If you've been browsing Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube recently, you might have stumbled upon Schedule I, an indie drug dealer simulator that's rapidly climbed to the top of Valve's sales charts. This game has outshined major titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals, thanks to its viral spread across social media.
Schedule I burst onto the scene just last week, captivating players with its gritty premise:
From small-time dope pusher to kingpin - manufacture and distribute a range of drugs throughout the grungy city of Hyland Point. Expand your empire with properties, businesses, employees, and more.
The mastermind behind Schedule I is Tyler, who goes by TVGS. In a recent Reddit post, Tyler expressed his astonishment at the game's reception:
“Honestly, it’s amazing but pretty overwhelming,” Tyler shared. “I never expected this kind of response! Right now, I’m just trying to stay focused and get patches out ASAP. Also, looking forward to getting started on content updates as soon as all major bugs are patched.”
In line with these efforts, Schedule I released Post-launch Patch #4 on March 29, addressing several employee-related bugs and multiplayer issues.
So, just how successful is Schedule I? It's currently the top-selling game on Steam, surpassing popular titles like inZOI and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve ranks its top-selling games by revenue, indicating that Schedule I, despite its budget-friendly price, is generating more income than many full-priced triple-A competitors.
Player engagement is also impressive. Over the weekend, Schedule I reached a peak of 414,166 concurrent players on Steam, placing it among the top 30 most-played games ever on the platform. At the time of writing, more players are active in Schedule I than in Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals.
The game has earned an 'overwhelmingly positive' rating on Steam, with 98% of user reviews being favorable. Here's a glimpse into what players are saying:
"A woman came up to me and asked for weed, didn't like the price I offered, proceeded to stab me with a broken glass bottle. 10/10"
"Love this game."
"I was dealing drugs in an RV and it blew up."
"Got a motel and sold some weed."
"Created a meth empire. Then hopped on the game."
"Really great and hilarious game. Fun game loop and hilarious fun when playing with friends. I know it is in early access but I'd like the police to be a bit more active (They could search your place, look for you even after escaping, run speed greater than the players) as well as gang warfare and a larger map. Still, in its current state, it's brilliant. Defo a 10/10."
While Schedule I may be considered a meme game, its future remains uncertain. However, for developer Tyler, this unexpected success is life-changing, and players can look forward to substantial content updates.
For those diving into Schedule I, be sure to check out IGN's guides on Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands and Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op.
