Who Thinks Tsw 5 Is Coming This Year?

Ask yourselves this; If TSW5 isn’t coming this Summer why haven’t DTG said so? It’s no skin off their nose to simply say ‘there will not be a TSW5 in 2024’. These speculation threads have been going on almost since TSW4 released and no comment of any description has been made. The silence tells me all I need to know. That extends to what has happened since TSW4’s release. From DTG’s point of view we’ve had virtually nothing by way of patches for the launch routes, we’ve had Maintalbahn (that hasn’t received a post-release patch), the WCU1 which contained a whole lot of not much and the upcoming Goblin Line, which is about 3 miles long. In short, DTG’s content release is glacial, and when this happens it’s always been for one reason and one reason only.

Additionally, given this ‘announcement’ later this month I think DTG are going to offer a subscription model alongside the stand-alone purchase. They know TSW5 will go down like a bag of smashed crabs, so offering an alternative way to pay will probably placate enough people to help it on it’s way. Either way, I believe TSW5 will come in the Summer and that will be when we see the new suspension, which will then be back patched to TSW4.

 

I like TSW4, I think Antelope Valley, Voralberg, Blackpool Branches and now the WSR upgrade are four of the best releases in TSW so far. But it's fair to expect answers to questions about content marketed at release that haven't so far materialised, and the combination of old issues reintroduced, the need to have to redownload everything, the increasing segregation of older content as new features are locked behind the newest version only - and frankly no need for an annual iteration of a game whose content doesn't "age" (ie like sports rosters, etc) in any way.

There are positive points - the release packs for a new "TSW" are good value (ie new routes and locos bundled), and I do enjoy the new features (although I'd argue only the switch from TOD3 to TOD4 has been objectively worth the negatives of having to switch up to a new version).

I'd hoped that being acquired by Focus/Pullup would have given DTG some breathing space from not having to make those kinds of decisions. But, still - all of these points are underpinned by one thing: I'd rather buy an annual upgrade (to a point) if the alternative was no more TSW at all, because Focus shutters the studio.

 

If TSW went to a subscription model, DTG would not see a penny more of my money towards it, regardless of how wanted or quality (yeah, right) the output was. Plenty of other train games or other stuff out there to keep me occupied. TSC alone I probably have more content than I could play out in this lifetime. Run 8 offers endless gameplay as do the two SCS truck games. Snowrunner would take a year or two playing nothing else to 100% just the existing DLC.

As things stand, TSW4 is teetering on the brink of being uninstalled, should I need the HD space for something more compelling.

 

Subscriptions are a big No for me.

 

Subscriptions will be the final nail in the coffin for me. If DTG are even considering this, here is my warning. Introduce subscriptions and I’ll never give you another penny. You have been warned.

 

These would be positive points only if they were done like with Train Simulator (Classic). You could skip any of the yearly editions if you weren't interested in included with it routes & locos, but could buy any of the new DLCs released afterwards. In the case of TSW - TSW2020 & Rush Hour were released this way.

 

I think it might even be possible and sensible to publish a TSW5, as some optimizations could be made here and the TSW could be put back together. It should also include at least new features and engine enhancements/improvements/fixes. In addition, buyers of TSW4 should receive at least a hefty discount for TSW5. Maybe DTG, or Pullup/Focus, won't blow it this time and get the game back on track.

 

As someone whose waited for the Vectron since TSW1, I can agree with that completely.

To me I genuinely hope maybe DTG does a slow down on releasing a New Game. The reputation doesn't stand very well anymore. My biggest worry currently is with editor made routes and how they'll ACTUALLY be released. It's even more concerning for Console as I don't think it'd be as simple as just releasing them on PC.

 

I’m gonna be honest Dovetail is taking the absolute mick take the hint you can’t bait people by adding new locos and what not Dovetail needs to learn if you want the game to thrive Talk to your Community ask what they want to come to TSW wether it is routes or Engines do it right and I swear to god if TSW5 happens I’m going on a cruise for over 2 months

 

If TSW5 comes out this summer, I’m selling my PS5 along with all my guitars and other possessions, moving to Antartica and helping out with whatever surveys they are doing down there at the moment in return for shelter and basic snack provisions. If the snacks run out I’ll wander off into the fog, never to return, and live wild amongst the penguins.

Only kidding. I’ll buy TSW5 and keep enjoying myself driving the trains.

 

I hope not. We should only be on TSW2 in my opinion. The way DTG does annual/every 2 year releases is infuriating.

 

Thankyou for your small shred of humour and sanity in this click bait thread! have you thought of contributing to ‘enough is enough’? ;-)

 

1,000,000% THIS

 

Rush Hour was a good way to buy discounted routes, the renumbering of 3 to 4 was a good way to get discounted routes, but other than free roam and photo mode there wasn't anything really new, I'm pretty sure they could have changed the UI colour from grey to orange in a patch.

