One Of The Year's Biggest Games Is An Indie Drug-Dealing Sim Made By A Solo Dev

Gamers browsing the top charts on Steam will find a surprising newcomer dominating the rankings. Schedule I, an open-world, first-person drug-dealing simulator developed by an indie developer, has surged to the top, currently boasting over 340,000 concurrent players on the popular PC platform.

Rapid Ascent of Schedule I on Steam Charts

Released on March 24th, Schedule I experienced a meteoric rise on Steam, Valve’s widely-used PC gaming storefront. Launching in early access at an accessible price of $20, the drug-dealing sim swiftly became a gaming phenomenon. Data from SteamDB on March 30th revealed peak weekend player counts exceeding 414,000 concurrent players, surpassing established titles like Starfield, Grand Theft Auto V, and Destiny 2.

Delving into the Gameplay of Schedule I

Core Concept: Drug Empire Simulation

Schedule I is precisely what it advertises: a drug-dealing simulation game. The game’s official Steam description provides insight into its premise:

“You’re a small-time drug dealer rolling into a fresh town with no cash, no product and no connections. Build your drug empire from the ground up in the grungy west-coast city of Hyland Point. Contend against intensifying law enforcement and deadly cartel competitors to expand your empire and reach the peak of the underworld.”

Gameplay Mechanics

Players engage in activities such as:

• Manufacturing illicit substances
• Transporting and distributing illegal goods
• Engaging in sales of narcotics
• Confronting rival dealers and criminal elements

Currently exclusive to Steam, Schedule I offers both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes.

Behind the Scenes: Development and Developer Reaction

Solo Development Effort

According to Reddit posts by Tyler, the developer of Schedule I, the drug-dealing simulator has been under development for more than three years, primarily as a solo endeavor.

Developer’s Surprise and Future Plans

Regarding the game’s explosive popularity on Steam and its unexpected ascent as a top title of 2025, Tyler expressed his astonishment on Reddit:

“Honestly it’s amazing but pretty overwhelming,” said the solo developer. “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.”

Tyler also indicated interest in potential console ports, but acknowledged uncertainty regarding approval from console platform holders like Microsoft and Sony due to the game’s themes.

Positive Player Reception and Indie Success

Enthusiastic Community Response

Player reviews for Schedule I are overwhelmingly positive. Players have expressed satisfaction with the game’s content at launch and eagerly anticipate upcoming updates promised by the developer in the coming weeks and months.

Indie Game Triumph

In an industry landscape where large-scale, multi-million dollar games from major studios sometimes falter, the success of Schedule I highlights that massive budgets and AAA development teams are not prerequisites for success. By offering a distinctive and engaging experience at a reasonable price, indie developers can still achieve significant success, potentially outperforming major publishers and becoming one of the standout hits of the year.