Timeline

1998 May 13 – Kingpin Announced

On May 13, 1998, Kingpin: Life of Crime was officially announced as Xatrix Entertainment’s next first-person shooter, developed using an enhanced version of the Quake II engine. The announcement came shortly before E3 1998, where the game was scheduled for its first public showing.

Interplay confirmed it would publish the title, highlighting Xatrix’s shift toward a darker, crime‑themed setting. Early details emphasized:

• A gritty, urban world inspired by noir and gangster fiction
• Puzzle‑solving and clue‑gathering elements
• Planned vehicle segments (including a gyrocopter)
• A projected Q1 1999 release window

Blue’s News reported that the project was the game designer Ridah had been hinting at in his .plan updates. His notes described:

• A setting influenced by 1930s gangster films
• A focus on AI and gameplay systems
• Research into vehicle physics for new engine features
• The working title Kingpin

Sources

• Next Generation (archived)
• Blue’s News

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1998 August 25 – Xatrix Welcomes John “Dr Sleep” Anderson

On 25 August 1998, Xatrix Entertainment announced that John “Dr Sleep” Anderson had joined the studio after leaving Ion Storm. Anderson, known for his level design work on Doom, Heretic, and Hexen, was brought onto the Kingpin development team to strengthen the project’s level design and overall creative direction.

Xatrix stated that Anderson’s experience would significantly enhance the already established team working on Kingpin.

Sources

• Xatrix Entertainment – News (archived, 25 August 1998)
• John W. Anderson Interview – 26 August 1998

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1998 May 28–30 – Possible First Trailer Shown at E3

Kingpin was announced shortly before E3 1998 with confirmation that the game would be presented at the show. A promotional trailer survives today, but no contemporary documentation confirms whether this specific video was the one shown during the event.

Given the timing of the announcement, the presence of Xatrix and Interplay at E3, and later previews referencing early footage seen “earlier that year,” it is considered likely that an early version of the trailer or similar gameplay reel was shown during E3 1998.

Surviving promotional video

• Kingpin – Life of Crime Official Trailer

Notes

• No hard evidence confirms this exact trailer was used at E3.
• It may represent the same or similar footage shown at the event.

Sources

• 1998 May 13 Announcement
• E3 1998 dates: 28–30 May 1998

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1998 September 6–9 – First Screenshots Shown at ECTS 1998

The earliest confirmed Kingpin screenshots appeared during the European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) 1998, held from 6–9 September in London. Interplay presented an early build of the game at the event, and several gaming outlets published screenshots taken from the show floor or from press materials distributed during ECTS.

These images represent the first publicly available look at Kingpin, showcasing early versions of the game's urban environments, character models, and lighting. The screenshots published by Blue’s News and GameSpot UK’s ECTS coverage match the material shown at the event, making ECTS 1998 the most likely source of the first public screenshots.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Screenshots
• GameSpot UK – ECTS 98 Preview (archived)
• GameSpot UK – ECTS 98 Screenshot Gallery (archived)

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1998 October – First Magazine Coverage

October 1998 marks the earliest known appearance of Kingpin in print magazines. Two publications featured preview coverage of the game, providing the first substantial mainstream exposure outside of trade‑show reporting.

PC Accelerator (USA) included an early preview highlighting the game’s gritty tone, urban environments, and Xatrix’s use of the Quake II engine. Around the same time, the French magazine Joystick (Issue 097) also ran a feature on Kingpin, presenting similar early impressions and screenshots from the in‑development build.

These October 1998 previews represent the first confirmed magazine coverage of Kingpin.

Sources

• PC Accelerator (USA), October 1998
• Joystick Issue 097 (France), October 1998

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1999 February 4 – Second Drew Markham Interview

On 4 February 1999, Next‑Generation Online published a follow‑up interview with Drew Markham, offering additional insight into the ongoing development of Kingpin. Markham discussed the team’s progress since the previous month’s interview, including refinements to the game’s AI, world design, and narrative direction.

He also elaborated on the studio’s goals for creating a more immersive and reactive urban environment, as well as the challenges of balancing realism with fast‑paced shooter gameplay. Blue’s News reported the release of the interview, helping to bring wider attention to it.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the interview (4 February 1999)
• Drew Markham Interview – 4 February 1999

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1999 February 4 – Second Drew Markham Interview Published

On 4 February 1999, Stomped published a follow‑up interview with Drew Markham, offering additional insight into the ongoing development of Kingpin. Markham discussed the team’s progress since the previous month’s interview, including refinements to the game’s AI, world design, and narrative direction.

