August 2025: Big Cartel’s Schedule 1 Update Promises Rival Cartels and a New Level of Challenge

In a major development for the indie-game hit Schedule 1, developer TVGS has rolled out a significant new update for its open beta branch on Steam, bringing a long-awaited feature to the game. The August 2025 update, dubbed “The Rival Cartel Update,” introduces a powerful rival organization known as the Benzies family. This is not a simple reskin but a fundamental change to the gameplay, offering players a new mid-to-late-game challenge that aims to address feedback about the game’s endgame content. For players immersed in the world of drug empire simulations, this update promises to inject a new level of competition and strategy, fundamentally changing how players manage their business. This is a crucial step for the game as it looks to build on its early success and maintain a dedicated player base in a competitive gaming market.

New Rivals, New Challenges: The Benzies Family Arrives

The Benzies family is more than just a new set of characters; they are a rival cartel with their own ambitions and methods, designed to provide a dynamic and unpredictable challenge. According to the patch notes for the v0.4.0 open beta, players will first encounter the Benzies family after unlocking a few customers in Westville. From there, the interactions will evolve from initial deals to a more confrontational relationship. The Benzies family will:

• Engage in Cartel-Player Deals: Players can initially make deals with the rival cartel, a new feature that adds a layer of diplomacy and risk to the game.
• Ambushes and Dealer Robbings: The Benzies family will actively work to disrupt the player’s operation, ambushing players and robbing their dealers, forcing players to be more strategic about their routes and security.
• Dead Drop Theft and Cartel-Customer Deals: The rivals will also steal from dead drops and even begin making deals directly with the player’s customers, forcing players to protect their territory and reputation.

This dynamic system is a direct result of a community vote held in June, where fans overwhelmingly chose a rival cartel update over other options. This level of community-driven development is a major highlight, showing that TVGS is listening to its player base and is committed to delivering the content they want most. The introduction of this powerful rival faction is a significant step toward making the game’s later stages more engaging and rewarding, providing a true test for veteran players who have already built a well-established operation. It’s a key update for a game that has seen massive success on Steam since its launch in March 2025.

More Than Just a Cartel: Additional Updates and Features

While the rival cartel is the main event, the August 2025 update also includes several other additions, tweaks, and bug fixes that improve the overall gameplay experience. The patch notes detail a number of quality-of-life improvements and new content that will be welcomed by the community:

• New Property and Vehicle: The update adds a new purchasable property, Hyland Manor, which can be acquired after completing the Benzies family storyline. A new vehicle, the “Hotbox,” has also been added, along with a new pump shotgun.
• Updated Region Unlock System: The way new regions are unlocked has been altered. Now, each region has a “cartel influence” level that must be reduced to a certain threshold before players can progress to the next area. This ties the new rival cartel mechanic directly into the game’s progression.
• New Player Options and Commands: The update includes new hairstyles for character customization and several new console commands for developers and modders.

These changes, along with various bug fixes and tweaks, demonstrate a commitment to refining and expanding the core gameplay. The developer’s transparency with the community, including an apology for the patch taking longer than expected, has been a key factor in building trust and maintaining a positive relationship with the player base. The August 2025 update for Schedule 1 is a clear sign that the game is continuing to evolve, offering a deeper and more challenging experience for its dedicated fans and cementing its place as a standout title in the world of PC gaming.