A surprise hit on Steam takes the top spot in both current popular releases and trends. Schedule I is a life simulator of a new, slightly different kind, in which you must work your way up from a petty criminal to a drug lord.
What kind of game is this? We are talking about the simulation game Schedule I, in which players pursue a pretty clear goal: To work their way up from a small marijuana dealer to the owner of a powerful drug empire in the city’s drug scene.
It is not only about the production of the goods, but also about distribution, building customer relationships, and conflict resolution in various ways, such as when competing drug dealers or the police take notice of the players.
To stay motivated, the game offers the possibility to spend your dirty money in various ways, for example by reinvesting it or gambling it away in a casino. This can be done not only solo but can also be experienced together with friends in co-op mode.
Here you can see the trailer for Schedule I:
A new type of life simulator that is very well received
How is the game performing on Steam? Schedule I currently has about 30,000 reviews with a rating of 96.18%. On Sunday, March 30, 2025, the game reached a new milestone with a peak of 400,000 players, launching it to the top of the charts (via SteamDB).
What do players say? The reviews on Steam reflect the enthusiasm of the players, whose ratings are extremely positive. Some even wish that the developers of GTA 6 would take inspiration from it:
- ctolsen writes: “A woman approached me and asked for weed, didn’t like the price I offered, and then stabbed me with a broken glass bottle. 10/10”
- Bratahh comments: “If you have always wanted to experience the risky world of drugs according to Schedule I without having to face the minor inconvenience of a 25-years to life prison sentence, then congratulations – you have just found your new favorite game!”
- Felix finds: “Absolutely brilliant, still having a blast after 4 hours! Feels like I just started 5 minutes ago, and despite early access, there’s still a thousand things to discover! Definitely recommendable. Performance, graphics, etc., everything is great! Just for a one-man studio, a hundredfold respect!”
- WoodyFromNY wishes: “This is how GTA6 should be”
- Spicy Boi comments: “A solo developer has created a hit with a solid gameplay loop that is better than most AAA games out there. Plus, it’s fun alone or with friends, which is what truly makes a good game.”
In particular, the work of a single developer, the wild possibilities of gameplay, and the fun of playing, which seems to be the obvious main focus of the game, convince players of the mix of life simulator, Breaking Bad and GTA. The open world and the lifestyle depicted in Schedule I, while not making it a direct new GTA, could bridge the wait for the new installment.
The success of Schedule I is undeniable, as evidenced by the Steam data and the opinions of the players. The game has even outperformed a concurrently released AAA title in some respects. You can find more information on this in the following article: New game goes Breaking Bad and is thus even more successful on Steam than the new AAA game from Ubisoft
