Summary
- Schedule 1 popularized drug business simulator games unexpectedly, captivating players with addictive gameplay.
- Managing a drug business is a common theme across games like Godfather 2, Scarface, and GTA Online.
- From Drug Dealer Simulator to Drug Lord Tycoon, players can experience unique challenges and growth in the drug trade.
The release of Schedule 1 started 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 1: Best Ways To Make Money Fast
Here's how to get your business moving in Schedule 1 and start turning a profit.
Schedule 1 is 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 to Schedule 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 of Schedule 1, but instead, they focus on managing illegal businesses in a bigger scope.
5 The Godfather 2
Acquire Illegal Businesses In The City
The Godfather II
- Released
- April 7, 2009
- ESRB
- mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- EA Redwood Shores
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
In many ways, The Godfather 2 failed to deliver the same experience of its predecessor. 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 2 also 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.
4 Scarface: The World Is Yours
Become The Kingpin Of The South
Scarface: The World Is Yours
- Released
- July 25, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Radical Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS2, Wii, Xbox (Original)
Playing quite similar to The Godfather 2, things are a bit more detailed in Scarface: The World Is Yours about the drug businesses. Instead of being a side activity, managing and expanding a cocaine business in Scarface is 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 an action-oriented experience and doesn't really go deep into managing a cartel business.
3 Grand Theft Auto Online
Managing A Large-Scale Underground Business
Grand Theft Auto Online
- Released
- October 1, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
Among the many different businesses that players can run in Grand Theft Auto Online, drug dealing is one of the most profitable ones. Similar to Scarface, Grand Theft Auto Online is also more about managing the business without going into the details.
GTA Online: 24 Things To Do If You Are Bored
Players who find themselves bored in GTA Online should try the following cool activities to spice things up.
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.
2 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Buy Low, Sell High
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
- Released
- March 17, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar North
- Franchise
- Grand Theft Auto
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS, PSP, Android, iOS
Before Grand Theft Auto Online, the drug dealing business was introduced in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars as a side activity to help players earn some more cash. Chinatown Wars doesn't actually let the player grow their business and become a drug lord. Instead, the player mostly acts as a dealer in the city.
In Chinatown 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.
1 Cartel Tycoon
Leading A Scary Cartel Inspired By Escobar's Crew
Cartel Tycoon
- Released
- March 18, 2021
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
Unlike most games on the list, Cartel Tycoon is an RTS experience where 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.
8 Real-Time Strategy Games With The Steepest Learning Curves, Ranked
Players will have to put in the work and the hours to fully master these RTS games with incredibly steep learning curves.
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.
Schedule I
- Developer(s)
- TVGS
- Publisher(s)
- TVGS
