Honestly, where is TSW even going at this point? I’ve been part of this series for many years now and after spending hundreds of euros on the game and its DLCs, I’m reaching a point where I genuinely question what direction this product is supposed to be going in. One of the biggest problems, especially on the German side of TSW, is the constant recycling of the same rolling stock. The BR 423 has been around since TSW2. The ICE 3 has been around since SKA. Many routes keep being built around exactly those trains again and again. Yes, occasionally something new appears, but when you compare what we get to the massive variety of modern German passenger trains that exist in reality, the amount of genuinely new rolling stock added over the years is honestly extremely small. Take a look at how many major modern German trains are completely missing from the game after all these years. The ICE 4, the Desiro HC, the FLIRT 3, the KISS, the IC2, the Twindexx, the list goes on. These are trains that dominate modern passenger operations in Germany, yet they are still nowhere to be seen in TSW after 9 years of this series. Instead we keep getting new routes where the timetable is conveniently set in a year that allows DTG to reuse as much existing content as possible. Mannheim–Kaiserslautern is a perfect example of that. Instead of representing modern operations with newer rolling stock, the route was deliberately set right before fleet changes so that most services could be filled with trains already in the game. And even when we do get something “new”, it often ends up being minor variations of existing vehicles. Slight modifications of existing wagons, slightly tweaked versions of trains we already have, or freight locomotives that many passenger-focused players were not really asking for in the first place. What makes this even more frustrating is the state in which some of this content releases. Even a lot of reused rolling stock frequently ships with bugs. The systems and features are technically there, but they often don’t work properly because of persistent issues. That means parts of the functionality end up being unreliable or effectively unusable in practice. Seeing content reused while parts of it are still not properly fixed just adds to the frustration. Another issue is value for money. Routes are consistently priced €36. That might be easier to justify if every release came with substantial new content, but when a route is relatively short and relies heavily on existing trains, it becomes very difficult for many players to see the value there. And before someone says “just don’t buy it”, that completely misses the point. Forums exist so players can give feedback and discuss the direction of the game. Many of us have invested hundreds of euros into this series over the years. Wanting the product to improve is not unreasonable. After eight years of this franchise, the amount of German rolling stock available in the game compared to how much money many players have spent is honestly disappointing. The potential of TSW is huge. The technology, the immersion, the idea of building a living railway network with layered timetables – all of that is fantastic. But the execution often feels like the bare minimum required to release another DLC. At this point it’s difficult not to feel like long-term players are being taken for granted. Many of us supported this series from the beginning, bought route after route, locomotive after locomotive, hoping the overall ecosystem would keep growing. Instead it often feels like we are still stuck driving the same handful of trains again and again. For me, the time has now come where I am simply only disappointed, feel betrayed, and will no longer invest any money in TSW. After years of disappointment and an increasingly frustrating and worsening situation, I have given up hope.
Well, what they create also depends on licensing and access. They can't really create a train if they don't have permission to use it. They can't use an operator if they can't get the branding or licensing rights. I don't think dtg would do unbranded content Then you have to consider who is creating it. A brand new community member or a single developer might not feel comfortable creating all brand new stuff if that makes sense. It's not that they are purposely not creating the newest of trains. It's a lot more factors
Not sure why the OP is in Suggestions and not just added to the Enough Is Enough thread in GD. As you where TSW is going, well the hot take for me is more and more reliance on 3P’s for content.
I heard someone say on a stream that Stadler are no longer allowing their trains in sims, which rules out a few trains, sadly. But I do agree that the trend of more and more routes (including a base route) coming without new trains is worrying.
I have reason to believe that it's not true or that it's a little bit more complicated than that. It may just be that Stadler don't co-operate with game developers so we're more reliant on full co-operation with service operators and access to the trains to get recordings, tech specs and performance data which could increase DLC production times and reduces the chances of them being featured. It could be that they have fairly complex cab dashboards and operating systems that could only really be replicated by making it a "study level" train. Which again would reduce opportunities to include a Stadler because most trains in TSW are made to be easy enough to pick-up for someone who isn't a train enthusiast or driver . Or it could just be one of those accidental anomalies behind why we've not seen a Stadler in TSW yet. None of the BR/National Rail UK EMUs in TSW were built before 1975 and even then all but three are from the 21st century. Whereas the oldest locomotives go back to the early 1950s and DMUs 1956. That's a big anomaly right there. They happen. And as an aside there have been some relatively recent Stadlers in TSC, the ATS Greater Anglia packs, I'm not aware there was any collaboration with or permissions sought from the manufacturer.
We do have a Stadler unit in TSW, the RABe 523 with Luzern route, but I understand they've withdrawn their support just like SBB have (both companies are close).
Where they have added new unbranded stuff (as opposed to debranding like Caltrain), it has been when they added new content to a route, and went with liveries without the logos. Sometimes that's an easy one to pull off with the existing licensing, like when TFW were using pacers in Arriva livery but without the branding, sometimes it's a case of getting it close enough that most people don't notice it mixed in with the branded stuff, like the GWR remaster.
For me, if it looks okay at first sight then I'm fine with that, I like variety and a route that feels alive (possibly why I've never got on with USA diesel routes). I like speed or at least, the feeling like I'm getting somewhere with other trains to look out for on the way. Even the 350s on the Heathrow Express services on the GWE seem to fit in, with their distinctive noise adding to the ambience. It'll be interesting when we get a route that's local to me or a route I've worked on in TSW and whether I'll become more precious about any compromises. I doubt I will, I'm more likely to send some wine to DTG with a "thank you" note.
