Train Sim World 7 is out on PS5, and Dovetail's annual railway sim is as technically impressive as ever — but the seventh entry in as many years is struggling to justify its existence as a standalone release.
The headline additions this year are a Freight Hauler Mode aimed at players who enjoy the likes of Euro Truck Simulator 2, a live weather system that pulls real-time conditions from the internet so your timetable runs match what actual drivers are dealing with right now, and expanded accessibility options to ease in newcomers. Three new routes ship with the paid bundles: Airedale and Wharfedale in northern England, Tri-Rail Miami in South Florida, and Bahnstrecke Nürnberg–Würzburg in Bavaria. DualSense integration has also been refined, with haptic rumble and a touchpad light panel that mirrors the current signal light — a small but genuinely satisfying touch. Dovetail is also building Train Sim World: Tycoon, a Roblox experience designed to pull a younger generation into the genre.
Train Sim World has come a long way since its scrappy early days. Locomotives are meticulously modelled with standout audio that captures each train's individual character — there's even a scenario spotlighting the studio's sound team. Routes still lean on repeated assets and occasionally rough scenery, but dynamic lighting and volumetric clouds can make journeys genuinely dramatic. The series has carved out a real niche as both a hardcore sim and a virtual tourism platform, and that core appeal remains intact.
The bigger question is whether TSW7 earns a purchase. Dovetail's answer is pragmatic: a free client launches alongside it, letting existing players import all their DLC routes and keep playing without spending anything. Those who want the new content can buy bundles built around the three new routes. For series veterans, that free upgrade path is the honest move — but it also underlines how thin the new-content offering feels as a paid product in its own right.
Sources (1)
AI-assisted summary, reviewed by our editors — how we work.
Get the daily digest
Top gaming news in Lithuanian — every day at 9:00.