If anyone hasn't read the roadmap yet, these DLC will be removed on February 27: Train Sim World®: Peninsula Corridor: San Francisco - San Jose Route Add-On Train Sim World®: Caltrain MP15DC Diesel Switcher Loco Add-On Train Sim World®: Caltrain MP36PH-3C Baby Bullet Loco Add-On
This also means goodbye to the Union Pacific GP38-2 as well, which isn't available anywhere else either.
Pretty much kills off requests that pop up now and again in Suggestions for a modern electrified version. TBH a bit surprised the licence was that restrictive, surely when negotiated anything created during the term should be available im perpetum.
And so it happens ... DTG obviously not shouting loudly off the top of the tower another license lost. LIRR and Amtrak still have a future as branded items in TSW? A great pity on my part, as the CalTrain DLC is amongst the better ones and the electrics trains would be a prime purchase.
Real shame I enjoyed this route a lot when it came out it just needed to be brought up to TSW 5 standards but sadly that seems very unlikely now
and yet another poorly executed licensing agreement... just as it was with LNWR that decided at the last minute to remove its brand, now we have the expiration of caltrain's license... licensing contracts should have perpetual duration of the license as clauses, and once the agreement is signed it cannot be revoked or changed, but apparently dtg doesn't have a team that thinks this way
I think DTG will have to take whatever they can get - they're not exactly in a strong negotiating position.
the way the agreement with LIRR was conducted for LIRR commuter seemed acceptable to me, it didn't mischaracterize the final product (as happened with LNWR) and it also didn't deprive people of obtaining content (as happens now with caltrain)
Fortunately got all of them through all the years they were available, including scenario packs for TSC.
It is a shame. I didn't ever expect a revoked licence to remove a TSW DLC from stores after about 6 years. I would've preferred a little more advance notice (I mean three weeks is alright, but at least a month would be ideal). Perhaps we'll have some kind of farewell event during the last week of February or something. I appreciate that DTG probably can't say why they didn't/couldn't renew the licence, and that they probably couldn't do much about it. I do find it interesting that as TSW gets older, we are getting more and more licencing issues that are becoming more and more intrusive. Is it because all the cooperative companies were involved early on, so we are now getting to the less cooperative ones? Is it because more and more incidents are occurring that involve trespassers knowing much more than the average person? I guess we'll never know.
Withdrawn from sale but still re-downloadable for TSW up to 5, will have an impact on TSW6 as layers won't exist for these products anymore, unless they either get the licence back or rebuild the locos without branding.
Let's hope for the licensing can be reinstated or peninsula corridor to get a re release with unbranded trains. As tsw5 could be the last game if tsw6 does happen it will be the last time peninsula corridor is playable with out unbranded or licensing reinstated.
I’m wondering what will happen to the freight content that appears elsewhere. I’m guessing it will all have to be integrated into those other routes wherever they appear to avoid issues in the future.
I mean a lot of it was later rereleased without branding, thinking back to the arriva trains wales stuff
Oh really? Then yes, that's probably going to happen. I just wonder if existing owners will have to pay again and whether it will be remastered.
When the atw stuff rereleased existing owners got the unbranded version for free as a separate item in the dlc library. That version became the official one to which any updates went, the branded version went out of support I think
Surprising news, to be sure. Doubly so since DTG always highlighted how cooperative and accommodating Caltrain were. US content is in a rough enough state as it is without externally caused shrinkage.
Phew, got 'em all already. To help ward off assumptions, can DTG please clarify whether "compatible" versions will keep being made available in future TSW versions for current owners of these DLCs, or whether we will need to keep TSW<=5 on our systems permanently in order to use these DLCs post TSW6?
The article mentioned the renewal of licences. Presumably the original contract was coming to an end and when DTG went to renew it, Caltrain wasn't interested. I doubt that Caltrain went out of their way to break the original contract, and I also doubt DTG would ever be able to put a clause in the contract that says that the DLC would be permanently available.
Considering the sheer number of licenses involved in all these DLCs, and how rarely any have needed to be withdrawn from sale, unusual circumstances seems a safe bet here. Contrast with, for example, the Forza Horizon series, where the entire games get delisted due to the expiration of licenses.
This! In addition: I still don't know whats the problem for the licensing companies. Being represented in a good Sim game (and TSW is a good one!) is nothing less than paid advertisment for them (through licence fees).