He also elaborated on the studio’s goals for creating a more immersive and reactive urban environment, as well as the challenges of balancing realism with fast‑paced shooter gameplay. Blue’s News reported the release of the interview, helping to bring wider attention to it.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the Stomped interview (4 February 1999)
• Drew Markham Interview – 4 February 1999

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1999 February 11 – Drew Markham Interview Published

On 11 February 1999, Blue’s News published another interview with Drew Markham, offering further insight into the development of Kingpin. Markham discussed ongoing refinements to the game’s world design, AI behavior, and narrative tone, as well as the team’s goals for creating a more grounded and atmospheric shooter.

This interview continued the steady flow of pre‑release information released throughout early 1999, giving players a clearer picture of Xatrix’s design direction.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Interview (11 February 1999)
• Drew Markham Interview – 11 February 1999

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1999 February 15 – Dan Koppel Interview

On 15 February 1999, Rust published a short interview with Dan Koppel, one of the key programmers and technical coordinators on Kingpin. Koppel discussed the technical side of the project, including enhancements to the Quake II engine, improvements to lighting and rendering, and the challenges of implementing the game’s interactive NPC systems.

He also touched on editing tools and level‑creation workflows, noting that Xatrix planned to ship Kingpin with its level editor. Blue’s News reported the release of the interview, helping to bring wider attention to it.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the Rust interview (15 February 1999)
• Dan Koppel Interview – 15 February 1999

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1999 February 16 – Interplay Press Kit Art Created

On 16 February 1999, Interplay produced a set of official press‑kit art assets for Kingpin. These files, preserved in the Interplay Product Presentation archive, include early promotional renders, character artwork, and logo materials intended for use by magazines and distributors.

The file creation timestamps confirm this as the earliest known date for finalized promotional art distributed outside Xatrix. These assets were later mirrored on various fan sites and remain one of the few surviving pieces of pre‑release marketing material.

Sources

• Interplay Product Presentation V1 1999 (archived)
• Kingpin.info – Official Press Kit Art

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1999 February 21 – Drew Markham Interview

On 21 February 1999, Gangland.org published an interview with Drew Markham, providing further insight into the development of Kingpin. Markham discussed the team’s continued progress on world‑building, AI behavior, and the game’s mature thematic direction. He also commented on the challenges of refining the game’s atmosphere and interactive NPC systems as the project moved deeper into production.

Blue’s News reported the release of the interview, helping to bring wider attention to it. This interview added to the steady stream of early‑1999 developer commentary, offering one of the clearest looks at Xatrix’s evolving design goals.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the Gangland.org interview (21 February 1999)
• Drew Markham Interview – 21 February 1999

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1999 March 10 – “Ganghit” Kingpin Movie Released

On 10 March 1999, Xatrix released a new Kingpin promotional video titled Ganghit. The clip showcased early gameplay and AI behavior, offering one of the first substantial looks at the game’s violent tone, character interactions, and urban street environments. Gangland.org hosted the video, and Blue’s News reported the release and provided a mirror to help ease server load.

File metadata from the surviving archive indicates that the video itself was created on 9 March 1999, one day before its public release. The footage originated from an internal Xatrix test in which multiple NPCs were placed in a street environment to observe their combat behavior, resulting in a dynamic simulation that was captured and shared as an AVI.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the Xatrix release (10 March 1999)
• Kingpin.info – Ganghit Video Archive

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1999 March 16 – John W. Anderson Interview

On 16 March 1999, PlanetKingpin published a new interview with John W. “Dr Sleep” Anderson, focusing on his level design work and his experience at Xatrix after leaving Ion Storm. Anderson discussed his creative approach, the atmosphere within the studio, and the challenges of building dense urban environments within the Quake II engine.

Blue’s News reported the release of the interview, helping to circulate it more widely, but the original publication was hosted by PlanetKingpin.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Interviews
• John W. Anderson Interview – 16 March 1999

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1999 March 18 – Xatrix IRC Developer Chat

On 18 March 1999, members of the Xatrix development team participated in a live IRC chat with the community. The session covered a wide range of topics, including level design, AI behavior, weapon balance, multiplayer plans, and the team’s goals for creating a more immersive and reactive urban environment in Kingpin.

