If you haven’t heard of it, you’ve probably been living under a rock. Schedule 1 is currently sitting in the top 3 games on Steam. Within a week of its launch, it became the #1 top selling paid game on the platform, and at the moment, it boasts around 200,000 concurrent players, with an all time peak of nearly half a million – and all of this came from one guy: Tyler, founder of TVGS.
If that’s not a success story, I don’t know what is.
Of course, no one’s really arguing against its success… well, maybe Drug Dealer Simulator is feeling a little salty. The creators claim the games are a little too “similar,” which is kind of like saying all medieval fantasy games owe royalties to Skyrim. At this point, maybe every drug dealer needs to file a trademark. But that’s a rabbit hole that can go deeper and deeper.
Let’s talk about the real reason you’re reading this: how Schedule 1 blew up.
The Strategy That Worked
There’s one BIG marketing strategy that Tyler used to make this thing go nuclear: influencers.
Sure, there were other parts in the mix, but influencer marketing was the jet fuel. And Tyler didn’t wait around. He dropped an early access demo back on December 9, 2024 – months before the full release. This gave content creators (and your average players), something to sink their teeth into.
Plenty of creators streamed or posted videos of Schedule 1, both pre-release and post-launch. Some likely found it organically thanks to the demo’s rising popularity. But for some Tyler more than likely reached out to directly. And no, there’s no “super secret influencer hack.” Reaching out with authenticity and an understanding of what creators are looking for goes a long way.
Visual Identity That Stands Out
Another major win? The visual and art style of Schedule 1. It’s distinct. It doesn’t look like every other indie game. In an era where scrolling through Steam feels like deja vu, that kind of originality is marketable.
It’s also probably why Drug Dealer Simulator’s team is side-eyeing it so hard. But let’s be honest, trying to claim ownership over a genre is just plain silly. Especially when someone else is out there doing it better.
Was There Some Luck? Maybe. But…
Some people may say Schedule 1 got lucky, similar to other popular indie games like Lethal Company or R.E.P.O., and although there may be a tiny sliver of truth to that, luck is usually the byproduct of effort. Basically, you get what you put in.
The takeaway? You don’t need a massive budget. You don’t need a full PR agency. You need:
- A unique, well-built game
- A strategy that gets people to talk about your game
- A willingness to put yourself out there
If you’re looking to get started with your own game’s marketing, think about influencers. They’re not just a “bonus” – they’re often one of the most powerful distribution tools that you’ve got. But every game is different, and every audience responds to different things. Just stay true to your vision, connect with your players, and be flexible with your marketing strategy.
Anyway, if you’re looking for actionable steps to kickstart your indie game marketing, check out our Free Indie Game Marketing Guide here: https://wardenmedia.gg/freemarketingguide. It’s packed with tips and strategies to help level up your game brand.
Keep experimenting, keep engaging, and most importantly: keep creating. Your players will thank you for that.
