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After blowing up in popularity, Schedule 1 has become embroiled in controversy and is under investigation for possible copyright infringement.
The popular early access indie title, Schedule 1, is said to be under investigation for suspected copyright infringement. According to reports, the game suspiciously shares too many similarities with another indie game by Movie Games S.A. called Drug Dealer Simulator (DDS). According to the publisher behind DDS, Schedule 1 bears suspicious similarities like overlapping gameplay systems, UI/UX design, and even thematic elements.
Since both games revolve around running a fictional drug-dealing business, the boundaries between inspiration and imitation are now being debated.
Note: This article focuses on Schedule 1 and Drug Dealer Simulator and their respective content, which is a video game set in fictional worlds. Items, recipes, etc, mentioned in the article are exclusively from the game and don’t refer to anything in real life.
Also Read: Schedule 1 Infinite Money Cheat Explained
Schedule 1 Copyright Infringement Allegations
According to a report from Biznes PAP, a Polish news agency, Movie Games S.A. believes the game Schedule 1 is infringing on its IP. At the time of writing this article, no official lawsuit has been filed. But Movie Games S.A. alleges that Schedule 1 bears an uncanny resemblance to its Drug Dealer Simulator franchise. The company said the case was one of “unfair competition,” indicating the two games are too similar to exist in the same marketplace without causing confusion or damage to their brand.
Though the claims are serious, Movie Games S.A. has not revealed exact information about which part of Schedule 1 is claimed to be infringing their intellectual property. They mentioned on Reddit that the case is still under review, and no additional information will be provided until the internal review is over.
According to the post, the publisher clarified that they have no ill intentions toward TVGS.
“There is no lawsuit. It is not our intention to prevent TVGS from selling or developing their game.”
“However, we are obligated to perform this investigation, act accordingly to the scope of the infringement if it is confirmed, and inform the public about it via ESPI.”
The investigation, Movie Games S.A. says, was dictated by “repeating opinions that the games are very similar.” As a publicly listed company, they have to report such a thing for transparency. Otherwise, they can be accused of negligence. The post also clarified that the investigation was purely done by the publisher, Movie Games S.A. This means Byterunners, the developers behind DDS, are not involved in this investigation.
Also Read: Schedule 1: All Businesses and How You Can Buy Them
Gaming Community Reacts to Schedule 1 Controversy
Following the reports, discussion around the gaming community emerged. In the Schedule 1 community, fans believe that Movie Games S.A. is gatekeeping an entire genre.
A Reddit user by the name of Creepy-Animator9779 states how this concept has already been done by other games, especially Rockstar Games’ hit title Grand Theft Auto.
“Let’s be real: drug economy sims have existed for decades. Dope Wars, Drug Wars, Cartel Tycoon, even parts of GTA. You don’t “own” the concept of illegal economies in a video game just because you were slightly earlier to Steam.”
Some users also shared how if this kind of allegation gets tolerated, it could open up more issues where publishers will try and gatekeep a “genre-defining mechanic.” According to Reddit user MorbotheDiddlyDo:
“Not even the drug-dealing aspect, but saying you can copyright such a broad mechanic that could arguably define a genre of games would be like Call of Duty taking to court all first-person shooters. including Duck Hunt, which came before it.“
Jumping to the Drug Dealer Simulator community, the game’s predicament is also being discussed. Some fans support the need to protect the integrity of the franchise. However, others have expressed sympathy for the publisher, Movie Games S.A. According to Reddit user freakyg1, the investigation may be more of a corporate obligation than a personal vendetta.
“Poor company, they just HAD to start an investigation, didn’t have a choice… Ask your shareholders what do they think about the consequences, I bet they don’t like the -11.7%, but maybe they do.”
For now, TVGS, the developer behind Schedule 1, has yet to comment on the allegations made. The game recently released a new update with a ton of new content to explore, including the now accessible Boutique and Pawn Shop.
We provide the latest news and create guides for Schedule 1. Meanwhile, you can check out the following Schedule 1 articles or catch us playing games on Twitch and YouTube:
