"Schedule I: Indie Drug Dealer Sim Outselling GTA 5, Monster Hunter Wilds"

If you've been keeping up with the latest trends on Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube, you've likely come across Schedule I. This indie drug dealer simulation game has taken the gaming world by storm, becoming the top-selling game on Valve's platform. It boasts more players than heavyweights like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals, largely due to its viral spread across social media.

Schedule I launched just last week and has swiftly climbed 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, the studio behind the pseudonym Tyler. In a recent Reddit post, Tyler expressed their astonishment and gratitude for 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.”

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? It emerged out of nowhere to become the top-selling game on Steam, outpacing everything from the 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-price, triple-A competitors.

As for its player base, 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, more people were playing Schedule I than Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals.

The community's reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with Schedule I earning a 98% positive user review rating on Steam. Here are some of the reviews:

"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 may be a meme game, but its future remains to be seen. However, developer Tyler is set for a life-changing journey, with substantial content updates on the horizon.

If you're diving into Schedule I, don't miss IGN's Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands guide, and the Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op guide for an enhanced gaming experience.