Probably Stolen: Cyberpunk Shopkeeper Sim puts you behind a negotiation counter in the Lower Levels. The difficulty you pick decides how much money each sale makes, how fast rent climbs, and how hard reputation is to build and keep.
Quick answer: Pick Price Gouge for your first run: it has the biggest selling markup, the slowest rent rises, the cheapest vendor permit and halved reputation losses. Mark Up is the standard balance, and Thin Margins and Red Ink are for later runs.
Probably Stolen difficulty modes compared
There are four modes. Price Gouge, Mark Up and Thin Margins sit side by side on the first page of the Difficulty screen. Red Ink is on the second page.
| Modifier | Price Gouge (Cozy) | Mark Up (Normal) | Thin Margins (Hard) | Red Ink (Challenge) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail markup when selling | 20% | 15% | None | None |
| Rent increase each time | 2% | 5% | 10% | 10% |
| Nightly service fees | Not listed | Standard | Higher | Higher |
| Vendor permit | 500 | 1500 | 2000 | 3000 |
| Upgrade prices | Standard | Standard | +50% | +100% |
| Supplier markup | Lower | Standard | Higher | Higher |
| Property price | Lower | Standard | Higher | Higher |
| Reputation gains | x1.5 | x1 | x0.75 | x0.5 |
| Reputation losses | x0.5 | x1 | x1.25 | x2 |
| Wild’s favor gains | Increased | Standard | Reduced | Reduced |
What each difficulty mode changes
Price Gouge (Cozy Mode)
This is the forgiving option. Every sale carries the largest markup of the four modes, rent creeps up slowly, and the vendor permit costs just 500. Suppliers charge less and property is cheaper. Reputation builds faster and drops more slowly. Wild’s favor gains are increased.
Mark Up (Normal Mode)
Mark Up is the baseline every other mode is measured against. Sales still carry a markup, though a smaller one than on Price Gouge. Nightly service fees, upgrade prices, supplier markup and property price are all standard, and reputation moves at x1 in both directions.
Thin Margins (Hard Mode)
Thin Margins takes away the retail markup entirely. Whatever profit you make on an item has to come from buying it cheaply in the first place, and suppliers charge more here. On top of that, rent climbs faster, nightly service fees are higher, and upgrades cost 50 percent more. Reputation is slower to earn and quicker to lose. This mode is meant for players who already understand the shop loop.
Red Ink (Challenge Mode)
Red Ink is Thin Margins with the screws tightened further. There is still no retail markup and rent rises at the same rate, but the vendor permit jumps to 3000 and upgrades cost double. Reputation gains are halved and losses are doubled. Treat it as a challenge run, not a starting point.
How to choose a difficulty in Probably Stolen
Difficulty is the last of three screens you go through after selecting New Game.
With Mark Up and the Apprentice specialization selected, the opening shows DAY 1 MONDAY and a balance of 550 credits. RENT IN 6 DAYS appears on the wall screen, and The Mentor approaches the counter first.
