"Indie Drug Dealer Sim 'Schedule I' Outselling GTA 5, Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam"

If you've been active on Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube recently, you've likely come across Schedule I, an indie drug dealer simulation game that has skyrocketed to become the top-selling title on Valve's platform. Surpassing heavyweights like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals, Schedule I has captured the gaming community's attention following its viral spread across social media.

Launched just last week, Schedule I quickly climbed to the top of Valve's best-selling and most-played charts. Here's the game's 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.

Developed and published by TVGS, also known as Tyler, the game's creator shared his thoughts on Reddit about the overwhelming success of Schedule I:

“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.”

In response to player feedback, Schedule I's Post-launch Patch #4 was released on March 29, addressing several employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

So, just how successful is Schedule I? Having seemingly emerged from obscurity, it now leads the top-selling chart on Steam, outperforming games like the The Sims competitor inZOI and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve's top-selling chart is sorted by revenue, indicating that despite its budget-friendly price, Schedule I is generating more income than its full-price, triple-A competitors.

In terms of player engagement, Schedule I reached a peak of 414,166 concurrent players on Steam over the weekend. This number places it among the top 30 most-played games ever on Steam. Currently, it boasts more active players than Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals.

The game has also received an 'overwhelmingly positive' user review rating on Steam, with 98% of reviews being positive. Here are some of the standout comments from players:

"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 seen as a meme game, its future longevity remains uncertain. However, for developer Tyler, the game's success has undoubtedly transformed his life, and he is committed to delivering substantial content updates.

If you're diving into Schedule I, don't miss IGN's guides on Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands and Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op.