leverage the common people’s loyalty to protect lieutenants and fend off law enforcement attacks. Capture new smuggling routes, like airports, seaports, and land checkpoints, to expand your empire.

Just as coca and cannabis plants flourished globally during the 1980s drug trade, Cartel Tycoon has grown and thrived during Uncut Earliest Access. Since the October 2020 launch, ongoing content updates have cultivated a strategically rich, narrative-centric experience. December’s feature-stuffed “Dirty Money Update” added cartel customization options, lieutenants with different loyalties and a chance to sabotage, and more uses for dirty money without needing to launder it.

For the cunning kingpin, money laundering is only the beginning. Grow an empire across a massive fictional continent by shrewdly planting farms, building workshops, establishing supply lines, and earning loyalty. Keep the money flowing to bribe local officials and deflect attention from international law enforcement. Commit forces to each region, including lieutenants with special buffs and abilities, to dominate enemy cartels and capture the market for a bevy of illegal substances.

Inspired by true stories of drug cartels and economic research into how they expand, Cartel Tycoon embraces the inevitability of death—from a rival’s bullet, as the DEA storms the premises, or at the hand of a traitorous lieutenant. No matter how skilled, death comes for every capo. But while the business will suffer for their hubris, the game goes on as existing lieutenants step up to fill the void. Lead the empire into a new generation, building atop success as the violent cycle continues.

Cartel Tycoon launches into Early Access on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG for PC on Thursday, March 18. Cartel Tycoon: Uncut Earliest Access, an alpha release for early supporters, is available now for $19.99 at carteltycoon.com. Early adopters of this version who purchase before March 18 will receive an exclusive starter character, hotel skin, and golden cartel logo in all future versions.

Follow the money trail on the official Cartel Tycoon website and check out the roadmap for Early Access, 1.0, and beyond. Chat with the developers and fellow aspiring drug lords on Discord, where players can ask for advice, share feedback, and make edgy drug jokes. Keep up with tinyBuild on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.