With so many amazing games on Steam, players are wishlisting more and more titles. Existing options like ranking and filtering are great, but players have asked for even more ways to manage their Steam wishlists. Today we're adding categorization as well as improved search and sharing to the wishlist. Read the full post below for the details, then try out all the new tools on your own wishlist.
Categories added to wishlist
First and foremost is the ability to create and assign custom categories to games on your wishlist. You might want to create a custom category for games you saw featured in a cool event, games best played with a controller, or even games you have in mind for someone else.
Adding custom categories is quick and easy...
Filter to a category by simply clicking on the category name at the top of your wishlist or next to the My Categories area of each game
Quickly add to your frequent categories from the "On Wishlist" dropdown on store pages
Customize wishlist notifications to only be sent for certain categories
Other improvements
We've improved the search experience on the wishlist page and enabled autocomplete for faster results
We now highlight when a game on your wishlist has a demo available. You can also be notified when a demo is released for a game in your wishlist.
Microtrailers are now shown when hovering each games capsule image
Navigating to/from your wishlist in a browser, mobile, Steam Client, or Steam OS does a better job of bringing you back to what you were looking at
Plus we've made some tweaks to the wishlist page to improve contrast and legibility
Sharing your wishlist
You can already share a link to your wishlist, now you can share a link to a specific category on your wishlist, or even a filtered view of your wishlist.
Clicking on the share button at the top of your wishlist gives you a unique URL to share with friends and family. People with the link can view the shared list even if your wishlist is set to private. Links can be revoked at any time.
This sharing link will only show the games in the your current filtered view. For example: you might want to share 'My Birthday List' with your family. From that shared link, your family can gift games directly to you, even if they don't have a Steam account...
More gifting improvements...
As we hinted at above, we suspect one common new category for wishlists will be games you want to buy for a friend or family member. With that in mind, we paired this wishlist change with a big update to gift purchasing on Steam. Check out all the gift improvements here!
Steam gifts are a popular way to send copies of games and digital gift cards to friends and family. Today we’re shipping some great new features that improve the gifting experience, making it easier to send both digital gift cards and games. These features pair nicely with the Wishlist categories and other improvements that are also now available.
Guest checkout
In 2024, we added guest checkout, which lets a family member or friend make a gift purchase without needing to create a Steam account. This feature was limited to digital gift cards and hardware purchases at the time.
Now guest checkout can be used to buy any game on Steam.
You can send a wishlist share link to a friend or family member and they can purchase gifts directly from that list without needing a Steam account themselves. If a guest wants to send a gift as a surprise they can send it to any email address instead.
Gift to email
Don't know your nephew's Steam account? No problem, both digital gift cards and games can now be sent directly to email recipients. And don't worry if your nephew's email address is the same one they use for their Steam account. The email will include a link to let them sign in to their account and accept the gift.
Please note that any gift email not accepted within 30 days will be automatically refunded, so they cannot be scheduled for future delivery. The recipient of the gift must also live in the same country as the purchaser.
Cross-region gifting
Buying a gift for a friend in a higher-priced region? In the past, digital gift cards were the solution for gifting, but that required you to know the full price of the game in your friend's region.
Now you can gift games directly to your friend. Steam will match the increased price in your friend's region at checkout. Your friend needs to be on your Steam friends list to send this type of gift.
Direct from wishlist
Sending a friend or family member a link to your wishlist is a great way to help them choose a great gift for your birthday or holiday. We have made a number of share link improvements, including:
You can now send a digital gift card or gift a game directly from someone's wishlist
You no longer need to be friends on Steam to send gifts
You can create a shared wishlist link that is filtered to specific games
When a friend or family member clicks on your shared wishlist link, if they choose to gift you a game, the gift recipient in the cart will be pre-populated with your information.
And remember from above, your friend or family member can checkout as a guest, without needing to create a Steam account
More wishlist improvements...
That wraps it up for today's gift related updates. Check out our Steam Wishlist announcement to learn about wishlist categories and other improvements that are now available.
Our wheels keep turning, and today we’re ready to share a teaser of another U.S. state currently in development for American Truck Simulator. Let’s see how good your guessing game is!
So, here are your clues! Take a close look at the screenshot and teaser video below. It may seem a little fishy at first, but sometimes the smallest hints can lead to the answer.
This next destination is known for its wide-open spaces, long-haul roads, and a landscape where the horizon seems to stretch on forever. It’s a place shaped by hardworking industries, strong prairie winds, and a pioneering spirit that still runs deep today.
Think you’ve caught on to where we’re heading next? Drop your guesses in the comments below, and when the time is right, we look forward to sharing more about what awaits on the road ahead in this part of the U.S. Until then, be sure to follow our blog and our social channels on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok so you don’t miss a thing.
We have just shipped an updated Steam Client update to the Stable channel.
General
Improved notification settings layout in some languages
Restored the full set of options to the 'Maximum Game Resolution' dropdown. They can be found under the 'More Options' sub-menu.
Fixed a case where the 'Patch Notes' preview box in Settings->System would incorrectly show an event for the wrong channel. E.g. showing Beta Channel notes when the client is opted in to the Stable Channel.
Fixed a crash when manually starting a game recording.
Fixed mouse cursor changing to resize cursor at screen edges.
Fixed a case where the controller pairing screen could pop up during controller firmware updates.
Desktop Mode
Fixed incorrect UI scale being used when in Big Picture Mode.
Steam Machine
Show Steam Machine Verified information on the game capsules in home, and on the game details screen.
