Saints Row: How to Unlock and Upgrade Criminal Ventures

The main goal of Saints Row is twofold: expanding your unlawful empire and raking in money while doing so. Unlike previous series entries, the reboot has introduced a sometimes confusing new wrinkle called Criminal Ventures. These are fronts that act as new ways of bolstering your passive income and unlocking access to all the side content the game has to offer. 

After the very early-game mission “A Piece of the Action,” you will unlock access to JimRob’s Garage, the first Criminal Venture (CV). Although at that particular point, you will only be able to do the associated quest line; you will not be able to increase its value just yet. Eventually, though, these will be your primary ways of making money fast.

This guide will tell you how to gain access to more Criminal Ventures through the Criminal Empire Table and share tips about some of the more opaque mechanisms that make CVs hum, like completing Threats. We’ve also included a full list of Criminal Ventures, when they unlock, and their completion rewards. 

How to Unlock The Criminal Empire Table

To unlock the ability to invest in and upgrade Criminal Ventures, you will need access to the Criminal Empire Table at the Saints HQ. This will unlock at the end of the “Networking” mission. From here, you will be able to build new ventures based on your overall Empire Tier, check on the progress of your current Ventures, and view rewards and missions for all CVs, locked and unlocked.

To view those rewards and missions for Ventures you’ve already placed, simply click the CV on the map, and a card will appear on the left side of the screen. To view rewards and missions for those you’ve yet to place or unlock, select an empty space on the map, then choose any of the CVs that appear in the menu on the left side of the screen. 

How Criminal Ventures Work in Saints Row

By spending your cash on building more Ventures across Santo Ileso, you increase your cash flow. You will need to periodically check your phone (in-game menu) and open the Cash app to transfer your passive income to your total cash amount. You will steadily increase the amount of passive income in a district and, by association, all of Santo Ileso by completing CV tasks and taking out Threats. 

Every time you build a Criminal Venture in a district, the map will populate with five red, brass knuckle icons. These Threats are sometimes required to complete a venture, other times they are not, but completing them will always increase your cash flow in a region. They are easy to complete and great to do once you first unlock a new venture. 

Note that not all activities required to complete a venture will contribute to your passive cash flow. For example, stealing cars for JimRob is a side activity that doesn’t increase your income, but it is required to complete JimRob’s garage. Alternatively, building a Shady Oaks clinic is the only way play the fan-favorite Insurance Fraud mini-game. You must complete all the Insurance Fraud locations on the map to complete Shady Oaks, but in this instance doing so rewards you also with greater cash flow. Saints Row is very inconsistent about explaining the rewards and requirements in this system. 

Criminal Venture Rewards and Requirements

There are three tiers of Criminal Ventures, as well as one final endgame Venture. Higher tiers cost more to build but will reward you with higher payouts. Each one becomes available after completing specific missions, and each has its own specific rewards for completing. We’ve laid out for you all the mission requirements and rewards below.

