Accuser of Copyright Infringement Faces Review Bombing

Schedule I Faces Copyright Infringement Allegations Amidst Fan Backlash

In a surprising twist, the indie game Schedule I, a co-op crime simulation where players climb the ranks from a small-time dope pusher to a kingpin, has been accused of copyright infringement by Movie Games S.A., the developers behind the The Drug Dealer Simulator series. According to a report by the Polish Press Agency on April 3, Movie Games S.A. concluded that Schedule I may have infringed on their intellectual property by borrowing plot elements, game mechanics, and even the user interface from their titles.

Despite the ongoing investigation, fans have taken sides, and it appears that Schedule I enjoys stronger support. In a remarkable turn of events, both The Drug Dealer Simulator and Drug Dealer Simulator 2 have faced a barrage of negative reviews on Steam, now labeled as "Overwhelmingly Negative" and "Mostly Negative" respectively. The recent reviews criticize Movie Games S.A. for what is perceived as bullying an indie developer and highlight the company's apparent hypocrisy, given that similar titles existed prior to Schedule I without facing legal challenges.

This backlash is notable, especially since the Drug Dealer Simulator series has been praised as one of the best criminal management games by various outlets and fans. Meanwhile, Schedule I, released for Early Access on PC on March 25, has garnered "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews on Steam and currently ranks as the platform's 2nd top-selling game. It has surpassed popular titles like inZOI, Monster Hunter Wilds, and another indie game, R.E.P.O., with an all-time peak of 459,075 concurrent players according to SteamDB.

At Game8, we found Schedule I to be a surprisingly addictive and rewarding experience, earning it the nickname "Breaking Bad" simulator. For more insights on our thoughts about Schedule I's early access release, be sure to check out our detailed review below!

Schedule I’s Copyright Infringement Accuser Gets Review Bombed on Steam

Indie dope pushing simulator title Schedule I has been accused of copyright infringement by Movie Games S.A., the developers of The Drug Dealer Simulator series. As published by the Polish Press Agency on April 3, Movie Games S.A. has finished their legal analysis and concluded that Schedule I may have violated The Drug Dealer Simulator IP rights. Based on their investigation, Schedule I used their games’ plot, mechanics, and even their user interface.

Despite nothing officially coming out of the investigation yet, fans have already sided with either of the titles, but it seems like Schedule I has more supporters. The Drug Dealer Simulator and Drug Dealer Simulator 2 have received multiple negative reviews on Steam, which are now tagged as "Overwhelmingly Negative" and "Mostly Negative" respectively.

Most of the recent reviews they received revolve around Movie Games S.A.’s bullying of the indie developer and their hypocrisy, as there were also previous titles of the same likeness to their game, yet were never called out until Schedule I’s release. This backlash comes despite the series being considered as one of the best criminal management games by different outlets and fans alike.