Players are drug dealers, hustling on the mean street corners to get enough cash to become above the law. Drug crews must manage many different resources, such as drug packages, money, reputation cards, and wanted level. Real estate is everything, so drug crews have to battle it out over who gets to sling on any given corner.
Street Empire is a worker placement game where each player has three workers, or Crew pawns, to place across any of eight different spaces, or Corners. Acting one at a time, each player places one Crew pawn on one Corner. When all Crew pawns have been placed, if two or more players place their Crew pawns on the same Corner, a turf war breaks out. Players also have a hand of cards, or Rep cards, which are used to win turf wars. Rep cards have a rating and an effect, both of which affect the outcome of a turf war.
All the while, the police are watching. They are keeping an eye on how many drugs the players are selling. When a player gains a Wanted chit, he or she must now pay an additional package or money chit when buying Immunity or selling packages (to pay off the dirty cops).
Players must plan carefully to coordinate their Crew pawns, their Rep cards, drug packages, wanted level, and money to gain just enough of an edge to win. The first player to acquire three Immunity points wins the game. The only way to gain Immunity is through a Corner, which costs money.