The chat provided one of the most open and detailed opportunities for players to ask questions directly to the developers during the game’s production, offering valuable insight into both the technical and creative direction of the project.

Sources

• Xatrix IRC Developer Chat – 18 March 1999

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1999 March 22 – Kingpin Demo Released

On 22 March 1999, Xatrix released the playable demo of Kingpin. The demo was distributed both online and on cover CDs for magazines such as PC Gamer, PC Accelerator, and Maximum PC, making it widely accessible to players. File metadata from the surviving archive shows that the executable was created on 21 March 1999, one day before the public release.

Blue’s News reported the launch and provided multiple mirrors to help manage download traffic. The demo’s accompanying readme and developer comments were shared through Gangland.org, where Drew Markham described the final testing sessions and the team’s excitement at reaching this milestone after a year of development.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Demo Released (22 March 1999)
• Kingpin.info – Kingpin Demo Archive

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1999 April 7 – Ryan Feltrin Interview

On 7 April 1999, 3D Spotlight published an interview with Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin of Xatrix Entertainment. Feltrin discussed his technical and design contributions to Kingpin, including AI behavior, weapon systems, and the team’s goals for creating a more grounded and atmospheric experience within the Quake II engine.

The interview also touched on the game’s underworld setting and the studio’s approach to delivering a more reactive and immersive environment. Blue’s News reported the release and highlighted the accompanying screenshots featured in the original article.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the 3D Spotlight interview (7 April 1999)
• Ryan Feltrin Interview – 7 April 1999

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1999 April 12 – Censored Kingpin Demo Released

On 12 April 1999, Xatrix released a censored version of the Kingpin playable demo. This build removed or altered certain violent and mature elements to meet distribution requirements for print magazine cover discs. The censored demo was later included on the PC Zone Issue #77 cover CD (June 1999), making it widely available to readers across Europe.

File metadata from the surviving archive shows that the executable was created on 12 April 1999, matching the release date. Aside from content restrictions, the build was functionally similar to the original 22 March demo.

Sources

• Kingpin.info – Censored Demo Archive

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1999 April 26 – Ryan Feltrin Interview Published

On 26 April 1999, 10 Questions With SamHell published an interview with Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin, focusing on his programming work at Xatrix for Kingpin: Life of Crime. Feltrin discussed his contributions to the game’s AI systems, weapon behavior, and technical implementation, as well as his earlier work on the Eraser bot for Quake II.

The interview also touched on broader development topics and community issues of the time. Blue’s News reported the release, helping to bring wider attention to the piece.

Sources

• Blue’s News – reporting on the SamHell interview (26 April 1999)
• Ryan Feltrin Interview – 26 April 1999

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1999 May 28 – “On The Street” Kingpin Promo Build

On 28 May 1999, Xatrix created a special promotional build of Kingpin titled On The Street. File metadata from the surviving archive shows that the executable was compiled on this date. This version was **not** publicly distributed online; instead, it was bundled exclusively with the **Guillemot Maxi Gamer Xentor 16/32** graphics cards, which were based on NVIDIA’s **RIVA TNT2** chipset.

The promo build functioned as a hardware‑bundle showcase, providing early gameplay content intended to demonstrate Kingpin’s visual features on TNT2‑class GPUs. Its limited distribution makes it one of the rarer pre‑release Kingpin executables.

Sources

• Kingpin.info – “On The Street” Promo Build Archive
• http://www.tweak3d.net/reviews/guillemot/xentor32/ – Review of the Guillemot Maxi Gamer Xentor 32
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIVA_TNT2 – RIVA TNT2 Hardware Overview

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1999 June 18 – Kingpin Goes Gold

On 18 June 1999, Xatrix announced that Kingpin: Life of Crime had gone gold and was officially complete. The final executable was created on the same day, according to file metadata. In the announcement, Drew Markham noted the team’s rapid 13‑month development cycle, the extensive refinements made after the demo’s release, and the effort put into both single‑player polish and multiplayer modes such as Bagman.