The issue everyone has with 2 becoming 3 and 3 becoming 4 was bugs left unfixed on the old versions, there isn't any excuse for that. If a subscription option - or more realistically a series of season passes that granted access to upcoming DLCs - means we stop the abandonware approach then I would welcome it.

 

There won't be a season pass. They already looked into it and there would not be enough uptake to make it worthwhile (profitable).

It is inevitable there will be a major release later in the year as there always has been. Whether it will be TSW5 or something like Rush Hour remains to be seen. I quite like the yearly updates myself so I would be quite happy to have TSW5 in September.

My only issue is that with not enough freight in the routes (especially modern UK) I am finding it difficult to maintain interest in the constant stream of repetitive stop-start passenger routes.

 

I do often type out replies to that thread, some serious and some not so much, but delete them rather than post them because they end up being muddled ranting and nobody wants to read more of that!

 

Each to their own on a potential subscription service but they’re definitely not for me, I think they would only be a problem if it negatively affects those who don’t take that option in that scenario though.

 

they wouldn’t announce either way until it’s closer to the date tbh, it’s the same with routes/locos/countries upcoming.

 

I agree ECML was a huge opportunity missed, if DTG had done the right thing and taken it from Kings X, you know a real termini worthy of the name (and home of platform 9 3/4!) then included the very nice 700 in the route by adding the Hertford loop. then I'm convinced the player base would have loved it the same way the improved SEHS has got so much praise. You'd think they'd learn from their earlier mistakes. As a company they seem to always rush everything and then wonder why feedback is poor.

 

If it comes (which I think is likely) and has content I like and new features I like, then yes I will purchase it. I enjoy TSW4 in the main and I am sure I will feel the same about TSW5.

I know this is an unpopular opinion on this forum at the moment. It might surprise some, in what is becoming an echo chamber, that there are some, likely many who actually get enjoyment out of it.

 

I enjoy playing TSW4 and would probably buy TSW5, but that doesn't prevent me from constructive criticism and a plea for the devs to stop rushing everything and give us more value for money.

 

I like TSW on the whole, but why on earth do we need a new release every year? We simply don’t.

DTG will be better spending time improving what they have rather than wasting time, money and other resources on marketing the next numbered release.

 

This. While I enjoy my time with TSW, I honestly don't think TSW 3 should be a thing yet, let alone TSW4. If the game moved up to UE5 and dropped the 8th console gen, that would've been a good enough situation to do TSW3. The new core updates should've been a general annual update to TSW2, then have the routes that take advantage of these upgrades released as a three-pack or individually, Rush Hour style.

I don't know how much involvement Focus had with the creation of TSW4, but I honestly hope they stick with it for a few years. With that being said, I can totally see TSW5 happening this year but it'll emerge mid-late Summer rather than this upcoming Festival of Rail.

As for the hypothetical subscription model mentioned in this thread. As long as I could still buy my DLC the traditional way, I'd be indifferent to it. If it were to replace the current structure and go subscription only, then I'd have no choice but back away and stop supporting TSW.

 

As far as I see it, TSW3's release should have been TSW4's release with the TSW3 & 4 features together.

 

It’s not good for customers but money wise it was showing increased sales, from the start i have not been convinced that a dlc model like TSW (which is usually reserved for extra not large main parts of the game) would work the way customers would want it to though, it’s quite inevitable that sales would slow until a new game releases.

 

the way I’ve seen it was TSW1 was quite a very early development and quite questionable to sell to customers as Train Sim at full pricing.

TSW2 fixed a fair amount of TSW1 issues but since TSW2 nothing has really justified a full new game, new features all well and good but many were stuff what really should be quite standard and not really a whole games worth.

 

It shouldn't prevent you from voicing constructive criticism. There are plenty of flaws and I have expressed my dissatisfaction on certain things.

Although I would say not all the criticism since TSW4 has been constructive, some of it has been downright unpleasant including a few on here getting personal with other users.

 

Muddled ranting? On here? Surely not!

 

For me TSW5 should not happen until 2025. The development per year is not vast enough to warrant £30 to keep up. If they want to upgrade the core THIS year then it should be £10 max for TSW3/4 owners and I'd guess drop Gen 8 consoles.

I think WSR update has proven to me what should be one of the focuses going forward. I'd honestly say we don't need 5 routes released yearly. Make it 3, and have the team upgrade all the TSW2 routes to 4 LOD. On top of that, just like WSR, layers is the key for me. They should also be looking to make 2 or 3 Loco DLCs a year. These again can be layered in when going through the upgrades.

