Dirty Business Controls Overview — July 2026 | Dirty Business Wiki

Smooth controls separate operators who hit deadlines from players fighting the camera while a delivery timer expires. Dirty Business uses a first- or third-person interaction model common to crime and management sims: walk your underground base, operate machines directly, carry crates, drive vehicles when unlocked, and coordinate with up to three friends in co-op. This page is the hub for every input topic—movement, interaction, UI navigation, production stations, and session management—with links to detailed keybinds and troubleshooting when something breaks.

Platform and Input Device

Early Access on Steam targets PC with keyboard and mouse as the primary layout. Controller support may be partial or evolving—verify the latest patch notes on updates before assuming gamepad bindings. Rebind keys in the settings menu; defaults are listed on the keybinds page.

New players should run the tutorial or first demo levels to internalize interact prompts before scaling grow weed or manufacture weapons production.

Movement and Camera

Walking and sprinting — Move with standard WASD (default). Sprint drains stamina in some builds or is unlimited in others; watch UI meter during long delivery hauls from complete orders guides.

Crouching and leaning — May help in tight machine rooms or stealth sections if implemented. Not every Early Access build uses stealth movement—test once per patch.

Camera — Mouse look controls orientation. Hold alternate mouse buttons if the game supports edge peek or zoom at benches.

Collision matters: crowded co-op bases block doorways. See co-op guide for traffic etiquette.

Core Interaction

Use / Interact — The primary key (default E) activates terminals, machines, doors, order boards, and pickup prompts. Context-sensitive: same key accepts jobs, starts crafting stages, and opens storage.

Pickup and carry — Crates, bags, and loose product attach to hands or inventory slots. Drop carefully—floor items may count as evidence per evidence disposal.

Inventory — Tab or I (typical defaults) opens personal storage. Separate from base storage tubs; confusing them causes failed deliveries.

Practice pickup timing at weed packaging before weapon assembly chains demand faster inputs.

Production Station Controls

Machines use multi-step prompts:

1. Approach station until outline highlights
2. Press interact to open station UI or start animation
3. Confirm recipe or stage with click or confirm key
4. Wait for timer; some stages allow cancel with penalty
5. Collect output to inventory or output hopper

Missed prompts often mean wrong item in hand—clear hands before interacting. Workers from hire workers duplicate some steps; players still override for quality-critical checks.

UI, Maps, and Terminals

Order terminal — Accept, track, and deliver contracts. Navigation is menu-driven with mouse clicks.

Base management / build mode — Place upgrades from upgrade base blueprints. Rotate pieces with documented rotate keys; cancel with escape.

Map and objectives — M toggles map in many sims; verify in settings if unbound.

Pause and settings — Escape opens pause menu; adjust sensitivity, bindings, and audio separately.

Vehicles and Deliveries

When vehicles unlock, enter with interact near driver door. Accelerate, brake, and handbrake follow driving sim defaults. Load cargo before departing—unsecured crates may physics-slide.

Large weapon orders need planning per manufacture weapons logistics section.

Co-op Session Controls

Host invites via Steam overlay or in-game menu. Players share world interactions simultaneously. Avoid grabbing the same crate; call dibs in voice chat.

If inputs feel delayed in multiplayer, host bandwidth and CPU matter—see troubleshooting.

Demo vs Full Game

The fourteen-level demo introduces interact prompts without every machine type. Skills transfer directly. After buying Early Access, revisit settings—patches sometimes reset bindings.

Follow beginner guide after controls feel natural.

Related Production and Strategy Guides

Controls enable strategy; they do not replace it. Once inputs are muscle memory:

• Production hub for product chains
• Base hub for layout
• Walkthrough for campaign order
• Tools for community utilities
• Review for overall game feel commentary

Accessibility and Comfort

Adjust mouse sensitivity, invert axes, and toggle head bob if available. Colorblind modes and subtitle sizes may arrive in later patches—watch updates.

Remap interact away from keys you fat-finger during sprint if mis-clicks plague you.

When Controls Fail

Prompts missing, stuck carry state, or UI not opening? Jump to controls troubleshooting before reinstalling. Most issues are binding conflicts, stuck interaction state, or outdated co-op desync fixes.

Master the basics here, customize on keybinds, and the rest of the wiki teaches what to do with your hands once they know the buttons.