The gold master was sent to manufacturing immediately, with shipping scheduled for 28 June 1999. The game reached retail stores shortly afterward, with the official release date recorded as 30 June 1999.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Goes Gold (18 June 1999)
• Internal file metadata – kingpin.exe creation date (18 June 1999)

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1999 June 28 – Kingpin Ships to Retail

On 28 June 1999, Interplay announced that Kingpin: Life of Crime had officially shipped to retail outlets across the United States. The press release emphasized the game’s mature content, its film‑noir‑inspired presentation, and the enhanced Quake II engine technology powering its urban environments. Interplay highlighted the additional labeling and on‑screen information included to ensure consumers were aware of the game’s intended audience.

The shipping announcement followed the gold master completion on 18 June 1999. With distribution underway, the game reached store shelves shortly afterward, aligning with the official release date of 30 June 1999.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Ships (28 June 1999)

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1999 July 7 – Linux Dedicated Kingpin Server Released

On 7 July 1999, Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin announced the availability of the first Linux dedicated server for Kingpin. The release was described as a beta build, having undergone limited testing across several servers. Two packages were provided: a full dedicated server pack containing all required maps and player models, and a smaller set of Intel386 Linux glibc 2.0.7 binaries.

Feltrin encouraged server administrators to review the included documentation for installation details and to report any issues, noting that this was his first Linux development effort. Blue’s News highlighted the release and linked to the available downloads.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Linux Kingpin Server (7 July 1999)
• Blue’s News – Ryan Feltrin .plan update
• Kingpin.info – Linux Dedicated Server Archive

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1999 July 24 – Kingpin v1.10 Patch Released

On 24 July 1999, Xatrix released the first official patch for Kingpin: Life of Crime, updating the game to version 1.10. File metadata from the surviving archive confirms that the patch executable was created on this date. This update addressed several early post‑launch issues, including long level‑load times, multiplayer pauses, scoreboard problems with larger player counts, and various server‑side stability bugs.

The patch introduced a new client/server package that was not backward‑compatible, requiring all players and servers to upgrade simultaneously. Linux versions of the update were planned to follow shortly after the Windows release.

Sources

• Kingpin.info – Kingpin v1.10 Patch Archive

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1999 August 25 – Kingpin v1.20 Patch Released

On 25 August 1999, Xatrix released the v1.20 patch for Kingpin: Life of Crime. File metadata from the surviving archive confirms that the patch executable was created on this date. Blue’s News reported the update after it appeared on Interplay’s servers, noting the extensive list of fixes and improvements included in the release.

The v1.20 update introduced numerous gameplay, networking, and stability enhancements. These included improvements to map cycling, new server administration commands, expanded voting options, downloadable skins and models, chase‑cam observer mode, refinements to real‑mode scoring, fixes for several multiplayer exploits, and a range of crash and compatibility corrections across both Windows and Linux builds.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin v1.20 Patch (25 August 1999)
• Kingpin.info – Kingpin v1.20 Patch Archive

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1999 August 26 – Unofficial Linux Kingpin v1.20 Client Released

On 26 August 1999, Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin released an unofficial Linux client build of the Kingpin v1.20 update. The package, distributed through his personal testing directory, provided a full Linux client based on glibc 2.0.7. Ridah noted that this build was not considered official due to the additional work required before a full Linux client could be formally supported.

He announced that an official server‑only Linux build would follow, as the dedicated server was in a more stable state. Ridah also highlighted that the v1.20 update included two new Bagman maps created by Dave “KungFu” Ward, addressing long‑standing community requests for additional Bagman content.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Ryan Feltrin .plan update (26 August 1999)
• Kingpin.info – Linux v1.20 Client Archive

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1999 September 24 – Corky Lehmkuhl Interview

On 24 September 1999, Poisonville.com published an interview with Corky Lehmkuhl, one of the texture artists at Xatrix Entertainment. The discussion covered his artistic background — including earlier penciling work for Image and Marvel Comics — as well as his approach to character skinning, the creative challenges of texture work, and advice for aspiring artists looking to enter the industry.

Blue’s News reported the release, helping bring wider attention to the interview within the Kingpin community.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Skinning Interview (24 September 1999)
• Corky Lehmkuhl Interview – 24 September 1999

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1999 September 29 – Kingpin v1.21 Patch Released

On 29 September 1999, Xatrix released the v1.21 patch and accompanying SDK for Kingpin: Life of Crime. Although an official update, Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin noted that it might not appear on Interplay’s official Kingpin page due to circumstances beyond his control, and encouraged the community to help spread the word. The Linux version of the update was delayed because his development machine was temporarily unavailable.