While licenses are often mentioned as a reason for the delisting of Forza games, this is unlikely to be (fully) true. There are plenty of old racing games that you can still buy. Need For Speed Undercover (2008) is still available to buy, as an example. Forza games are delisted when they reach 'end of life' status, as decided by Microsoft. The definition of this changes depending on things unrelated to licensing. Forza Motorsport 7 and Forza Horizon 4 were both kept on sale for longer than the usual four year cycle, particularly in the case of the latter. In the case of the former, the development hell Forza Motorsport '23 was likely a contributing factor. That's quite a naive way of thinking about it. There's a lot more for those who are in a position to give out licenses to think about beyond 'it's free advertising'
It is a shame to see Caltrain go, but I do believe there’s reason. Keeping up with Caltrain this last year there’s been notable things that have happened to them. Just last year, 2 employees were arrested for taking public funds to build residences in train stations. Then last September they were facing problems of copper vandalism after there electrification. Then they’ve had countless incidents with people on tracks. Could be nothing, but maybe these things have halted their talks with DTG. Here’s the links for info.. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/sanfran...unds-residences-burlingame-millbrae-stations/ https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news...cle_64e774fa-7bb4-11ef-bf6d-8be3fdf9e643.html https://padailypost.com/2024/11/21/update-two-people-killed-on-caltrain-tracks-in-2-days/
I mean you can also try yourself. It is still the operators decision at the end of the day and they have the final say
So far as the US and Canada is concerned, maybe it’s time for DTG to step back a couple of epochs and focus on historical routes and content, rather than obsess on doing the here and now with all the licensing etc. headaches that brings. That goes for the freight stuff too, but being rather cynical I see this move by Caltrain far from encouraging DTG to think outside the box, will just lead to further shoulder shrugging when it comes to bringing more North American content to TSW.
I own all these DLC's but don't have them installed at this time. Will I be able to still download them after Feb 27th ?
As I read it, yes. Once you own them you retain the right to keep them in the library. Same as TSC routes such as the original Project Platform. Just means new customers can’t purchase them.
Well this news is suprising. Luckily I do own all Caltrain content. U.S content keeps taking L after L
I would like some clarity from dtg on what happens when tsw6 comes along? Does this mean that these dlc's are not gonna be moved across to the new versions of the game?
hopefully Xbox players will get the sale on the Caltrain stuff, pretty nice this happens one day after my b--day
This is the most important thing really. I'll definitely be getting the last CalTrain DLC that I don't have for TS; I missed the Virgin Trains DLC when that was withdrawn and I'm still annoyed I didn't get the Virgin 390 in particular.
That that you'll have to keep TSW 5 in your library as well as TSW 6 when it upgrades so you can still play it. TSC probably won't have that limitation since it upgrades less and isn't as sovereign. I play lots of older routes there that aren't "updated" like they have to be for TSW.
Licensing can be a big hassle for any company. At work, our "usual" yearly update of some software has gotten snagged both internally and externally and it's 18 months and counting without a new contract. So, we simply don't have access to it. In the end it's about both parties, and the licenser (Cal Trains) has the leverage because it's their brand. If they don't think it's worth the potential liability or hassle for the money, they just won't do it. Doing nothing is the safe default.
excatly. honestly at this rate why cant we just have unbranded trains moving forward, and make patches for logos for the trains as a sort of mod (that is ofc made by the community?). Not that I am interested in US route that much, I want to pick up the 2 add ons while I still can. But I dont know should i aim for train simulator classic or train sim world. Or both when a sale is up.
Licenses also give them access to the actual train so they can take photographs and sounds from. Then they wouldn't be able to create accurate trains and players would start complaining
It would be good this instance of loosing a licence made DTG stop releasing a new iteration each year, so routes like this remained playable and they just did core updates. Feels unlikely though
i am all for once created a DLC that license is for life time its just a silly thing in my opinion to revoke a license
Still wouldn't solve the problem of it being removed from the store though and becoming unavailable to everyone who didn't already have it.
Because there's people from that generation who grew up with them obviously. Then the newer generation starts agreeing. There are a bunch of rail fanatics you know
Probably what we need to do like north east corridor on tsw 2020 is just keep that part installed when tsw 6 probably comes out since unless their debrand the locos and routes which their could it will be on tsw 5 their will not say know to their announce the next installment of the game I hope their isn't new game I'm fed up with it
