{"id":1300703,"date":"2026-04-07T15:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/UXC7tV7WR9RUJ65qFUZWr8"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:06:11","slug":"schedule-1s-rival-cartel-update-solves-its-biggest-problem-and-the-beta-is-available-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/schedule-1s-rival-cartel-update-solves-its-biggest-problem-and-the-beta-is-available-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Schedule 1’s Rival Cartel update solves its biggest problem, and the beta is available now"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

I didn’t foresee spending almost 50 hours with Schedule 1<\/a> earlier this year, and I’m a tad embarrassed by how much of that I accumulated in just a couple of weekends. It was the go-to for my friends and I in early April, and then we just\u2026 fell off hard.<\/p>\n

The 50 hours playtime in just a short window probably explains why we stopped, but Schedule 1’s biggest point of friction starts to show when you really beef up your drug dealing infrastructure. And well, that’s the problem\u2014there is no friction. At least nothing beyond the same handful of obstacles the game introduces early on. Outside of a few annoying cops standing around on street corners, there’s not much to worry about despite your status as a kingpin.<\/p>\n

The Rival Cartel update changes that, adding the Benzies family to Schedule 1’s beta branch for anyone to try. I hopped in not really expecting much, but after making a few rounds selling homemade goodies, two guys jumped out of the bushes near my place in Westville and shot me. I’ve never even fooled with the weapons in Schedule 1 since there was no immediate need, so of course I couldn’t do anything but run.<\/p>\n

I thought I’d gotten lucky and escaped, but the commotion caused the cops to come snoopin’ around and that’s how I wound up busted. I also lost the $5,000 or so in cash I had, plus the thousands in product I was lugging around.<\/p>\n

You would think that’d be enough damage to my druglord ego for the day, but no, it didn’t stop there. Shortly after making it home from jail, one of the dealers I employ, Brad, sent me a text explaining the Benzies robbed him of everything. Apparently you can get the rival dealers to agree to a truce, but man, they’re awfully hostile in the beginning.<\/p>\n

I’ve just gotten started, so I’ve got no idea what else my new neighbors have in their arsenal, but that’s already several more layers of conflict than Schedule 1 had before and I can already see this version of the game stealing more weekends from me. If you want to pop in too, you can\u2014the Schedule 1 update beta is available to anyone with the game on Steam.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Schedule 1 mixing recipes<\/strong><\/a>: The best combos
Schedule 1 dealers<\/strong><\/a>: Best customers and products
Schedule 1 cheats<\/strong><\/a>: Cheaters prosper
Schedule 1 bungalow setup<\/strong><\/a>: Big leagues
Schedule 1 pseudo<\/strong><\/a>: How to use this ingredient<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to access the Schedule 1 beta build<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n

\"The<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

(Image credit: Steam screenshot \/ Schedule 1 (TVGS))<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fortunately for anyone eager to play updates in progress, there’s not a whole lot to accessing the Schedule 1 beta branch. Before getting started, I recommend exporting your save file from the in-game menu, but afterward you can access the Schedule 1 beta by following these steps:<\/p>\n