Roadmap

This page serves to inform you about our future plans for Derail Valley. Please note that the list represents our current view, but is not a guarantee, and may be modified over time.

Major Project Phases

✅ 2016 - Demo
✅ 2019 - Early Access
✅ 2020 - Overhauled
✅ 2023 - Simulator
🚧 2027 - To be announced 

Plans for 2027

We are hard at work on a major update slated for 2027. While it will take a while to do, please bear with us - we've done the same with the previous major updates, and they were worth the wait. Some of what we aim to release by the end of 2027, either in this update or afterwards, includes:

Gameplay

• Advanced industry chain simulation

  • Dynamic, reactive supply and demand ecosystem

  • Revamped delivery order mechanics

  • More cargo and industry types

• Improved fleet management (permanent vehicles across the world)

• Better integrated tutorial and licensing systems

• Railway maintenance mechanics (MOW)

• Physics-based rerailing and crane operation

• Player health mechanics (injury, eating, sleeping - optional)

Vehicles

• Wire-electric powertrain and infrastructure simulation

• Electric locomotive WE6-960

• Railway maintenance equipment (MOW), rail crane, speeder

• 4 new car types (bulkhead, centerbeam, powder, reworked hopper)

• Expanded vehicle customization (locomotive parts upgrading)

Map

• Locations

  • 10+ new industries and cities, 20+ villages

• Railways

  • Catenary

  • Layout optimization for future AI traffic (double-tracks, signals, etc.)

  • Layout optimization for future passenger service (village stops)

  • More details (bridge variety, landslide walls, etc.)

  • Improved speed sign accuracy

  • Aging simulation (tied to MOW)

• Life

  • Roads and road traffic

  • Pedestrians and workers

  • Wildlife

DLC - USA Theme

• New map

  • Distinct new themed landscape, vegetation, buildings and road vehicles

  • Distinct new railway layout with similar distribution of industries and locations

• 6 new themed locomotives

• Knuckle coupler option

Plans for 2028 and later

In 2028 and later, if our previous goals work out as planned, the focus will be on wrapping up the core systems and producing additional themed content:

AI Trains

• AI train driving and feature set

Passengers

• Passengers behavior simulation

• Timetable order system

• Railcars WE2P-380, DM1P-150

• Heritage Coach

• Air conditioning simulation

DLC - More Themes

• Depending on the USA Theme DLC success - to be announced

Mod Support

• Steam Workshop

Future plans summary

Our goal with Derail Valley is to maintain it as the best train simulator game in the world.

We aim to do this by vastly expanding map utilization, replayability, immersion and the scope of in-game activities for free, while providing significant additional value with paid themed DLC packs in the future. More is to be announced.

If you are wondering why we don't split the 2027 major update into multiple smaller updates - it might appear counterintuitive, but every once in a while a series of small updates actually takes longer and results in lower quality, than taking a few years to develop a finished product behind closed curtains. We've been on both extremes with Derail Valley, and we know that for this update the long and big approach is better for everyone involved. Rest assured - as before, the wait will be worth it.

Feel free to discuss our plans with the community.

How you can help

If you've bought the game already and are wondering if there's anything else you could do to further help us - thank you so much for your support! There is indeed a couple of things you could do:

1. Spread the word about Derail Valley.
2. Buy Derail Valley for your friends - Steam
3. Buy our music - Steam
4. Buy Switchcars, our previous game - Steam

In the future we might also have merch available.

Thank you!

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