Ethics Empire (Alpha)

Ethics Empire has been moved over to steam, the latest itch.io version is identical to the steam demo version of Ethics Empire, if you want to get the full game its on steam.

Ethics Empire on Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/3986810/Ethics_Empire/

Where ethics and profits collide, cut the corners, face the consequences.

What is Ethics Empire?
A business management simulator where you build up your empire by buying properties, scaling income, and managing your ethical reputation. Some paths are clean but slow, others are fast but risky and it’s up to you whether you play by the rules or break them for a quick payday.

Property Types
There are three property types in the game. Business properties generate passive income and let you increase profits by cutting corners, but this also raises your risk of getting sued. Perk properties don’t make money, but each one gives you a unique passive bonus like lowering lawsuit chances or regenerating Ethical Points. You can only place a limited number of Perks, so every one counts. Investment properties don’t generate income at all. Instead, they increase in sell value over time, starting at 70% of the purchase cost and slowly climbing up to 15x the original price if you’re patient.

Ethical Points System
Your ethical score directly affects how much money your empire makes. You start with 1,000 Ethical Points. Every 100 points above or below that threshold increases or decreases your total income by 10%, and there’s no cap. Getting sued drops your ethics massively. Cutting corners lowers them slowly over time. If you let your ethics drop too far, your income tanks. If you keep them high, you’ll earn more than ever but that means playing it safe.

Lawsuits System

Every business property now tracks its own corner-cutting risk, which means lawsuits are tied to individual properties. Minor lawsuits can cost money or ethics, while major lawsuits can wipe out huge chunks of your empire including your money, your ethics, and even your properties. Each time you get sued, you’ll be able to preview the penalties before deciding to either settle or fight it, but there’s a timer so you’ll have to decide fast. And even if you’re not cutting corners, there’s still a small chance of getting hit with a minor lawsuit. No matter how safe you play, you’re never completely safe.

Other Core Features
The game has a fully working save system that autosaves every 30 seconds, and you can create, name, and delete as many save files as you want. There’s a detailed Lawsuit UI that previews all penalties and odds, and the “My Empire” menu gives you access to deep stat tracking. You can edit your properties in real time, adjust corner-cutting settings, and see your risk and income visually. Every property you place comes with animated placement effects to make it feel more alive.

What’s in the Game Right Now
There are nine unique properties, each with different behaviors and effects. The ethical risk and lawsuit systems are fully implemented. Passive income and property scaling work as intended. The game is fully playable with just the mouse and is designed to feel smooth and responsive while you grow your empire.

Plans Going Forward
Right now, the focus is on polishing visuals, balancing the game, and adding a full tutorial for new players. After that, a full graphical overhaul, new properties, and seasonal mechanics are planned. Seasons will impact income rates and introduce a whole new category of properties that thrive in specific times of the year.

If you've got feedback, ideas, or bug reports, feel free to share them — your input actually shapes what gets added next, also feel free to mod/hack the game as much as you want if anything we encourage it as it can help build a whole new community around the game!