"Schedule I Surges Past GTA 5, Monster Hunter Wilds in Steam Sales"

If you've been keeping up with the latest trends on Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube, you might have noticed the buzz around Schedule I, an indie game that's taken the gaming world by storm. This drug dealer simulator has skyrocketed to become the top-selling game on Valve's platform, outpacing heavyweights like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals following its viral spread across social media.

Launched just last week, Schedule I has swiftly climbed to the top of Valve's best-selling and most-played charts. Here’s the game's 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 both developed and published by TVGS, the alias of Tyler, who recently shared his thoughts on Reddit about Schedule I's explosive launch.

“Honestly, it’s amazing but pretty overwhelming,” Tyler remarked. “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.”

In response to the feedback, Schedule I released Post-launch Patch #4 on March 29, addressing numerous employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

So, just how successful is Schedule I? Despite its sudden emergence, it has claimed the top spot on Steam's sales chart, surpassing titles like the Sims competitor inZOI and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve ranks its top-selling chart by revenue, indicating that Schedule I, despite its budget price, is generating more income than its full-price, 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 among the top 30 most-played games ever released on the platform. At the time of writing, more players are enjoying Schedule I than Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals combined.

The community's reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with Schedule I earning an 'overwhelmingly positive' rating on Steam. Currently, 98% of user reviews are positive. Here are some 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. Definitely a 10/10"

While Schedule I might be seen as a meme game, its long-term viability remains uncertain. However, for developer Tyler, this success is life-changing, and he is committed to delivering substantial content updates.

If you're diving into Schedule I, don't miss IGN's guides on Schedule I Cheats and Console Commands and Schedule I Multiplayer: How to Play Co-Op to enhance your gaming experience.