Steam's Highest-Rated Game Of 2025 Isn't A Big-Budget AAA Release - It's A Surprise Hit From New Solo Developer

The highest-rated Steam game of the year isn't a triple-A blockbuster: it's Schedule I, the drug-dealing simulator by solo dev TVGS. In Schedule I, players are given all the tools they need to create their own empires: from manufacturing machines to hirable assistants to a town full of willing customers. It's up to them how they play it, what substances they choose to whip up, and how they sell them - but no matter what, chaos and hilarity are sure to ensue.

It's been a landmark year for gaming: tons of massive, big-budget titles have hit the market, while many smaller, indie underdogs have become unexpected overnight successes. While player responses have been as varied and unpredictable as ever, they're especially positive when it comes to Schedule I, which speaks volumes about popular tastes.

Schedule 1 Has Beaten Out Lots Of Great Games For Steam's Top Spot

Steam's Top-Rated Game Of The Year So Far

According to SteamDB, Schedule I is the highest-rated game of 2025 on Steam, with a 97.15% positive rating. It's followed closely by another indie game, albeit one with a bit more of a pedigree: Deltarune, the Undertale spinoff that came to Steam earlier this summer, with a 96.83% positive rating.

Schedule I is made entirely by solo developer TVGS - Tyler's Video Game Studio - along with composer Kaesul and graffiti artist Cody To. Relatively little is known about Tyler, but Schedule I is his first project, and he's been vocal on social media about developing it. He's constantly sharing updates about what's coming to the game next, and I'm sure this transparency - along with a steady stream of new content - is part of what's kept Schedule I's rating so high.

Still, it's a little surprising to see Schedule I beat out bigger-name, bigger-budget competitors for the top spot on Steam. Split Fiction, the latest co-op title from Josef Fares, takes the number four spot on the list, with 95.89% positive reviews. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which many have already pointed to as an early Game of the Year contender, comes in ninth, with 94.67%.

But still, it almost feels wrong to call Clair Obscur a big game - it's also developed by a small team, although its bigger budget and triple-A feel make it look like less of an underdog. The fact of the matter is that smaller, mostly indie games absolutely dominate SteamDB's top ten chart, and that's a wonderful thing to see.

Schedule 1 Proves A Big Budget Doesn't Make A Great Game

Vision, Community, & Transparency Are Key

Ultimately, it just goes to show that players don't always want massive, big-budget games - especially not on PC. Realistic graphics, all-star voice casts, and series pedigree alone don't garner good player reviews.

What's really key is a developer with a unique vision: whether that's Toby Fox's pastiche of classic RPG tropes; Guillaume Broche's desire for a modern, triple-A turn-based game; or Tyler's desire to create an absurd, yet unexpectedly deep simulation of the illegal drug trade.

Gameplay is also vitally important: you'll note that most of these top-ten-rated games are known for the complexity, depth, addictiveness, or sheer fun of their gameplay. With Schedule I, multiplayer is especially key. It's part of an emergent genre of co-op multiplayer games that require players to delegate tasks, and usually involves some degree of overall absurdity. The category was recently dubbed "friendslop," largely because it seems like a new one comes out every month - see Peak's astronomical player counts in recent days.

Personally, I have a lot of patience for games like this - even if you only play them once, they tend to be very modestly priced, so it's no great loss. But Schedule I's regular updates have given it much longer legs. Its developers have shown unparalleled transparency and willingness to engage with the fan community, which is no small part of what's kept player reviews positive.

Since TVGS is so honest about when updates are coming and what's included, players are less inclined to leave bad reviews because they encountered a game-breaking bug, or ran out of content before they felt they got their money's worth. Schedule I even lets players vote on what the developers should prioritize in future updates. This is not totally unprecedented, but it's a great way to keep your player base loyal and engaged. Plus, its relatively low price definitely can't hurt - with frequent content updates, you're getting a lot of bang for your buck.

So really, it's no surprise that Schedule I is such a success. It may not have much of a pedigree behind it, but it's a good game, it's updated regularly, and it does right by its players. Schedule I has definitely earned its place as the best-rated game of 2025 on Steam, and I'd be surprised if anything managed to dethrone it.

Source: SteamDB