You’re a low-level drug runner thrust into the seedy underbelly of crime, with minimal resources and big ambitions. Beginning with basic ingredients ordered via a dark-web laptop, you mix, package, and hand-deliver drugs on foot. Over time, you build a reputation, unlock territory, and expand operations. Starting from simple street hustles to multiple labs and recruited dealers. This is a classic rags-to-riches crime story. Welcome to Drug Dealer Simulator. Now on Playstation 5.
Drug Dealer Simulator
Genres: Action, Adventure, Indie, Simulation
Publisher: Movie Games S.A., Ultimate Games S.A.
Developer: Byterunners Game Studio
Release Date: June 20th, 2025
Platform: Steam, PC, Xbox, and PS5 (Reviewed)
Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product from https://www.keymailer.co
As this game is different from most other games I play, this review will be structured differently. This will be more appropriate to cover the game adequately. As the review goes on, readers will see why this review is completely structured differently from other reviews.
Gameplay Mechanics & Systems:
The Gameplay can be broken down in the following way for Drug Dealer Simulator:
1. Gameplay Loop
Ordering & Processing: You acquire raw components, mix ingredients at your hideout’s mixing table, package them precisely to control potency and effects. Sales & Expansion: Direct in-person deliveries build your street reputation and income. As you level up, you unlock tech, labs, and support staff. Scaling Up: Hire dealers, set operations in motion, buy hideouts or labs, and organize logistics to push your empire forward.
2. Risk-Reward & Law Enforcement: The tension between making deals and dodging the cops is constant. Getting spotted by patrols triggers chase sequences—if you escape, the operation lives on. If caught, you face fines, lose stock, and damage your rep. From early reports, this cat-and-mouse mechanic adds real stakes to driver-based expansion
3. Money Management & Laundering: Cash is dirty by nature (dirty money from the drug deals), so the game forces you to invest in local businesses or use laundering avenues to make your money usable. At first, laundering eats a chunk of your profits, but it becomes essential infrastructure as your earnings rise
PS5 Updates:
I did a bit of research here and found some of the differences that are on the PS5. The PS5 version of Drug Dealer Simulator launches fully patched with all prior updates, including the PC’s Casino DLC. It runs smoothly at 60 FPS and up to 1440p, offering performance parity with the PC version. However, visuals remain gritty and utilitarian. However, the visuals, I guess, fit the aesthetics of the game.
Strengths of the game:
Immersive Simulation: The game offers rich, systems-heavy gameplay—from chemistry mixing to supply-chain logistics. Each decision, from formula tweaks to dealer placement, carries weight. They wanted to capture the realism in this game. Compelling Progression: Every step forward, from safer sales to more complex labs, provides a tangible “empire-building” thrill. Again, a true rags-to-riches story.
Weaknesses of the game:
Visual Rough Edges: The world feels sparse, with basic lighting and occasional clipping, more rough-around-the-edges than experienced PC visuals (did this from doing comparisons from YouTube videos of the PC version to playing the game). The game looks rough. Once your operation is automated and territories are saturated, gameplay becomes more routine than stimulating. I felt this early on, and the game instantly felt like a drag. You are given a very bare minimum of a story, so you gotta leave it to the imagination.
Wrap-up/Conclusion:
So this begs the question: Who is Drug Dealer Simulator for? From playing the game and doing a bit of research, it is for fans of sandbox management sims who enjoy building systems from scratch. Players who relish hands-on logistics (duh, simulator). Anyone seeking a deep story, or even a narrative-driven story, will be bored as can be playing this game. There is also a lack of variety in this game. So even now, after I forced myself to finish this game, I still ask Who is this game for? The simplest answer is fans of simulation games. This, unfortunately, is not me, and I honestly felt like this was the worst game I played in 2025 so far.
Until next time, Mgs2master2 out!
Score 5/10 – The PS5 release of Drug Dealer Simulator is a raw, systems-first crime simulator. It delivers a deeply strategic offense, but shows its indie origins through dated visuals and repetition in later stages. If you are a fan of simulator games, I can only see this game being for you; anyone else, I would stay away from it.