The new simulation game Schedule I is currently a huge success on Steam. However, the publishers of a similar game claim their copyright has been violated and want to take action against the Steam hit. This has consequences, primarily for the studio that has complained.
What game is it about? Schedule I is the new hot hit on Steam. The criminal simulation currently exceeds 450,000 simultaneous players in Early Access and makes Twitch sound like an episode of Breaking Bad.
Only one person seems to be unhappy about the success: The Polish publisher Movie Games S.A. has noticed a certain similarity to their game series Drug Dealer Simulator and accuses the creator of Schedule I of having borrowed from them. This, however, backfires spectacularly.
Fans turn against the original game on Steam
What is the accusation? According to a report from the Polish Press Agency PAP, the studio reportedly started an analysis comparing the game to their title as early as March 24, 2025, around the release of Schedule 1.
This analysis is said to have identified several violations of intellectual property: Changes in the storyline, game mechanics, and user interface allegedly violated copyright. Movie Games S.A. now intends to explore possible legal action under Australian law, since the solo developer of Schedule I is based in Australia.
TVGS, the studio behind the Steam hit, has not yet publicly commented on the allegations. We have requested a statement from the developers and will update this section as soon as we receive one.
Reviews on Steam decline, but stock price rises
How is this being discussed? According to initial reactions, the action by Movie Games S.A. seems to have backfired considerably. Their own game, which until then had been mostly positively received on Steam, is now being torn apart by angry fans.
On April 6, 2025, nearly 300 new reviews were added, of which 265 were negative. Experience shows that Steam tends to intervene against such review bombings; however, currently, Drug Simulator 2 has a “mostly negative” score (as of April 7, 2025).
For fans of Schedule I, it seems clear: They are probably just angry because their game isn’t as big a hit. Aside from the premise of selling drugs, the games do not resemble each other.
As our colleagues from GRY Online report, Movie Games S.A. could benefit elsewhere, as their stock price on the Polish stock exchange has soared, apparently in anticipation of a hefty payday. After all, Schedule I is estimated to have already sold 3 million units.
Before the release of his hit, the developer of Schedule I asked the community for advice. He feared that the title of his game would not represent the content well. Ironically, users specifically advised him against titles like “Drug Dealer Simulator” – those would directly lead to yawning. Developer asks on reddit if a stupid name ruins his game, now has a huge hit on Steam