A busy route/terminals makes it more immersive, and im not talking 8 of the same train.
We have enough routes and DLC now that TVL and TP updated with lots more layers is almost a new game.
BCC is a great route but massively let down by New Stret being a church. I'd expect this to be extended in the near future to include a non electrified spur and add at least 4 or 5 layers.

Now if you add in JT, rivet and the others also developing routes and dlc alongside DTG then that quite a yearly output.

One more thing, BPO made exhaust smoke look a lot more realistic than previous offerings. This should be integrated to all routes as an improvement, it is after all a simulator. Including what they have just done with WSR.

 

If they drop Gen 8 then that'd be me done with the game. I'm not willing to fork out money for a brand new console just to be able to continue playing it.

Now, a few years into the future and it'd be different.

 

If the new games brought new functionality, resolved historic bugs and brought something fresh I’d genuinely not have an issue with buying a new iteration yearly.

The issue is obviously this isn’t what happens. They just tend to bring new issues, resolve very few historic bugs and bring less & less exciting routes. ECML the prime example, it’s an ok route, lots including myself wanted the ECML, but is there really anything different as a result of it being TSW4? I’d say not. If they’d come out with here’s London KX to York that would be a real wow. I appreciate the length and complexity but outwith game launches we aren’t going to get anything of that magnitude.

But they didn’t, it was in all honestly a bog standard route. Again not saying it’s bad it’s just nothing really special.

Ive been with TSW only since Rush Hour…..which case in point is still broken in terms of their main selling point. TSW3 launch was decent in that it gave an extended route, signalling oh maybe we are seeing progress, but nope a one off.

Then TSW4 launched with lots of bugs carried over from TSW3 routes but also then broke routes like Glossop that were working perfectly fine beforehand. It’s very poor and at best entirely underwhelming.

There’s also no sign of any of the feedback given here being taken onboard, no sign of changing direction.

So as others have said if that continues with a TSW5 launch, there’s absolutely zero chance I’ll be continuing with the charade.

Worth highlighting everyone giving negative feedback all love the game or atleast the idea of the game and what it could and should be.

 

Yes I've witnessed some of that, I see there were a few temporary bans too. People can take their trains very seriously!

 

Yes true, it should be a fun hobby really.

 

If I could go into Corals betting shop now and put a bet on relating to this subject, I’d stick £50 quid on, in favour of TSW5 coming this year. As long as the odds are decent of course
Do I care if TSW5 is released this year though, not really. I’m still happy with TSW4.

 

You wouldn't be forking out for a brand new console to continue playing it. You'd be able to continue playing TSW4 on your ps4.

If a new game comes out that is PC/PS5/XSX only then you don't have to opt in to it.

It won't be long till mobile phones have more power than 8th gen consoles. 9th gen has been out over 3 years. Console generations last 7 to 9 years, so we're a third of the way through gen 9 and people still want gen 8 support! A year or two fine, but 3+ is pushing it for developers to make cross generation games.

 

That's not what I'm getting at.

What I'm saying is that making TSW next gen exclusive moving forward means people such as myself, who don't yet have these newer consoles, will miss out on anything new to TSW.

As an example, The new Call of duty modern warfare was designed for both, a game which is more mainstream. Why would DTG, who are in a more niche market, drop support for 8th gen when other games from other companies are still being developed for it? It doesn't make sense from that point of view.

I do accept that eventually, 8th gen support will drop, I don't expect it to stay forever as that's just stupid. But for now, there's no reason to stop supporting it.

 

Hello everyone, didn't think this would pop off. But Thank you for all answering really do appreciate it. We as a Community love the fact we can drive trains in our own comfort but reading through everyone's comments and all of you have Valid points.

I was disappointed with ECML cause of it having No Terminating station, I felt like they chose the easier option. I am a more UK based person, but I ain't happy with these 80 mile routes, wish it could be longer, Should of been KGX To Peterborough! Now that would of been amazing. Doable as well right? But ECML just misses a bit of traction. Lots of this game that has been a disappointment. BPO, WSR and tbh the big update on MML has kinda mate it better. But The game I feel is slightly going downhill.

We don't know what goes on behind the scenes, like is it the CEO's causing all of this?
Or is it the devs being rushed? We just don't know and it is Frustrating that us as paying customers and enthusiasts are getting Conned into buying a bug riddled game every year that has the same bugs as the last game. Quite frankly not good enough.
I believe it has to be something with the CEO's as I think they are being greedy as Matt, JD, all DTG Devs may be being pressured into rushing the game, yet we just don't know. Maybe someone does?

