Thomas The Tank Engine is getting a serious train sim and adult fans are hyped

A dedicated train sim starring Thomas The Tank Engine was not on anyone’s 2026 bingo card and yet here it is.

While Thomas The Tank Engine is no stranger to video games, there have never been that many and none have made any real impact, with the last being for the Nintendo 3DS in 2015.

Most of you are likely more familiar with seeing Thomas being modded into other games for the sake of comedy, such as replacing dragons in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and becoming a terrifying stalker in the Resident Evil 2 remake.

Now, a new official Thomas The Tank Engine game is in active development, but rather than some simple minigame collection, it looks to be a genuine train sim and it has the perfect developer for it.

Titled Thomas & Friends: Wonders Of Sodor, it’s in the works at Dovetail Games, best known for making the Train Sim World series, which has seen frequent entries since 2017 and are hardcore, serious train simulators.

Dovetail Games is very much using its experience for this Thomas game, since it sees you take control of one of several different characters and drive them down the railways.

This isn’t the first time Dovetail Games has worked with the franchise, though, as it released Thomas The Tank Engine themed DLC for Train Sim World 6 just last year.

We have to imagine it won’t be as technical or as demanding of a train simulator as the Train Sim World games since, it’s obviously geared towards kids. But the trailer above doesn’t show any obvious gameplay elements.

Dovetail Games explicitly says it will feature accessible controls, but it will be combined with ‘the unparalleled detail and realism of Unreal Engine and Simugraph’ (Simugraph being the tool Train Sim World uses for its simulations).

Wonders Of Sodor’s main selling point is that it’s an excuse to explore the titular island of Sodor (not to be confused with Mordor from The Lord Of The Rings, which is presumably at the other end of the line) while experiencing eight wholly original stories made for the game.

There’s even full narration by British actor Mark Moraghan, who narrated the TV show from 2013 to 2017. (Ringo Starr presumably wasn’t available.)

That said, there will be a separate timetable mode that sees you follow work schedules as well as a free roam option that ‘lets you place trains and do anything you like with them.’

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We’re not sure how appealing the timetable mode will be for the youngsters but if some of the surprisingly sincere sounding YouTube comments are anything to go by, there are hardcore adult fans in need of new train simulator action.

‘It’s enough to make a grown man cry,’ says jkcbruh6972, while Piloufis jokes, ‘Boys want GTA 6. Men want Thomas.’

‘For a hot second I almost thought this was a fangame! But it’s actually real and licensed!? I’m in awe,’ writes haveacalmheart01, while the_15th_tender sounds genuinely ecstatic: ‘My childhood self would’ve screamed in joy if he saw this! I’ve waited for a day like this for so long!’

The game currently lacks a release date but is scheduled for all major platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

There are also plans for a deluxe edition, which adds an extra character and four more stories, though Dovetail Games has yet to share pricing details.

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