Schedule 1 copycat appears on PlayStation as PC game goes viral on Steam

After becoming a viral hit on Steam, a Schedule 1 clone has already appeared on the PlayStation Store and it draws heavily from the original game.

Since launching on March 24 in early access, Schedule 1 has become an instant sensation, dominating the Steam charts and racking up thousands of players. The game puts you in control of an aspiring drug kingpin, who’s forced to build their own empire from scratch.

The overnight success has surprised virtually everyone, especially when you consider that it’s made by a small indie developer, working under the name TVGS. With this in mind, a console version hasn’t been announced and, even if it does happen, is seemingly a long way off.

However, a new listing has appeared on the PlayStation Store that bears a striking resemblance to Schedule 1.

“Schedule 1 Syndicate” appears on PS Store

Under the trending games section, a game titled ‘Schedule 1 Syndicate’ can be found, marked with the label “just announced.” Although it’s currently not available to download or even pre-order, it can be added to your wishlist to receive future updates.

The four images provided are eerily similar to Schedule 1, showing characters holding guns, growing suspicious-looking plants, and even a shot of a food joint that’s clearly reminiscent of Taco Tickers.

Adventure Games S.R.L / Sony

The description is also pretty familiar to anyone who has been playing the viral Steam sensation, reading: “A gritty and darkly charming crime-life sim where your rise to the top starts at the very bottom. You roll into a rundown city with empty pockets, no product, and a whole lot of ambition.”

Later, it references features that let you “experiment with recipes to cook up potent new blends and keep your customers coming back for more.”

But while this all sounds exactly like Schedule 1, it’s not developed by TVGS. Instead, the listing has been added by Adventure Games S.R.L., who don’t appear to be associated with the original Schedule 1 developer in any way.

It’s not unusual for clones of successful games to pop up, especially when they’re limited to a single platform. With console players not able to play Schedule 1 for the foreseeable future, it was almost inevitable that a similar game would appear.

It remains to be seen if Schedule 1 Syndicate actually launches on PS5 or PS4, or if the listing will be removed before anyone is able to play it.

At the time of writing, TVGS are yet to acknowledge the post.