Australian indie title Schedule 1 is now under formal investigation by Movie Games S.A., the publisher behind the Drug Dealer Simulator series. The company suspects the breakout game may have copied key elements from its own titles, raising potential copyright and unfair competition concerns.
Legal Trouble Follows Breakout Success
As reported by Insider Gaming, the investigation began on March 24, 2025—the same day Schedule 1 launched into early access on Steam. The timing is significant: within 24 hours, the game exploded in popularity, peaking at over 100k concurrent players and 400k by the end of the weekend. Not bad for a solo project by indie developer Tyler of TVGS.
But that early momentum may be clouded by legal trouble. According to legal documents obtained by the local outlet, Movie Games claims to have found “several dozen similarities” between Schedule 1 and the Drug Dealer Simulator series. These alleged overlaps include narrative elements, gameplay mechanics, and even aspects of the UI design.
“Potential infringement of the Issuer’s intellectual property rights and activities that may bear the characteristics of unfair competition have been identified,” reads the official filing from Movie Games.
The company is now conducting a deeper review, with the help of legal experts familiar with Australian intellectual property law, before deciding how to proceed.
Another Case of “Inspiration or Infringement?”
This situation echoes other recent industry clashes, like Nintendo’s legal action against Palworld over Pokémon-inspired creature designs. As the indie scene continues to grow, these cases shine a spotlight on the fine line between creative inspiration and outright imitation.
Movie Games originally launched Drug Dealer Simulator in 2020, followed by Drug Dealer Simulator 2 in 2024. While both games have maintained a “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam, recent user reviews have turned Mixed, largely due to backlash over the Schedule 1 investigation.
Many fans have criticized the publisher, accusing them of targeting a solo dev instead of improving their own games. Comments like “Instead of fixing the bugs, the devs decide to sue an indie developer” now litter the reviews of Drug Dealer Simulator 2, reflecting more on community frustration than game quality.
Schedule 1 Still Going Strong—For Now
Despite the legal pressure, Schedule 1 remains available on Steam and continues to thrive with a peak of over 404k when I last checked. Tyler has been regularly updating the game and shows no signs of slowing down—at least for now.
According to papbiznes, Movie Games S.A. remains firm in its stance, stating it will “immediately inform about further actions related to the pursuit of claims” as the investigation progresses. It’s clear the publisher is taking the situation seriously, especially in light of Schedule 1’s rapid rise.
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