Fans of the breakout drug-dealing simulator Schedule 1 have become obsessed with an NPC after the character went viral for being “sus.” Players are so paranoid about being the victim of entrapment that Google searches about the potential snitch have even trended worldwide. No, I’m not kidding. Here’s how one NPC’s model has kept Schedule 1 players on their toes.
Undercover Paranoia Strikes Schedule 1
If you haven’t been online the past month, Schedule 1 is an indie-developed drug-dealer sim that has completely taken over Steam. Seriously, the game is consistently charting in the top 3 most played games on the Valve platform, and even peaked at a staggering 459,075 consecutive players. With goofy South Park-style graphics, the addictingly fun game has you going from Breaking Bad RV origins, to Scarface-level kingpin.
When you first start the game though, the very first dealer you unlock is a scruffy-looking NPC named Benji Coleman. Imagine players surprise however, when they later see that exact same character casually walking around the streets in a police uniform. So what gives? Is Schedule 1 trying to set players up from the very beginning by connecting them with an undercover police snitch?
The hilarious conundrum went viral after popular streamers such as CaseOh noticed that the similarities between the two characters were too much to ignore. And to be fair, if you look at the two character side-by-side they are literally the same person. It doesn’t help that the police officer NPC likes to give you the side-eye as if he already knows you.
So, Is Schedule 1 Benji an Undercover Cop?
Short answer: No, Benji is not an undercover cop in Schedule 1. However, it’s always possible that developer TVGS could update the game in the future to make the NPC a shady officer of the law. As of right now, there is no indication that this was intentional and its speculated that the game was just re-using character models.
If nothing else though, the virality of Benji in Schedule 1 is proof to just how popular the indie game has become in such a short period of time. Seriously, this $20 game has already pulled in almost 4 time as many players as Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Wild stuff. The excitement players have over silly in-game lore in Schedule 1 also reminds me of rabid fandom Minecraft developed in the 00s.
I have to admit I was skeptical at first about Schedule 1 when it first started taking off online. However, it was the explosion of viral clips on TikTok and YouTube shorts discussing things like Benji that has me interested in checking it out. And damnit, if the game didn’t immediately hook me pretty early on with its simple but fun gameplay.
While I have no interest in becoming the next Walter White, it’s hard not to crack a smile when you see Schedule 1’s violent gameplay in contrast with its goofy looking graphics. In fact I’m half convinced that the game’s success relies on dubious NPCs like Benji Coleman looking like they stepped right out of a South Park generator. For those paranoid they will get busted by the scruffy NPC, you can relax a little the next time you talk to him. He’s not a snitch, for now.
The post Why Are ‘Schedule 1’ Players Convinced A Popular NPC Is an Undercover Cop? – Snitch Paranoia Is Very Real appeared first on VICE.
