Summary
The release ofSchedule 1started a massive trend among PC gamers that no one really expected. The game rose into unbelievable fame in no time, and a lot of players found themselves sinking hours in an underground business simulator with an utterly addictive gameplay loop.
Schedule 1is not the first game to offer players a sneak peek into the world of crime, but it is a massive success for a game that is being developed single-handedly. Thanks toSchedule 1’s popularity, drug business simulators are getting more attention than ever now as players look for similar experiences.
The games suggested here are not exact replicas ofSchedule 1, but instead, they focus on managing illegal businesses in a bigger scope.
In many ways,The Godfather 2failed to deliver the same experience of itspredecessor. The game’s story was a huge let down, and the gameplay mechanics have been questionably simplified, but it still had some new features and additions worth exploring, and the drug business was one of them.
Similar to its predecessor,The Godfather 2also features a variety of businesses that the player can take under their control as a member of an organized crime family. The drug business was a new addition that players could acquire by involving in some action quests. Of course, the game never goes deep into providing supplies or selling drugs, but it’s just a business option that comes with some special benefits for the owner.
Playing quite similar toThe Godfather 2, things are a bit more detailed inScarface: The World Is Yoursabout the drug businesses. Instead of being a side activity, managing and expanding a cocaine business inScarfaceis almost essential for getting rich.
Not only is the player encouraged to run a cocaine business, but they also needs to find suppliers. Each supplier comes with different capabilities, and depending on the size of the business, players may need to find more suppliers to keep feeding the dealers.
That being said, the game is still anaction-orientedexperience and doesn’t really go deep into managing a cartel business.
Among the many different businesses that players can run inGrand Theft Auto Online, drug dealing is one of the most profitable ones. Similar toScarface,Grand Theft Auto Onlineis also more about managing the business without going into the details.
Players can find drug businesses in Los Santos and then supply them with the required materials to produce different kinds of drugs. Then, they need to look for dealers around the city. Each dealer requires a different set of drugs, and meeting their needs is the key to growing in the drug business.
BeforeGrand Theft Auto Online, the drug dealing business was introduced inGrand Theft Auto: Chinatown Warsas a side activity to help players earn some more cash.Chinatown Warsdoesn’t actually let the player grow their business and become a drug lord. Instead, the player mostly acts as a dealer in the city.
InChinatown Wars, players can find suppliers and purchase drugs for a lower price from them, and then look for customers around the city and sell the drugs with some profit. There are some small gameplay mechanics that make the business more challenging. For example, sometimes, police can raid a deal and chase down the player.
Unlike most games on the list,Cartel Tycoonis anRTS experiencewhere all the focus is on managing and expanding a business rather than personally being involved in small jobs. The game is heavily inspired by Netflix’s Narcos, getting the player to control a drug cartel in Latin America.
There are tons of challenges that the players need to deal with. From police officers to local rivals. This is not only a drug business but also an organized crime family. So, there will be more than a few dramas, as the player may lose some key members along their progression, leaving them with tough decisions to make.
