It’s a scenario that’s become almost a rite of passage for notorious open-world games: your blockbuster release conquers Steam charts, only to be yanked from sale in Australia for running afoul of the country’s famously strict ratings board. Schedule 1, the meteoric GTA-inspired crime sim from TVGS, is the latest high-profile title to vanish from the Aussie Steam store, despite record-setting player numbers and rave reviews. But why has this drug-dealing empire builder disappeared, and when might it return?
Publisher|TVGS
Release Date|March 2025
Genres|Open-world, Crime, Simulation
Platforms|PC (Steam)
With Grand Theft Auto 6 still MIA, Schedule 1 has stepped into the void for fans of sprawling, criminal underworld sandboxes. The game’s premise is as provocative as its name: players build a narcotics empire, cultivating illegal crops, outmaneuvering rivals, and expanding territory through a blend of tactical planning and outright violence. Since its March release, Schedule 1 has drawn more than 174,000 user reviews-an eye-watering 98% of which are positive. In April, the game boasted a peak of 459,000 concurrent players, briefly overtaking the likes of GTA 5 and Payday 2 in the Steam charts.
But for Australian gamers, that meteoric rise has hit a sudden bureaucratic wall. As developer Tyler explains, Schedule 1 is currently hidden from purchase in Australia, not due to a ban, but because it lacks a formal age classification – a legal requirement for all digital games sold in the territory. “I thought this was only required for console and physical releases,” Tyler admitted. “I’m contacting the ratings agency today and getting this resolved ASAP. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
This isn’t the first time a high-profile game has fallen foul of Australia’s classification system. Titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Fallout 3, and Saints Row have all faced bans or removals, only to return after tweaks or successful appeals. The process can be frustratingly opaque and slow, but history suggests that Schedule 1’s removal may only be temporary—especially given the developer’s rapid response.
For now, Australian players will need to wait while TVGS navigates the red tape. In the meantime, fans everywhere else are busy optimizing their drug labs and discovering the most efficient distribution networks. And when the game returns to Australia (which seems likely), the real question will be whether its virtual empire can grow even larger—perhaps with some new “classified” content, inspired by its brief banishment.
TL;DR: Schedule 1, TVGS’ smash-hit open-world crime game, has been pulled from Steam in Australia due to missing age classification paperwork, but the developer is working to restore access. With a massive player base and glowing reviews, its return down under feels all but inevitable.
Source: TVGS via GamesPress