"Schedule I Surges Past GTA 5 and Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam"

If you've been browsing Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube recently, you've likely come across Schedule I, the indie drug dealer simulation that has skyrocketed to become the top-selling game on Valve's platform. This viral sensation has outpaced major titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals in both sales and player numbers.

Schedule I launched just last week and has swiftly ascended 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.

The game is developed and published by TVGS, better known as Tyler, who recently shared his thoughts on Reddit about 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.”

To address some of the initial issues, Schedule I’s Post-launch Patch #4 was released on March 29, resolving various employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

So, just how successful is Schedule I? After seemingly coming out of nowhere, it has become the top-selling game on Steam, surpassing titles from The Sims competitor inZOI to Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve's top-selling chart is sorted by revenue, indicating that Schedule I, despite its budget price, is generating more revenue 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, placing it in the top 30 most-played games ever on the platform. At the time of writing, more people are playing Schedule I than Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals.

Players are overwhelmingly positive about Schedule I, as evidenced by its 'overwhelmingly positive' user review rating on Steam, with 98% of reviews being positive. Here are some of the standout reviews:

"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"

Schedule I has undoubtedly captured the gaming community's attention as a meme game, and while its longevity remains to be seen, developer Tyler's life has been transformed by this success. Fans can look forward to substantial content updates in the future.

If you're diving into Schedule I, make sure to check out IGN's Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands guide, as well as the Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op guide for the best gaming experience.