Schedule I: Indie Drug Dealer Sim Outselling Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, Marvel Rivals on Steam

If you've been browsing Steam, Twitch, or gaming-related YouTube channels recently, you might have noticed the buzz around Schedule I, an indie drug dealer simulation game that's skyrocketing in popularity. It's currently the top-selling title on Valve's platform, surpassing even major games like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals after going viral on social media.

Schedule I was launched just last week and swiftly climbed the ranks to dominate Valve's best-selling and most-played charts. Here's the official description:

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 game is developed and published by TVGS, known simply as Tyler, who shared his thoughts on Reddit about the game's explosive launch:

“Honestly, it’s amazing but pretty overwhelming,” Tyler said. “I never expected this kind of response! At the moment, 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.”

To address initial issues, Schedule I's Post-launch Patch #4 was released on March 29, resolving several employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

But just how successful is Schedule I? It came out of nowhere and is now the top-selling game on Steam, outperforming everything from The Sims competitor inZOI to Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve ranks its top-selling chart by revenue, indicating that the budget-priced Schedule I is generating more income than its full-priced, triple-A competitors.

As for player engagement, Schedule I reached a peak of 414,166 concurrent players on Steam over the weekend, placing it among the top 30 most-played games ever on the platform. At the time of this article's publication, it boasts more players than Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals.

Players are loving Schedule I, as evidenced by its 'overwhelmingly positive' user review rating on Steam, with 98% of reviews being positive. Here are a few highlights:

• "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"

Schedule I is undeniably a meme game, and while its long-term staying power remains to be seen, developer Tyler's life has been transformed by its success. With substantial content updates on the horizon, the future looks bright.

If you're playing Schedule I, don't forget to check out IGN's Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands guide, as well as the Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op guide for an enhanced gaming experience.