Short answer: v0.4.5 (March 30, 2026) added the Golden M1911 pistol, Big Sprinkler for faster plant watering, a reorder feature for the delivery app, and dynamic reticle for ranged weapons. Meta impact: Big Sprinkler changes Botanist efficiency and watering throughput. No major recipe or police behavior changes.

New Additions in v0.4.5

FeatureTypeUnlockImpact
Golden M1911WeaponCasino vending machine (rare drop)Cosmetic, same stats as M1911
Big SprinklerEquipmentDan's Hardware, $200Waters 4 plants at once -- huge automation upgrade
Reorder FeatureUIAutomaticOne-click repeat of last delivery order
Dynamic ReticleUIAutomaticCrosshair changes size based on accuracy
Bug reporting toolSystemSteam overlayReport issues in-game

Big Sprinkler: The Real Game-Changer

The Big Sprinkler is the most impactful addition in v0.4.5. It replaces the basic sprinkler and covers a 4-plant area in one activation.

MetricBasic SprinklerBig Sprinkler
Cost$75$200
Coverage1 plant4 plants
Water per use1 unit4 units
Botanist efficiency1 plant per pass4 plants per pass
Automation impactBaseline-40% Botanist labor time

Where to get it: Sold at Dan's Hardware. No rank requirement to purchase.

Meta Impact Analysis

Before v0.4.5: Botanists were the bottleneck in automation setups. One Botanist could water 5 pots but spent most of their time walking between pots. The basic sprinkler required one activation per plant.

After v0.4.5: One Big Sprinkler waters 4 plants. A single Botanist with 2 Big Sprinklers can now manage 8 plants (max for most properties) in the same time they previously managed 4-5.

Other changes:

  • Reorder feature reduces delivery management time by ~30%
  • No changes to police behavior, recipe values, or employee AI
  • No new properties, suppliers, or dealers added
AspectPre-v0.4.5Post-v0.4.5Difference
Botanist plants/hr58-10+60-100%
Daily plant yield (Barn)40 plants60-70 plants+50-75%
Max automated units/day~200~300+50%

Version History Summary

VersionDateKey Changes
v0.1.xMar 2025Initial early access release
v0.2.4Apr 2025Co-op multiplayer added
v0.2.5Apr 2025Customer improvements
v0.3.42025.04.07Pawn Shop, Fancy Stuff, first content update
v0.3.52025.05.08Jukebox, Storage Unit
v0.3.62025.06.08Filters, Employee Tweaks, Save System
v0.4.02025.08.28Cartel Update -- Benzies Family
v0.4.12025.11.02Halloween Update
v0.4.22025.12.26Shrooms Update (Fungal Phil)
v0.4.52026.03.30Anniversary Update: Big Sprinkler, reorder, Golden M1911

What v0.4.5 Did NOT Change

Based on patch notes and community verification, the Anniversary update did NOT touch:

  • Police AI behavior (bin hiding still works)
  • Recipe formulas or ingredient values
  • Dealer buy-in costs or mechanics

This makes v0.4.5 a quality-of-life patch rather than a balance patch. Most existing strategies remain valid.

Related Guides

See all version changes in: Schedule 1 Complete Update History.

Community Verification & Resources

Data values may shift with patches. Cross-check against community resources before building your strategy.