Is Dovetail Games Finally Getting It Together?

I'm not sure what people think, but I think DTG and TSW are finally improving their ways!

Yes there are still a number of bugs and issues in game but from what I've heard and seen they're finally getting things together.

Let me explain.

1. Core optimisation & patches - DTG are always releasing an update fixing certain in-game issues. They seem committed to fixing these issues and problems and trying to get them sorted.

2. Beta testers & DTG Playlabs - Matt put out a request for new beta testers as well as starting a new initiative called Playlabs (Yes the latter maybe for their new games, but it could also be for TSW 6) Getting the community involved in development will benefit DTG massively so it's good to see they're doing this.

3. Announcing TSW 6 'early' - Announcing TSW 6 'early' is a great way for as DTG put it 'helps us join in the conversations, stay open and engaged' which is exactly what we want as a community. They can avoid leaks (not just from JD!) and build up even more hype! As well as being transparent with the community about what is going on.

4. Expansion & Growth - DTG are also expanding their variety of games from Roblox, VR and Thomas & Friends to whatever they have in-store for us this year. As well as getting even more third-party developers involved which helps to take the strain off of DTG developing everything. Take the Free Starter Pack for example this is another great way to get more players into the world of TSW.

To summarise I believe that DTG are finally improving their ways and we can look forward to a strong Dovetail Direct and TSW 6 launch.

What do you think?

 

Buggy or not, I enjoy the game.

However, my somewhat negative take is that TSW5 has been the worst so far. We are almost at TSW6 and WCML(S) has only recently got it’s dodgy AWS triggers sorted and there still aren’t any passengers at Euston. The console performance issues are quite unacceptable.

Now credit to DTG they have released a lot of fixes recently and fairly regular updates and I believe Matt when he says they are working to resolve the issues. But the minimum for me to say that DTG have turned a corner is that every scenario in every DLC can be competed and every Journey mode can be completed and that is not currently the case.

I hope TSW6 will be better and I’m sure I’ll enjoy it anyway, but being realistic, it’s the same core as every year with new bits bolted on and the more bits they bolt on, it seems the less well it runs.

Hope my pessimism is proved wrong.

 

Is this a joke?

 

It certainly looks like DTG are doing their best to make the TSW6 release as smooth as possible, and avoid another leak/license issue/bugged route like last year.

I can see a few regular forum posters are silent these days, which hopefully means some of the more vocal members of this community are right up in there on the QA / Beta Testing side of it - helping to polish the game way before us regulars get our hands on it!

I can see TSW6 becoming a big hit, forced to be great, to avoid a repeat of last time - and it seems like certain announcements over the last few months are helping to fuel a healthy amount of speculation to avoid a major leak again.

 

I don't think you can say they're getting their act together until they've managed to release TSW6 with all dlc available on release with no issues, fixed the core performance issues, and released 3 routes with high quality (I'm looking at you WCMLS). I'd rather them focus on those 3 things that adding features which take half a year to release if I'm honest.

We need the content released to be of a higher quality. We don't need a ton of flashy new bells and whistles, we just need a game that runs well and looks good

 

It all depends on whether they overstretch themselves or the capabilities of the game with the new features and/or over ambitious route choices or keep things relatively simple and stable. DTG have the capability to turn what should be a great achievement into a horror show and then have to spend the entirety of the tenure of one game iteration and beyond chasing their tail trying to get it all to work properly. It is what usually happens so there’s no expectation from me that TSW6 will be a smooth transition. Perhaps by May next year it will all be fine.

 

I think part of the problem with the 'new' game releases for DTG is that in offering a new title, they have to expand the feature set of the game to make it worthwhile and that surely cannot be helping them keep on top of issues.

It's a double edged sword really, the more features you add the more complications you have to deal with. But the fewer you have, the more questionable the point of the new game is.

 

I love that there's this thread that says "Is Dovetail Games Finally Getting It Together" and then there's another thread someone made titled "Train Sim World 6 is Doomed"

 

Well probably not because by that time TSW7 will be on its wsy and any remaining issues with " 6 " would be quietly swept under a rug in DTG's lunch room.

 

It takes deeds to convince me. Not marketing.
Apart from "1. Core optimisation & patches", I haven't seen the rest in action yet. Nor have I seen TSW6 yet.

 

I find this hilarious!

 

Matt is in the Threads!!

 

And as I said in the "doomed" thread, at this point we do not know the answer.

TSW6 could go either way. If we get some meaningful core and QOL improvements (looking at you, more than one save slot) and some cracking content then it will be a success. However if it brings a few cosmetic changes, a half baked UK Rivet route and another US commuter plod through semi arid suburbia then it could struggle.

But at this stage all we can do is sit back and await the gen, to coin the old bashing phrase.

 

It does feel that since early 2025 and also the WCMLS debacle that they may be taking the optimisation issues seriously. It's taken till the game has become near unplayable on console (crashes, texture issues etc...) for it to happen.

But it does feel like DTG have now woken up to the fact they need to optimise the game before it completely falls apart. Just listening to the last roadmap stream and a few threads on here where either Alex or Matt have said stuff, reading between the lines of those comments - about how they're finding things that make the game run better - that they've never really looked at it before. Big question is why not?

But I suppose better late than never, but also the phrase the proof is in the pudding comes to mind. We shall see.

 

Maybe we could merge them so it becomes "Is Dovetail Games Finally Getting Train Sim World 6 together with Doom"

 

Wasn't Choo Choo Charlie the shunned lovechild of TSW and Doom.......

 

Choo Choo Charles is probably the closest we have

 

They still haven't fixed the running sounds on Fife circle which got removed with the first patch or told rivet to get their act together and fix them so that's a bummer.

Apart from that, I still enjoy TSW!