Summary
Schedule 1, the crime simulator game that took the gaming community by storm earlier this year, has reportedly sold 8 million copies since its early access launch in March. Unlike other similar titles on the market,Schedule 1was created and continues to be developed by a single individual, making this sales achievement all the more impressive.
While the smash hit Steam game has received rave reviews from players and raked in a monumental number of sales, it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses for developer TVGS (otherwise known as Tyler). Shortly after the game’s release two months ago,Drug Deal Simulatorpublisher Movie Games S.A.accusedSchedule 1of copyright infringement. While nothing seems to have come from the investigation as of yet, the studio claimed thatSchedule 1has used elements fromDrug Deal Simulator’s plot, mechanics, and user interface. The investigation was met with huge backlash from theSchedule 1community, who came out in droves to defend TVGS and even review-bombedDrug Deal Simulatoron Steam.
Schedule 1 Has Sold 8 Million Copies to Date
According to a new report fromAlinea Analytics,Schedule 1was the best-selling game on Steam for the month of April, with 4.7 million copies sold throughout the month. The second-best-selling game for the month was another popular indie game,R.E.P.O., which sold 3.7 million copies in April. WhileSchedule 1only launched in March, the report claims it has sold 8 million copies to date and generated almost $125 million in revenue. For comparison,Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2has sold 3 million copiesin 3 months, and that’s a critically acclaimed, triple-A game that is a strong Game of the Year contender. But it does come with a much bigger price tag.
It is worth noting that the aforementioned $125 million doesn’t go directly into TVGS’s pocket, as the developer will lose a certain percentage to Steam and then to tax authorities. The exact number that TVGS will receive is unknown, but it’s still speculated to be well above $50 million, which is a hefty sum for a solo developer.
Thankfully, the overwhelming success hasn’t stopped Tyler fromreleasing newSchedule 1updates. The title has already received multiple content updates in its first two months, adding new gameplay features, quality-of-life improvements, and more. The most recent update is still in beta, but is expected to receive a full release any day now. Alongside some more quality-of-life improvements, the update swaps out those annoying employee beds for lockers, allowing players to save space without losing out on employees.
Unfortunately, some fans are still waiting forSchedule 1to return to Steam in Australia, after the game suddenly disappeared from the platform earlier this month. While many began speculating that the indie game had been banned in the country, TVGS quickly reassured fans that it will return and has only temporarily been removed due to the lack of a required age rating.
