"Schedule I Tops Steam Charts, Outselling GTA 5 and Monster Hunter Wilds"

If you've been active on Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube recently, you've likely come across Schedule I. This indie drug dealer simulation game has taken the gaming world by storm, becoming the top-selling title on Valve's platform. It's outpacing major titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals after going viral across social media.

Schedule I launched just last week and quickly ascended to the top of 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 as Tyler, who shared his thoughts on the game's explosive launch on Reddit:

“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 released Post-launch Patch #4 on March 29, addressing various employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

So, just how successful is Schedule I? Despite its sudden appearance, it's now the top-selling game on Steam, surpassing games like inZOI and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve ranks its top-selling chart by revenue, indicating that Schedule I, despite its budget-friendly price, is generating more revenue than its full-priced, triple-A competitors.

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

Players are not only playing Schedule I but are also raving about it. On Steam, it holds an 'overwhelmingly positive' user review rating, with 98% of the reviews being positive. Here are some notable player comments:

"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 to be seen. However, developer Tyler's life has undoubtedly changed, and substantial content updates are on the horizon.

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.