Popular Steam Game Schedule 1 is Under Investigation

Just as Schedule 1 has started blowing up on Steam, it’s become the subject of a copyright investigation by another indie developer. The co-op crime simulator hit early access on March 25, 2025, and quickly became a hit among PC gamers, but now it looks like it might face some roadblocks in the future. Schedule 1‘s similarities to another, older drug-dealing management game may be a little more than a mere coincidence, according to a recent report.

TVGS’s first effort became something of an instant classic when it debuted on Steam. It took just two days for Schedule 1 to surpass 130,000 concurrent players and achieve an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating. However, its skyrocketing popularity has caught the attention of more than just PC gamers looking for their next indie adventure.

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Schedule 1 Releases New Update for April 2025

After a successful early-access launch, Schedule 1 rolls out a brand-new update, introducing another version of the game, along with some bug fixes.

According to a statement reported by the Polish Press Agency, Movie Games S.A., the studio behind the Drug Dealer Simulator series, has finished a legal analysis concluding that Schedule 1 may have violated Drug Dealer Simulator‘s intellectual property rights. Some fans call Drug Dealer Simulator 2 one of the best criminal management games available today, and if this report is accurate, it seems that TVGS may have thought so, too. According to Movie Games S.A.’s investigation, Schedule 1 used elements from the Drug Deal Simulator series’ plot, mechanics, and UI enough to warrant further action.

Movie Games S.A. Claims Schedule 1 May Have Borrowed from Drug Dealer Simulator

In response to this initial investigation, Movie Games S.A. plans to conduct a closer examination, including referring to legal sources familiar with Australian law, as TVGS is an Australia-based studio. Whether this will lead to any formal charges is uncertain for now. In the meantime, Schedule 1 is continuing to release new updates and enjoying an impressive level of success. According to the investigation, the game has surpassed The Witcher 3‘s peak player count and sold close to 3 million copies as of April 3, 2025.

Copyright cases in gaming can be complicated. While there are plenty of examples of studios successfully defending their IP, such as The Pokemon Company’s recent Pocket Monster: Remake court victory, it’s not always clear if something is violating copyright law or simply paying homage. Some cases are also just a matter of parallel thinking, as some developers are bound to have some similar ideas given how many people are making video games today. Where the Schedule 1 vs. Drug Dealer Simulator situation falls is uncertain for now, but things are apparently suspicious enough for Movie Games S.A. to look into it.

Simulation

Crime

Action

Management

Strategy

Systems

Released

March 24, 2025

Developer(s)

TVGS

Publisher(s)

TVGS