File metadata from the surviving archive shows that the Windows patch executable was created earlier in the month, on 6 September 1999. The v1.21 update provided further fixes and refinements following the substantial v1.20 patch.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin v1.21 Patch Released (29 September 1999)
• Kingpin.info – Kingpin v1.21 Patch Archive

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2000 March 9 – Ryan Feltrin Interview

On 9 March 2000, an interview with Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin was published, offering insight into his work on Kingpin: Life of Crime and his broader development experience at Xatrix. Feltrin discussed the technical challenges of the project, including AI behavior, networking, and the Linux ports, as well as his approach to engine modification and gameplay systems. The interview also touched on his background, influences, and thoughts on the state of first‑person shooters at the time.

This interview provides one of the more detailed post‑release perspectives from a core member of the Kingpin development team, capturing both the technical and creative mindset behind the game.

Sources

• Ryan Feltrin Interview – 9 March 2000

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2000 March 27 – Linux Kingpin v1.21 Server Update Released

On 27 March 2000, Ryan "Ridah" Feltrin announced via his .plan file that the Linux dedicated server for Kingpin had been updated to version 1.21. This release provided a patch for existing Linux v1.20 servers, bringing them in line with the Windows v1.21 update that had shipped in September 1999. The update focused on server stability and compatibility fixes, ensuring cross‑version multiplayer consistency.

Alongside the server patch, a Linux version of the v1.21 SDK navigation library was also made available for mod developers. Blue’s News reported the release and linked to the updated files.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Ryan Feltrin .plan update (27 March 2000)
• Blue’s News – Linux Kingpin v1.21 Server Update
• Kingpin.info – Linux v1.20 → v1.21 Server Patch
• Kingpin.info – Linux v1.21 SDK Navigation Library

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2004 April 15 – Kingpin Sequel Announced During Investor Call

On 15 April 2004, Interplay revealed during an investor conference call that a sequel to Kingpin: Life of Crime was being planned. The announcement described the project as targeting both PC and Xbox platforms, though no developer, production schedule, or release window was provided. By this time, Xatrix — the studio behind the original game — had dissolved and reformed as Gray Matter Studios, leaving the sequel’s development status unclear.

The information originates from the financial webcast held on 14 April 2004, where Interplay outlined upcoming titles and investment priorities. Community‑archived audio from the call exists in two forms: an unofficial short excerpt (6:11 minutes) and a full recording (41:15 minutes). While these recordings support the claim that Kingpin 2 was mentioned, no further official documentation or follow‑up announcements were ever released, and the likelihood of the project having progressed beyond early planning appears low.

Additional materials believed to be related to the proposed sequel — including early slides, audio, and promotional assets — were later preserved by the Kingpin community, though none confirm active development.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Kingpin Sequel Planned (15 April 2004)
• Interplay Investor Conference Call – 14 April 2004 (archived)
• Kingpin.info – Kingpin 2 Slides Archive
• Kingpin.info – Unofficial Short Audio Excerpt (6:11)
• Kingpin.info – Full Unofficial Audio Recording (41:15)

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2009 August 19 – Kingpin Added to Steam as Part of Interplay Classics

On 19 August 2009, Valve and Interplay announced that a selection of classic Interplay titles had been added to Steam, including Kingpin: Life of Crime. The release formed part of Interplay’s digital re‑release initiative, bringing several late‑1990s PC titles to modern distribution platforms at prices below $10. Interplay CEO Herve Caen emphasized the goal of making the company’s classic catalog widely accessible.

The initial lineup included Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, Sacrifice, and Kingpin, with the Fallout titles also available as a discounted bundle.

Sources

• Blue’s News – Interplay Classics on Steam (19 August 2009)
• Steam – Kingpin: Life of Crime Store Page

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2014 May 1 – Kingpin Released on GOG.com

In May 2014, Kingpin: Life of Crime became available on GOG.com as part of Interplay’s ongoing effort to reintroduce its late‑1990s catalog to modern digital storefronts. The GOG release provided a DRM‑free version of the game, bundled with compatibility adjustments for newer versions of Windows and the standard set of GOG extras such as artwork and documentation.

This marked the second major digital re‑release of Kingpin, following its arrival on Steam in 2009, and helped reestablish the title’s availability after years of limited retail presence.

Sources

• GOG.com – Kingpin: Life of Crime Store Page