• JimRob’s Garage [Tier I]
  • How to Get: Complete “Piece of the Action.”
  • Completion Requirements: Collect 11 rare vehicles in sequential order and deliver them to JR.  
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, JimRob’s Crew Outfits, JimRob’s Attrazione Vehicle, JimRob Statue HQ Collectible.
• Chalupacabra [Tier I]
  • How to Get: Complete “Networking.” 
  • Completion Requirements: Steal four Food Trucks and bring them to Chalupacabra. 
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Chalupacabra Crew Outfits, Taco Costume, Chalupacabra Sign HQ Collectible.
• Bright Future Disposal [Tier I]
  • How to Get: Complete “Networking.”
  • Completion Requirements: Track down 13 trucks full of Toxic Waste and carefully transport them back to Bright Future.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Bright Future Crew Outfits, Toxic Waste Truck, Hazmat Suit, Toxic Waste Barrel HQ Collectible.
• Shady Oaks Medical Clinic [Tier I]
  • How to Get: Complete “Networking.”
  • Completion Requirements: Finish all six Insurance Fraud side activity locations.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Shady Oaks Crew Outfits, Scrubs Costume, Shady Oaks Sign HQ Collectible, Responder Vehicle, Crutch (Crowbar Visual Mod), Guitar Case (Rocket Launcher Visual Mod).
• Castle Kraken [Tier II]
  • How to Get: Complete “The Dustmoot.” 
  • Completion Requirements: Complete “The Rod Warrior.” Light the Dustlander beacons. Then meet with the Lore Master.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Dustlander Crew Outfits, Dustlander costume, Dustrider Vehicle, D20 Collectible.
• Eurekabator! [Tier II]
  • How to Get: Complete “Drawing Heat.” 
  • Completion Requirements: Test three gadgets and then talk to Chloe
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Eurekabator! Crew Outfits, Eurekabator! Crew Outfits, Hoverboard Trophy, Eurekabator Lab Coat, Prototype RTP 62-8S.
• Laundromat [Tier II]
  • How to Get: Complete “Drawing Heat.” 
  • Completion Requirements: Complete all six Cleanup Crew activities and talk to Winston.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Laundromat Crew Outfits, Interstellar Phone Booth, Laundromat Van.
• Wuzyerz Repo [Tier II]
  • How to Get: Complete “Drawing Heat.” 
  • Completion Requirements: Complete all seven Repossessions. 
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Wuzyerz Crew Outfits, Wuzyerz Thompson Helicopter, Wuzyers Tow Truck, Wuzyerz Repo Yard Sign HQ Collectible.
• Cutting Edge [Tier III]
  • How to Get: Complete “Body of Evidence.”
  • Completion Requirements: Take photos of at least 14 Cutting Edge materials and then talk to Edith.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Cutting Edge Crew Outfits Cutting Edge Coat Body Suit, Cutting Edge Vat of Fabulous.
• The Big One [Tier III]
  • How to Get: Complete “Body of Evidence.”
  • Completion Requirements: Complete six Mayhem activities and report to Sgt. Vicario.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, The Big One Crew Outfits, Nuke Mount, Maximillian Vehicle.
• KAKTS Radio [Tier III]
  • How to Get: Complete “Body of Evidence.” 
  • Completion Requirements: First, win wave-based battles against each of the rival gangs. Then, use the wingsuit to plant jammers on each of their radio towers.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, KAKTS Radio Crew Outfits, Cactus Bat, KAKTS Radio Van, KAKTS Radio Tower.
• First Strike Dojo [Tier III]
  • How to Get: Complete “Good Cop/Bad Cop.”
  • Completion Requirements: Complete all five Protection Racket activities. After the final one, you will have to defeat Final Fist’s “Master”.
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, First Strike Crew Outfits, Gi First Strike, First Strike Saguaro, Training Dummy.
• Let’s Pretend [Tier III]
  • How to Get: Complete “Good Cop/Bad Cop.”
  • Completion Requirements: Complete 10 heists, then meet with Joannie Utah. 
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Let’s Pretend Crew Outfits, Space Suit, Piñata Launcher.
• Planet Saints [Tier III]
  • How to Get: Complete “Good Cop/Bad Cop.”
  • Completion Requirements: Hijack 12 trucks from the Bianca Colomba company. Then, talk to Saint Roosevelt. 
  • Rewards: $30,000, 5,000 XP, Planet Saints Crew Outfits, Saints Attrazione, Saints Grandad, Saints Oppressor, Planet Saints Pedestal, AI Driver Feature.
• Saints Tower [Final Tier]
  • How to Get: Complete all story missions and build all 14 Criminal Ventures. At this point, you will be able to unlock the tower for $8 million. 
  • Completion Requirements: N/A (you’re almost all done!)
  • Rewards: You can now access the secret final mission, “Let’s Build a Skyscraper,” and upgrade your criminal empire to Empire Tier 5. 

And that’s everything you need to know about Criminal Ventures. For additional comprehensive Saints Row info, check out our guides on where to get all the weapons and guns in Santo Ileso, or head on over to our Skills guide to learn which skills are the best to use for part of the game.