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

If you've been active on Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube recently, you've likely come across Schedule I, an indie drug dealer simulator that has skyrocketed to become the top-selling game on Valve's platform. Surpassing heavyweights like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals, Schedule I has captured the gaming community's attention after going viral 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 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 took to Reddit to express his 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 the feedback, Schedule I's Post-launch Patch #4 was released on March 29, addressing several employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

So, how successful is Schedule I? After coming out of nowhere, it's now the top-selling game on Steam, outperforming titles like the Sims competitor inZOI and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve ranks its top-selling chart by revenue, which means the budget-priced Schedule I is generating more income 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 places it among the top 30 most-played games ever on Steam. At the time of writing, it boasts more 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 the reviews being positive. Here are some of the colorful 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 longevity remains to be seen. However, developer Tyler won't be too concerned. His life has been transformed, and substantial content updates are on the horizon.

If you're diving into Schedule I, don't miss IGN's Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands guide and Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op guide for tips and tricks to enhance your gameplay experience.