I have no information others don't have, but guessing that Mattel will release the "popular" characters to get more sales, the ones not released yet in the top 10 or 11 are mentioned here: https://shapes.inc/guides/thomas-the-tank-engine-and-friends-characters-explained I found it interesting that this website predicted the first 5 out of 6 characters and it predicts the "next tier" is "Beyond the core group, the world of Sodor is populated by a wide variety of engines with specialized roles. Toby the tram engine, for instance, is a distinct brown 0-6-0 engine who manages the tramroad to the Ffarquhar Quarry. Duck, a Great Western Railway engine, operates his own branch line alongside Oliver, adding depth to the railway's organizational structure." It's not a page devoted to the game, but rather to the popularity of characters which makes sense. I didn't see Edward or Henry mentioned, but maybe those 3 (Oliver, Toby, Duck) and then Edward or Henry as the add on like James was in the first DLC? Since they already have the quarry line, it takes very little work to add this DLC beyond a few more services/scenarios and the locos themselves (maybe adding a few assets to the existing map to expand the quarry area and such) After that they start introducing branch likes like Skarloey? Just a thought.
Well Wonders of Sodor will be part of the Dovetail Direct, so I'd imagine it's highly likely extra characters will be added to it as DLC
It's clearly doing well for them then. If it widens the player base for the adult game in the near future that can only be a good thing. More players = more new content.
So here’s where things get interesting… Dovetail will have a booth at Gamescom tomorrow, and this was mentioned on their Gamescom exhibitor page: https://www.gamescom.global/en/exhibitor/dovetail-games What caught my attention is the wording they specifically used in the description: “classic steam team.” Not just “Steam Team” on its own, but “classic Steam Team.” Could this be a subtle hint toward tomorrow’s announcement including Henry, Edward, and Toby as the next characters? As I mentioned earlier, both Edward and Henry were mentioned in the game, while Toby was the only character mentioned in TSW5 who hasn’t appeared in Wonders of Sodor yet, despite Percy and Bertie both making it into the game. Of course, I could be overthinking this, but Dovetail seems to be using some very specific wording and terminology throughout the game. We’ve already seen things like Brendam and Suddery being shown on the map and The Little Western getting mentioned, along with a number of engines being name-dropped, including the three I mentioned above, as well as Duck and Oliver. So maybe “classic Steam Team” is just a generic phrase… or maybe it’s a little hint at what’s coming. Guess we’ll find out soon…
It likely just meant the cast as a whole, technically anyone could be considered part of the "classic steam team". Derek, Murdoch, Charlie, even anyone more recent before BWBA era.
The Steam Team specifically refers to the core group of engines that made up the main cast. In the earlier seasons before BWBA, that was essentially Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby, and Emily from Seasons 8-21. More recently, the core group was changed to Thomas, Percy, James, Gordon, Nia, and Rebecca, but that lineup only lasted for the final three seasons of the CGI era. So when Dovetail specifically says “classic Steam Team,” I don’t think it makes much sense to interpret that as meaning any character from the previous eras, like Derek, Murdoch, Charlie, etc., as they were never members of the Steam Team. That’s the distinction I was getting at with my original post. If they simply meant the classic cast as a whole, then sure, the wording could be interpreted that way. But “classic Steam Team” is a much more specific term than simply saying “classic characters” or “classic engines.” I’m still not saying it confirms anything about Henry, Edward, and Toby. It was just an interesting choice of wording, especially considering those three have already been referenced in connection with Wonders of Sodor.
That “classic steam team” text is lifted from the blurb from the original ad copy for the game from when it first came out, it’s nothing new.
And it looks like two characters just got confirmed! Henry and Toby, both from the classic steam team. Very, very excited for these updates as these two were also very comfortably at the top of my list. Hopefully Edward with the Brendam branch and Duck with the little western is in the next announcement/bundle!
Looks like Toby will indeed be coming to Thomas's branch and not with his Arlesdale End branch from the TVS. That leaves me wondering if the sheds at Ffarquhar will be added for him. Still would be interesting if we do get a WoS take on Toby's Arlesdale End.
A shed at Ffarquhar has never been depicted in the TV series. Personally I would like to see the quarry tramroad properly shown as such!
I meant the three sheds Thomas, Percy and Toby stay at in Season 2 and where they usually sleep in the Railway Series. The only other way we could reach Arlesdale End where his shed is in the TV series is if they connect that line to Thomas's branch.
