Summary
TheDrug Dealer Simulatorseries, whose publisher has launched a copyright infringement investigation againstSchedule 1, is seeing a wave of negative reviews popping up on Steam. This backlash fromSchedule 1fans in the wake of its recent launch is causing a big drop in lifetime user rating percentages for bothDrug Dealer Simulatorgames.
Developed by Byterunners and published by Movie Games S.A.,Drug Dealer SimulatorandDrug Dealer Simulator 2were originally released in 2020 and 2024, respectively. Though the original game is still showing solid all-time review scores, both games combined have not matched theinstant popularity ofSchedule 1, a co-op crime simulator that launched on March 24 and has been consistently seeing at least 318,000 peak daily concurrent users throughout the last week.
However, in the past few days, bothDrug Dealer Simulatorgames have seen a massive number of mostly negative reviews popping up on their Steam pages. This phenomenon is almost certainly a reaction to thecopyright infringement investigation againstSchedule 1by a legal consultant hired by Movie Games S.A.’s management board, which was announced last week. The originalDrug Dealer Simulator’s more than 18,000 lifetime reviews still leave it with a “Very Positive” rating of 85 percent player approval, though 76 percent of the 575 reviews left within the past 30 days have been negative. Its sequel is not holding up as well, with 557 mostly negative reviews in the past 30 days accounting for more than 10 percent of its all-time score, which is now in the “Mixed” category.
Movie Games S.A.’s Drug Dealer Simulator Series Hit by Review Bombs
A look at the recent reviews for bothDrug Dealer Simulatorgames confirms a lot of contempt fromSchedule 1fans. Many reviews accuse Movie Games S.A. of “bullying” the single-person development team for his success. “Going after an indie dev for releasing a more successful game with a similar idea is absolutely criminal,” one review reads. Others are pointing out their perception of hypocrisy by Movie Games S.A., listing off similar games that had been released before the launch ofDrug Dealer Simulator. This vitriol comes despite the series previously having been considered among thebest criminal empire management gamesin some circles.
Several fans are drawing comparisons between Movie Games S.A.’s investigation and the legal actions byNintendo againstPalworlddeveloper PocketPair, which has earned Nintendo a lot of criticism. The first lawsuit in that situation was raised in September 2024, accusing PocketPair of infringing upon several copyrights tied to thePokemonfranchise. Although that original lawsuit is still ongoing, additional patents that have been perceived as anti-Palworldhave emerged since, including a recent one filed around the middle of March.
Schedule I
WHERE TO PLAY
You’re a small-time drug dealer rolling into a fresh town with no cash, no product and no connections. Build your drug empire from the ground up in the grungy west-coast city of Hyland Point. Contend against intensifying law enforcement and deadly cartel competitors to expand your empire and reach the peak of the underworld.MANUFACTURE - Produce a range of drugs to satisfy your customers, each one with it’s own unique production process. Discover special recipes to create new drug variants with special properties.DISTRIBUTE - Walk, skate or drive throughout Hyland Point to get product into the hands of customers. Hire dealers to handle distribution for you.EXPAND - Purchase new properties and hire employees to expand the scope and scale of your operations. Work with suppliers to build a fully automated production and distribution chain.FIGHT - This is a dangerous line of work - you’ll have to contend with increasing law enforcement, as well as deadly cartel competitors. Fight with fists, melee weapons or firearms.WORK TOGETHER - A growing empire needs skilled management. Reach new heights in co-op multiplayer.
