Schedule I is an indie open-world drug trafficking simulator developed and published by solo developer TVGS (Tyler’s Video Game Studio). Released in early access on March 24, 2025, the game quickly became a viral success, topping Steam’s sales charts and peaking at 414,166 concurrent players within days, surpassing titles like Grand Theft Auto V and Monster Hunter Wilds in player count.
What’s in the current stage?
Schedule I combines sandbox mechanics with dark humour, tasking players with building a drug empire in the fictional city of Hyland Point. Key features include:
- Hands-on production: Players grow, harvest, and package drugs through minigames. Players can also mix strains with different ingredients to make some magnificent effects.
- Dynamic economy: Manage supply chains, negotiate deals and adjust the base prices of your products.
- Co-op multiplayer: Up to four players can collaborate (or sabotage each other) in roles like production, distribution, or enforcement. With the variety of effects from your product, and the customisation, the co-op feature does make for an extremely fun time.
- Progression: Start as a small-time dealer, then build your empire by hiring employees, purchasing properties, and automating operations.
The game’s cartoonish art style enhance the games absurd scenarios, such as stuffing rivals into trash cans, pickpocketing your product back after the sale, or flying off into space after experience the low-gravity effect.
What’s next?
Schedule I gained traction during Steam Next Fest, where its demo attracted 23,000 followers. Post-launch, the solo developer prioritized community feedback, releasing rapid bug fixes and outlining a two-year early access roadmap with expanded maps, new drugs, and deeper management systems.
The game’s price point (with a 15% launch discount) and “overwhelmingly positive” Steam reviews fortify this to be the next big hit and hopefully through constant work and engagement can keep going strong amidst the ever growing video game market. Schedule 1 has already proven a great addition to anyone’s steam library. But it’s also sparked a question, if a solo developer can create a gem like this. What the hell are AAA studios doing?
Wait or play?
I would recommend Schedule 1 right now to fans of light hearted and chill tycoon games. I have already spent over 40 hours between a co-op and solo playthrough and still haven’t progressed to the late stages of the early access on either. The game is simply fun and rewarding even when just messing around with friends. The title is mostly praised for its innovative crafting systems, where minigames transform mundane tasks like watering plants into engaging mechanics. The emergent storytelling, unpredictable NPC behaviour, and co-op chaos create shareable anecdotes. Developer transparency, with frequent updates and Tyler’s active Reddit presence, fostered player trust.
Schedule I offers a unique blend of dark humour and strategic depth, allowing players to build a drug empire in a fictional city. Its engaging mechanics, co-op multiplayer, and developer transparency have contributed to its viral success. While some late-game grind issues exist, the game’s ongoing development and community engagement suggest a promising future. In my humble opinion, grab some friends and gamble all your drug money away.
