Drug Dealer Simulator dev plans to sue their publisher, Movie Games, following backlash over Schedule I dispute and console profits

Schedule I was hands down one of Steam’s biggest hits in April. But the indie success didn’t just catch players’ attention as comparisons to Drug Dealer Simulator kept popping up, the DDS publisher, Movie Games, launched an investigation into Schedule I. Later, it turned out this move wasn’t backed by the actual DDS developers, Byterunners. Now, Byterunners has gone public with a statement about their clash with Movie Games and says they’re preparing to take the publisher to court.

Drug Dealer Simulator devs break with publisher Movie Games

After the whole Schedule I vs. Drug Dealer Simulator drama blew up, publisher Movie Games tried to calm things down, saying there was no lawsuit, just an investigation into the similarities between the two games. But the damage was already done, and DDS 1&2 ended up getting review-bombed on Steam.

Now, the devs at Byterunners released a statement, saying their trust in Movie Games was broken after the publisher went after Schedule I. They also accuse Movie Games of unfair contract changes, withholding console profits, and even copyright violations. Attempts to settle things peacefully went nowhere.

Byterunners say Movie Games only agreed to talks after learning that journalist Grzegorz Suteniec was about to publish an article in Puls Biznesu about the conflict. But the negotiations quickly fell apart. Then, once the article went live on September 8, Movie Games banned Byterunners from the official DDS Discord and cut off their access to DDS 1&2 assets. The studio now says they’re prepared to take the matter to court.

Byterunners’ dev blasts Movie Games over his revenue, and Schedule I controversy

The article mentioned above explains that Rafal Pecherzewski, creator of Drug Dealer Simulator, has formally demanded 40% of console profits and payment for unpaid work on DDS 2, citing Poland’s “bestseller clause” to argue that his compensation is disproportionately low. He previously proposed a settlement, but Movie Games reportedly ignored it. Pecherzewski has worked with the publisher for over seven years, creating the first DDS almost solo and later taking over DDS 2 under promised terms.

Pecherzewski claims he wasn’t paid for a DDS update he worked on without a formal contract and hasn’t transferred copyright to Movie Games. The publisher disputes this, saying the update wasn’t delivered as agreed. He also contests console revenue rights, arguing that console ports couldn’t be released without his consent, while Movie Games says the contracts grant them full control over console sales.

Relations broke down even further after Movie Games’ dispute with the Schedule I developer, leading to contract changes, new demands for features like vehicles and firearms, and an ultimatum that he either accept the new scope or lose console revenue shares. Movie Games denies ignoring settlement attempts, claiming they actively engaged with him and offered multiple cooperation scenarios.

Settlement between Pecherzewski and Movie Games seems unlikely, and he no longer expects to continue working with the publisher. He plans to finish DDS 2, wrap up formalities, and move on to new projects with his team. Regarding Schedule I, he doesn’t feel wronged by its success but believes Movie Games’ plagiarism claims against it led to review-bombing that hurt DDS 2 sales, saying:

But as the article says, “Movie Games believes that the creators of Schedule I drew heavily from DDS. The company has left the matter to its lawyers, noting that it hopes to reach a settlement”. They also disagree with Pecherzewski and denies that the conflict with the Australian developer negatively affected sales. The company also refuses to provide updates on the dispute, citing the importance of ongoing negotiations.

Schedule I

March 24, 2025

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