Originally released on PC in 2020 by Byterunners Game Studio and published by Movie Games, Drug Dealer Simulator was an unexpected cult hit. Offering a grounded, systems-heavy take on the criminal underworld, it was five years later that the game finally arrived on Xbox Series X/S.

This console port doesn’t bring major upgrades but delivers the core simulation experience. The real question is though, in 2025, with a full sequel already out on PC, is it still worth playing?

The answer depends on your tolerance for outdated visuals and repetitive loops, but for fans of niche sims, there’s still something here worth exploring.

You begin in a cramped apartment as a low-level dealer, trying to climb the ranks of the underground economy. Orders come in through a burner phone, and from there, you’ll be weighing and bagging orders and dropping off stashes while avoiding police, amongst other tasks.

The gameplay is a mix of street hustle and strategy. You’re not just cruising around doing deals. You’re trying to control multiple supply chains, watching out for cops, upgrading your gear, and slowly expanding your turf.

As your rep grows, new parts of the city open up, giving you more room to go on with your business. Despite the dark subject matter, the gameplay can sometimes feel surprisingly calming as you get into the rhythm of managing your operation.

There are no over-the-top shootouts or chaotic heists here. Instead, tension builds through surveillance, movement, and routine paranoia. It’s a deliberate experience built for players who enjoy optimization and risk assessment.

The Xbox Series X version runs mostly fine. Load times are snappy, and the framerate holds steady at around 60 FPS. Crashes are rare, and most legacy bugs from the early PC version have apparently been addressed.

Here’s where the age shows. This is effectively a direct port of the 2020 game, and it looks like it. The city doesn’t quite come to life the way you’d hope. NPCs move stiffly, the environments lack detail, and the look feels dated.

There are no visual enhancements specific to Series X/S, no ray tracing, no 4K textures, and no dynamic lighting upgrades. This is a “functional” port rather than a remaster.

While the interface has been adapted for controller use, it’s still awkward. The drug mixing and inventory systems were designed with mouse-and-keyboard in mind. Managing multiple ingredients, labelling bags, or organizing your stash becomes tedious with a controller.

Foot movement and basic first-person controls work well enough. There’s no noticeable input lag, and sprinting, crouching, and interacting with the environment are responsive. However, things like fast inventory management are sluggish and occasionally imprecise.

However, the game’s age is hard to ignore. The audio design is minimal, doing little to elevate immersion, and the repetition in tasks starts to wear thin over longer play sessions.

With Drug Dealer Simulator 2 already out on PC (and a console release on the horizon), this Xbox version feels like a latecomer that will mainly appeal to curious newcomers or diehard sim fans.

If you’re looking for something different and can forgive the outdated presentation, there’s a compelling experience underneath the grime. Just know what you’re getting into, and maybe consider waiting for the sequel if polish and modern features matter more to you.

Written by: Bradley Thorsen