Gangs

Gangs in Free City form a complex and dangerous underworld network that rivals the city’s own political and economic systems. From century-old crime families to anarchist youth cults, the city’s 20+ known gangs exert powerful control over territory, trade, and fear. These organizations range from traditional mafias to decentralized digital syndicates, each with their own culture, enemies, and mythologies.

History

Free City’s gang culture dates back to its founding as Nieuw-Rotterdam, when immigrant dockworkers formed protection rackets to defend against corrupt shipping magnates. Over time, these ethnic brotherhoods evolved into powerful criminal empires. The rise of the Free Bay Port Authority, the construction of the MetroTunnel, and the explosion of the nightlife and tech scenes in the 1990s further diversified the city's underworld.

By the 2020s, gangs had infiltrated nearly every aspect of Free City life—from housing development and music festivals to local elections and online currencies.

The Twenty

The Twenty is an unofficial term used by law enforcement, journalists, and criminal analysts to refer to the twenty most dangerous and influential gangs operating within Free City. The list is compiled from a combination of confirmed criminal activity, arrest records, federal investigations, and street-level intelligence, as well as speculative reports from local sources and whistleblowers. While not a formal government designation, The Twenty serves as a working index of the city’s most violent, organized, and notorious criminal organizations, many of which are deeply embedded in Free City's economic, political, and cultural underworld.

The Twenty (as of 2025)

Influence and Culture

Gangs in Free City influence everything from city planning to fashion. Many residents grow up idolizing or fearing local crews, while gang allegiances often split along generational or street lines. Popular media (including Free City’s own rap scene and indie film industry) glamorizes gang life while police corruption and urban neglect fuel recruitment.

Law Enforcement and Response

The Free City Police Department (FCPD) maintains multiple gang task forces, but their effectiveness is hotly debated. Internal corruption, political intimidation, and underfunding have left the city’s justice system hollow. Some allege entire precincts are “on the take.”

The federal government maintains a limited but growing presence in Free City, especially after high-profile scandals involving Sanctus Nulli, La Famiglia, and the Maze Cartel.