Thomas the Tank Engine returns to terrorize Morrowind as modder mocks Mattel crackdown
Thomas the Tank Engine has reappeared in another viral game mod, this time swooping through The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind after creator Trainwiz released a new overhaul that replaces cliff racers with the iconic blue engine.
The mod arrives more than a decade after Trainwiz’s 2013 Skyrim mod helped launch the long-running trend of Thomas appearances across major games.
The modder, who has previously joked about receiving legal pressure from rights-holder Mattel, wrote on Bluesky that “Mattel is out to kill me,” referencing past tensions over Thomas mods.
As reported by PC Gamer, he released the Morrowind version despite those concerns, saying he “made this years ago but never released it” before deciding he “doesn’t particularly care anymore.”
Elder Scrolls Thomas the Tank Engine mod returns
On the mod’s Nexus page, Trainwiz leans into the situation with a tongue-in-cheek feature list that includes “Satanism,” “the death of god,” and, finally, “cliff racers replaced with Thomas the Tank Engine.”
The mod comes in two versions: one that simply replaces cliff racers, and another that pairs with an existing mod causing two new Thomases to spawn for every one defeated.
The creator also offered a blunt explanation for continuing the gag despite possible legal friction. “I am incapable of learning lessons whenever it involves corporations,” Trainwiz wrote. “I fundamentally do not view toy company CEOs or media CEOs as people.”
Thomas mods have become a fixture of PC gaming, appearing in Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, Fallout 4, Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 2, and more. The Morrowind version now joins the list, continuing the decade-long meme even as Trainwiz jokes that Mattel’s lawyers may be watching closely.
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If Mattel does step in again, the renewed spotlight could risk giving the mod even more visibility, a dynamic that has fueled the trend for years.