I Know a Guy: Shady Life Simulator

Simulation· Cooking· Crime· Character Customization

Released Sep 2026

Run your pizza shop up front and handle shady business out back. Help hand-crafted NPCs with favors that never go as planned. Play solo or online co-op with up to four players and expand your operation across Hobarey Town. In this darkly comedic management sim - become that guy everyone knows.

89% positive · 636 reviews

Not yet

Recently released, post-launch plans unclear

Low confidence

Recently Launched

Not yet

Recently released, post-launch plans unclear

Low confidence

Recently Launched

Where to buy

Steam Updated 11 Oct 2026 $12.99

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Evaluation

I Know a Guy: Shady Life Simulator officially left Early Access and launched as version 1.0 on September 25, 2026. The 1.0 release was a substantial update, adding new questlines, an underground kitchen, reworked forgery mechanics, two story endings, new arcade mini-games, expanded reputation systems, new pizza shop equipment, and a long list of balance, UI, and accessibility improvements. On September 26, 2026 — the very next day — Bunch'o'Nerds released patch v1.0.1, introducing two new difficulty modes (Relax and Challenging), several balance tweaks, and a round of bug fixes. This shows the developer is actively engaged with the newly launched game. Because the game only reached its 1.0 release on September 25, 2026, there is not yet enough post-launch history to determine whether Bunch'o'Nerds intends to continue adding substantial new content beyond the base game. The developer's previous Early Access roadmap (from April 1, 2026) mentioned an "Endless Mode Challenge" for post-1.0, but that was a pre-launch communication and no post-launch statement has confirmed or elaborated on this plan. No unreleased DLC is listed on the store, and no explicit post-launch content roadmap has been published since the 1.0 launch. The developer has not stated the game is complete, nor have they announced specific future content — the game is simply too newly released to assess with confidence.

Evidence

Version 1.0 launched, bringing two story endings, new questlines, underground kitchen, reworked forgery mechanics, arcade duels, expanded reputation system, new pizzas, and many other features — marking the game's official exit from Early Access.

news post · Sep 25, 2026 source content shipped

high

Developer announced the game would leave Early Access on September 25, 2026, confirming the 1.0 launch date and previewing new content included in the release.

news post · Sep 8, 2026 source content shipped

high

Media

Details

Developer

Bunch'o'Nerds

Publisher

Bunch'o'Nerds

Achievements

Platform

Windows

Controller

—

Steam Deck

Playable

Players

Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op

Simulation Cooking Crime Character Customization First-Person Economy Immersive Sim Stealth Capitalism Management Building Comedy Trading Action Casual

About this game

You owe a dangerous, mysterious mafia a serious amount of money. They don’t call. They don’t warn you. They kidnap you and make it clear: work it off, or else. Run your pizza shop, take on shady favors, and get to know the people of Hobarey Town while doing the mafia’s dirty work. Learn who to trust, who to use, and who to avoid.

Maybe you’ll pay off your debt. Maybe you’ll build the right connections to start a new life.

EXPERIENCE DUAL-LIFE

Manage a pizza shop up front while running illegal jobs out back. Keep both sides operating without drawing police attention or blowing your cover.

TAKE SHADY JOBS

Complete illegal favors for NPCs, including cleaning bloody clothes, ordering restricted items from the dark web, disposing of evidence, and even burning bodies in your own oven. Every job increases payout, risk, and police attention.

BUILD YOUR REPUTATION

Build a strong cover by becoming the best pizza shop in town while separately earning trust in the shady underworld. Each side progresses on its own, unlocking different jobs, tools, and risks.

UPGRADE YOUR OPERATION

Upgrade your kitchen, hidden workstations, and equipment. Larger setups allow faster production, riskier jobs, and higher payouts.

DEAL WITH WEIRD NPCs

Interact with dozens of hand-crafted NPCs, each with their own stories, personalities, and ongoing problems that unfold over time.

PLAY TOGETHER

Play alone or team up with up to four players online. Split tasks, run both sides of the business together, and deal with the chaos as a group. Both offline and co-op mode updated with 1.0.