Schedule I is a first-person open-world crime simulation game where players build and manage a drug trafficking operation in the fictional city of Hyland Point. Gameplay combines business management with tactical strategy, as players grow and manufacture various substances, sell to residents while avoiding police, and expand through hiring employees and purchasing properties. Drugs can be mixed with various ingredients to alter their effects and increase sell value. Players must contend with law enforcement mechanics including random searches, roadblocks, and a wanted system. The game also features an active modding community and cooperative multiplayer.