The indie crime simulator Schedule 1 continues to dominate Steam charts with its first major content update, introducing new ways for players to expand their virtual drug empires. With over 92,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews and consistent player counts exceeding 300,000, this surprise hit has firmly established itself as 2025's unexpected indie success story.
New Commercial Locations Expand Gameplay Options
Developer TVGS has introduced two significant new locations in this update. The Pawn Shop, run by a character named Mick, now features a fully functional interior where players can sell almost anything except their product. This provides a valuable new revenue stream, especially for players looking to offload unused equipment rather than simply discarding it. Previously, unwanted items could only be thrown away with no return on investment, making this a welcome quality-of-life improvement.
Luxury Items and Decorative Expansion
The update also introduces the Bleuballs Boutique, giving players new ways to spend their ill-gotten gains. The store offers an expanded selection of decorative items including new signs, shelving options, safes, lamps, and even a grandfather clock. For players who've mastered the game's economic systems, luxury items like gold bars, silver and gold watches, chains, and a golden toilet provide new ways to showcase wealth and personalize their criminal headquarters.
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| Embrace the playful side of crime in Schedule 1 with luxury items and decorative expansions |
Future Functionality Teased
Among the new additions are three types of liquor, which TVGS notes are currently decorative but will become functional in a future update. This suggests the developer has plans to expand the game's mechanics beyond its current focus, potentially introducing new revenue streams or gameplay elements related to alcohol. The continued development shows TVGS's commitment to building on Schedule 1's unexpected success.
Technical Improvements
Beyond new content, the update includes several quality-of-life improvements. The jar stack size has been increased to 20, making inventory management more convenient. The developer has also removed the cooldown on requesting supplier meetings and improved the interface for counteroffers, streamlining the game's business negotiations. Time skips, such as sleeping, now affect the supplier meeting countdown, creating a more cohesive game world.
Beta Access and Future Development
Currently, these new features are available to players using the beta branch on Steam, which can be accessed through the game's properties menu. TVGS has outlined their development priorities moving forward, focusing on ensuring employees work consistently, preventing save game corruption, and minimizing multiplayer connection issues. The developer mentioned consulting with Valve to improve the save file format's compatibility with Steam Cloud saves, indicating a professional approach to addressing technical challenges.
Filling the Crime Sim Void
With no GTA 6 PC release date in sight, Schedule 1 has capitalized on the gap in the market for crime simulation games. Its combination of life simulation elements and illicit business management has clearly resonated with players looking for this particular gaming experience. As TVGS continues to build on the game's foundation with updates like this one, Schedule 1 seems positioned to maintain its surprising momentum throughout 2025.