Just Trainz sent an example that if you have passionate owners you will have an amazing game and they proved it! Blackpool Branches what an amazing Route! Stunning, hardly any blank scenery, it feels so real! That is what DTG should be doing!
Releasing a route that isn't riddled with bugs and it is a decent long route with realistic traffic.

 

There is every reason to stop supporting Gen8. For starters, you’ll not be getting the full experience as routes will be missing stuff like fuller timetables. Gen8 is holding the game back in my view.

 

I 100% agree with you. We need to move on from Gen 8

 

Just going through the locations of this and it shows a track I assume going towards Soho depot I didn't even realise this until now! I know you can actually go to Sogo depot in the game if you stay in a ECS service back to Soho depot and it shows the track actually being layed out, it just needed to be finished. Quite annoyed tbh wish we did have Soho in the game.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Gen 8 support stops soon, SimRail isn't releasing on Gen 8, the new TramSim game published by DTG is not releasing on Gen 8, it's just evolution, it happens and things have to move on. That being said Xbox Series S despite being a Gen 9 console is actually proving to be worse than Gen 8 atm due to having less memory than an Xbox One X.

 

There is when it results in a loss of revenue.

 

That's what would bring me back, yes.

 

oh, I have been playing Vorarlberg to death since its release - I love the fact that like Dresden, it has a nice branch to it... 4024 despite the sound is a blast, wish they did Desiro ML as well... but it is Austria finally, and I am eagerly awaiting more Austrian content, hopefully one day with Vienna at its core

 

what I really dig about TSW is not only visuals but also UI/controls - like, if you somehow forget the keys for something, or forget where a switch was in a particular loco/train, you just stand up from your chair and walk around the cab/train and find them, and use mouse to operate those... and the button descriptions pop up pretty much immediately, making it easy to find the necessary button

in TS those descriptions take ages to pop up, so if you god forbid forget where something is, good luck finding it... if it is is even clickable - some things you just have to remember from the manual, like the key bindings... not to mention some routes in TS run just totally like sh.., even on machines like mine which handle TSW fidelity just fine... also, in TS due to its graphics it is sometimes hard to see signals and such properly (which will get you a lot of penalty brake applications because you didnt see speed reduction sign properly on lets say German route)... which is a shame, cos RSSLO and others have done marvellous content set in Vienna and surroundings :/

 

well, when they had made the announcement, I read about the features, which was like, ok, nice, but for me the most important were the routes included - Vorarlberg meant Austria and 4024, that was the bait for me ... then, Antelope Valley, a long route with modern diesel finally (although now playing it, it is really good, but the signalling isnt strict enough, dunno if I am expressing myself right - like, yellow should enforce some kind of slowing down or sth, here it is like, nah, just be vigilant, ok? ) and ECML sold me on Azuma trains - too bad you cant use em in a timetable lets say on SEHS, but I like the route and train anyway... as for Vectron, I like to play it from time to time, in free roam it is decently enjoyable, but I have the same issue with it as with Taurus/182 - those two locos are frequently used also as passenger locos (I have recently noticed they added BR 182 as substitute loco on some REX/RE services on Hamburg Lubeck and Nahverkehr Dresden I think, which is awesome), yet we mostly get freight from them - yet Taurus is capable of 230 km/h and Vectron 200 km/h (Vectron 230 is too recent to be included in the game)

so if TSW 5 was happening, I would check the features, yes, but what would be the deal-breaker for me would be the trains and routes included - if at least two out of usual three were appealing enough, I would buy it

 

At this point, and I think this echo’s a lot of other comments, it should be one game version (just called TSW or something similar) that sees core game updates with fixes and new features every 6 months to 1 year, if not a little sooner. Just as TSC does now. Continue to add new DLC and routes, which are payware. That’s fine. I have no problem with paying for specific new DLC I might be interested in. But keep the core game one version, even if you have to raise the price a little. Again, fine, especially if it is receiving FREE, regular updates every few months just like TSC as I said. Paying for a new version every year which, at the end of the day, is just a paid update, is definitely not it.

 

It will come at some point but with 8th Gen consoles still being pretty handy and PS5's still hovering around £450 it may not be this time. If TSW5 comes this year it'll probably be the last Gen 8 update, if it comes next year it probably won't be on Gen 8.

Wonder what the Gen 8 figures are?

 

The TSC updates are relatively minor compared to the TSW updates. DTG have stated for the work they want to be compensated; so free TSW updates isnt something we'll be seeing any time soon.

 

I'm honestly just sick of reinstalling all my routes everytime, it's literally like 300GB to redownload.

They would likely make more money selling individual routes though. I would have bought all three routes in TSW4 separately which would have been £90, instead it comparatively costs me £40 for the Standard Edition.