Brazilian indie studio Barely Making Games has recently revealed that they are contemplating the suspension of development on their 90s-themed train simulator, Retro Rail GO!.
Initially slated for a late 2026 launch, Retro Rail GO! garnered considerable buzz after its appearance at the Steam Next Fest, leading to a surge in Wishlists from 700 to nearly 2,000 within just two days. Despite an initially positive reception, with many fans appreciating its nostalgic, low-poly aesthetic, the project soon faced a wave of criticism and accusations of being a “copycat” following its coverage by several major outlets in Japan.
Retro Rail GO!’s Steam Store page positions the game as a heartfelt homage to Japanese classics, yet fans in the genre argued that the title may have crossed the line from “homage” to imitation. Specifically, many users on the Japanese side of X noted that the game’s visual style, gameplay mechanics, and even UI design closely resemble those of Densha de GO! – Taito’s iconic arcade train simulator series, widely regarded as one of Japan’s most beloved train sims. Some went so far as to suggest that Taito and its parent company, Square Enix, should pursue legal action against the developer for potential copyright infringement. In light of these concerns, Barely Making Games is now “considering abandoning the project entirely.”
I think it’s completely justified if Taito gets upset about this.
There’s this new game that looks a lot like Densha De GO! I worry it might anger JR more than Square Enix…
Well, it is what it is, I suppose. But as someone who worked on the early Densha De GO! series, I do have some thoughts on it. I saw the trailer, but I didn’t sense any “love” in it.
In a statement following the backlash, the developer clarified that, while the game certainly “draws on nostalgia,” their intention was never to create a rip-off or violate copyrights, and they had no desire to make an asset flip or a “cash grab.” They described Retro Rail GO! as a solo-developed passion project created with minimal resources, aimed at delivering “a small experience for a small audience.” The game was reportedly developed to fill the train simulator void for overseas fans of the genre who couldn’t access the original Japanese games due to “high costs and language barriers.”
Barely Making Games also addressed the use of AI assets as placeholders in the now-removed itch.io demo, stating that these will be completely removed from the final game and replaced with original artwork.
Meanwhile, many users pointed out that such community reactions were “inevitable,” given how strictly Japanese developers and gaming communities enforce unauthorized emulation and copyright infringement.
Well, I’m not sure how to phrase it, but bringing the game to Japan in such a flashy manner was a poor decision.
Japanese people are very strict about that kind of thing. There are many who will speak out even if they’re not the actual rights holders.
I’ve always believed it’s best to keep Japanese people from discovering your “mods” or “homages.”