Teardown: Complete Heist & Destruction Guide

How to plan and pull off Teardown heists: the alarm timer and why preparation is everything, tool-by-tool advice, upgrade priorities, campaign structure, the DLC lineup, and the new 12-player multiplayer added in 2026.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the multiplayer era (PC multiplayer since March 12, 2026; Relics of Barkuna DLC June 10, 2026; Greenwash Gambit multiplayer support August 18, 2026; console multiplayer September 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

1. Plan before you trigger the alarm. Most heist missions start a countdown once you grab an alarmed target. Everything you do before that is free time.
2. Build your route first. Knock holes in walls, line up vehicles, place ramps and planks, and clear obstacles before touching any target.
3. Learn the timer. Once the alarm trips you have a short window (about a minute on standard missions) to finish and reach the escape vehicle.
4. Use vehicles as tools. Cranes, trucks, excavators and boats can demolish walls, carry objects, or bridge gaps.
5. Collect valuables. They're scattered in levels and give money for tool upgrades.
6. Upgrade tools early. More ammo and range makes planning easier.
7. Watch for special hazards. Security robots, water, fire alarms and other mission-specific systems change the rules.
8. Save on your own terms. Missions are replayable from the hub, so experiment freely — a failed attempt still teaches you the level.

Core Mechanics

Alarm & escape

• Some objectives are alarmed — picking them up starts the timer.
• Some are unalarmed — you can take them anytime.
• Some missions require you to reach an escape vehicle at the end.

Destruction

• Everything is voxel-based and physically simulated.
• Material strength matters: wood and glass break easily; concrete and metal need stronger tools or explosives.
• Fire spreads and can damage or destroy structures — and trigger fire alarms in some missions.

Vehicles

• Drive vehicles to destroy walls or carry objects.
• Cranes and trucks can lift and move heavy objects.
• Boats open up routes in water-heavy levels.

Tools & Upgrades

• Upgrades are bought with money earned from missions and valuables.
• Priority: ammo capacity for planks, bombs and blowtorch.

Art Vandals adds the Paperboy Gun and Jackhammer as new tools.

Campaign Structure

• The main campaign has 40 missions.
• Missions are unlocked via the hub (your computer/office), where clients send jobs.
• Locations include Löckelle Municipality, Hollowrock Island, Evertides Mall, the Muratori Islands and Cullington.
• Missions vary: heists, demolition jobs, stealing cars, destroying evidence, and escaping robots.
• The story involves revenge, betrayal and insurance fraud.

Mission types

Planning a Heist (step by step)

1. Scout — explore the level and mark alarmed targets.
2. Find the escape vehicle (if required).
3. Create shortcuts — break walls, place planks, move vehicles.
4. Test your route (without triggering the alarm).
5. Pick up unalarmed targets first.
6. Trigger the alarm and follow your route.
7. Escape before the timer runs out.

Worked Example: A Typical Multi-Target Heist

Say a mission asks for four alarmed targets spread across a waterfront, plus an escape vehicle on the far side.

1. Walk the whole map first. Note each target, the escape point, and every obstacle between them (walls, fences, water, height changes).
2. Order the targets. The first target you grab should be the one farthest from the escape, so the route after the alarm always moves toward the exit.
3. Cut straight lines. Blow or hammer holes so the path between targets is as direct as possible. Every door, staircase and corner you remove saves seconds.
4. Pre-place vehicles. Park a vehicle next to the second or third target if the distance is long. Point it in the direction you'll drive.
5. Bridge the gaps. Planks across water or rooftops beat walking round. Test them — a sagging plank that drops you in water costs the run.
6. Dry run. Walk (or drive) the whole route once without touching a target. Time it in your head.
7. Execute. Grab the first target and don't improvise — follow the route you built.

If you fail, you now know exactly which segment was too slow. Fix that segment and retry. This loop — scout, build, test, execute — is Teardown.

Hazards & Security Systems

Performance Notes

• Teardown's voxel physics is demanding; very large collapses and big fires cause frame drops on any PC.
• If a level stutters during destruction, lower the graphics quality preset first, then reduce resolution. Keep an eye on smoke and fire, which are the most expensive effects.
• Big multiplayer lobbies with lots of simultaneous destruction are heavier than single-player; the developers recommend 2–4 players for the Greenwash Gambit co-op campaign.

DLC Lineup

Multiplayer (2026)

Released on PC March 12, 2026:

• Up to 12 players.
• Full base campaign in co-op.
• Modes: Treasure Thieves, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag.
• Maps: Splitfield Estate and Cratertown.
• Mods: Growing library of multiplayer-compatible mods.
• Greenwash Gambit multiplayer added August 18, 2026 (all players need the DLC).
• A racing mode is planned for later in 2026.
• Console multiplayer followed in September 2026 (cross-platform play was not planned, per Wikipedia).

Multiplayer tips

• 2–4 players is the recommended size for campaign co-op.
• Assign roles: one scout, one builder, one driver.
• Communicate before triggering alarms.

Sandbox & Modding

• Sandbox mode gives unlimited resources.
• Modding: Use the same editor as the developers. Lua scripting and Steam Workshop integration.
• Summer Modding Contest 2026 theme was "The Grand Break-in" (deadline August 2, 2026).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Triggering the alarm too early.
• Not testing your route.
• Wasting explosives.
• Setting fires you can't control.
• Ignoring vehicles.
• Not collecting valuables.

Advanced Tips

• Use planks to bridge gaps and create shortcuts.
• Use vehicles as battering rams.
• Stack targets near your route before triggering alarms.
• Chain explosions carefully.
• Use water to stop fires.
• Use sandbox to practice destruction and route planning.

FAQ

Is Teardown multiplayer? Yes, since March 12, 2026 on PC (up to 12 players).

How many missions are in the campaign? 40.

What's the best tool? Depends on mission; planks, bombs and blowtorch are commonly most useful.

Can I play DLC in multiplayer? Greenwash Gambit supports multiplayer; Relics of Barkuna is single-player at launch.

Is Teardown on consoles? Yes, on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S since November 2023 (ports published by Saber Interactive). Console multiplayer arrived in September 2026; cross-platform play was not planned.

Does Teardown support mods? Yes, via Steam Workshop.

Sources

• Teardown on Steam
• Steam news for Teardown (multiplayer, DLCs)
• Teardown — Wikipedia