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

If you've been browsing Steam, Twitch, or gaming YouTube recently, you've likely come across Schedule I, the indie drug dealer simulator that has skyrocketed to the top of Valve's sales charts. This game has outpaced major titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals, fueled by its viral spread across social media.

Schedule I hit the market last week and swiftly climbed to the top of Valve's best-selling and most-played lists. 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 the brainchild of developer and publisher TVGS, known simply as Tyler, who shared his thoughts on the game's unexpected success on Reddit:

“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.”

In response to the game's launch, Schedule I received its Post-launch Patch #4 on March 29, which addressed several employee bugs and multiplayer issues.

How successful is **Schedule I**? It emerged out of nowhere to claim the top spot on Steam's sales chart, beating out titles like The Sims competitor inZOI and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Valve ranks its top-selling chart by revenue, meaning that despite its budget-friendly price, **Schedule I** is generating more income than many of its full-priced, triple-A counterparts.

In terms of player engagement, Schedule I reached a peak of 414,166 concurrent players on Steam over the weekend, securing its place among the top 30 most-played games ever on the platform. Currently, it boasts more active players than Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals.

The community's reception to Schedule I has been overwhelmingly positive, with a 98% positive user review rating on Steam. Here are some notable 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 may be seen as a meme game, its staying power is yet to be determined. Regardless, Tyler's life has been transformed by its success, and players can look forward to 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.