Added 'Great on Machine' section to the Library
Steam Workshop
Re-worked system that managed what subscribed items needed to be updated.
Remote Play
Added 59.94 FPS as an available framerate limit
Reduced frame drops when the framerate limit is set to automatic
Fixed offline devices showing as streamable when they aren't.
Fixed overloading the client video decoder when unlimited bandwidth is enabled
Fixed mouse coordinates for input-only streaming
Fixed very low refresh rate on some systems, introduced in the last beta
Steam Input
Steam Controller: The Gyro Calibration Threshold has been set to 50% of the previous value so that it is less likely to trigger while in hand.
Steam Controller: Gyro Calibration threshold is now available in Steam->Settings->Controller->Details->Calibration & Advanced (Open)->Gyro Calibration.
Steam Controller: You can choose to disable hardware calibration and rely on the standard Steam Input Gyro Calibration tools instead, by using the "Enable Software Calibration for Steam Controller" toggle.
Steam Controller: Fixed Gyro stutter due to IMU timestamp being ignored.
Added support for both the wired and wireless versions of the PDP Afterglow Wave Controller for Nintendo Switch.
Added support for Turtle Beach controllers for Nintendo Switch 2.
Steam Controller Firmware
Fixed occasional repeated trackpad samples that caused issues with momentum during trackball mode.
Fixed an issue with unintentionally waking host devices while shutting down the controller.
Fixed an issue with occasional repeated button presses on the B Button.
A new Steam Client update has been released and will be automatically downloaded.
General
Improved notification settings layout in some languages.
Fixed a case where the controller pairing screen could pop up during controller firmware updates.
Steam Workshop
Re-worked system that managed what subscribed items needed to be updated.
In-Game Overlay
Fixed a case where the in-game overlay could hold a reference and prevent a game which tries to fully tear down and recreate the renderer after a D3D12 device/driver failure from succeeding.
Remote Play
Added 59.94 FPS as an available framerate limit.
Reduced frame drops when the framerate limit is set to automatic.
Fixed black screen when hardware encoding is disabled.
Fixed offline devices showing as streamable when they aren't.
Fixed overloading the client video decoder when unlimited bandwidth is enabled.
Fixed mouse coordinates for input-only streaming.
Steam Input
Steam Controller: The Gyro Calibration Threshold has been set to 50% of the previous value so that it is less likely to trigger while in hand.
Steam Controller: Gyro Calibration threshold is now available in Steam->Settings->Controller->Details->Calibration & Advanced (Open)->Gyro Calibration.
Steam Controller: You can choose to disable hardware calibration and rely on the standard Steam Input Gyro Calibration tools instead, by using the "Enable Software Calibration for Steam Controller" toggle.
Steam Controller: Fixed gyro stutter due to IMU timestamp being ignored.
Steam Controller: Fixed glyphs in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
Added support for both the wired and wireless versions of the PDP Afterglow Wave Controller for Nintendo Switch.
Added support for Turtle Beach controllers for Nintendo Switch 2.
Fixed the Apex 5 controller showing up as multiple controllers when "Allow third-party apps to take over mappings" is enabled in the FlyDigi Space Station app.
Steam Controller Firmware
Fixed an issue where trackpad samples could be duplicated and cause issues w/ momentum in trackball mode
Fixed an issue with unintentionally waking host devices while shutting down the controller.
Fixed an issue with occasional repeated button presses on the B Button.
Linux
Fixed a crash when manually starting a game recording.
Fixed steamwebhelper crash when hardware acceleration is enabled on NVIDIA gpus.
macOS
Fixed chat windows showing over fullscreen game windows when opened in the Steam overlay.
VR
Fixed a case where Steam claimed that SteamVR crashed on last run when it didn't.
Today, we take you on a preview journey to beautiful Rapid City, one of the cities you will find when driving through our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator!
Rapid City is located in a picturesque landscape surrounded by some of South Dakota's most popular natural attractions. Heading west opens the way to the Black Hills National Forest and the iconic Mount Rushmore - the reason Rapid City is also known as the Gateway to the Black Hills. Traveling east along Interstate 90 takes you toward the rugged landscapes of Badlands National Park.
Beyond its surroundings, Rapid City has a rich heritage, as it celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. It has grown from a small settlement into a thriving regional hub while preserving the character that makes it unique. Today, tourism is one of the cornerstones of the local economy, with visitors drawn not only to the beauty of the region but also to the historic streets, distinctive buildings, and local landmarks.
Our asset and map designers have recreated plenty of these buildings and structures to bring Rapid City to life. Among them are two hotels, one of which is located in the heart of downtown, known for its appearance and history dating back to the 1920s. Driving further, you will also find another historic building that once served as the fire station and is now transformed into a local winery.
Some of the landmarks can be seen from a distance yet are instantly recognizable, such as the large white "SMD" letters displayed on the hillside above the city. Created by students as a tribute to the South Dakota Mines school and community, it has become one of the symbols of Rapid City. Another smaller landmark you may notice is the gateway entrance to Memorial Park, located in the center of the city along Rapid Creek.
You will also find many more landmarks as you explore Rapid City, from larger ones such as the city hall and administration buildings to smaller ones like a roadside windmill, a statue in the downtown, and others. Each of these elements has been recreated to help capture the atmosphere and identity of the real place.
And if you are visiting not only for sightseeing but also to take on a job, you will find plenty of depots to choose from. These include a cement works, a gas and chemical distribution facility, a sawmill, a warehouse, a home store, waste management, and even a custom-made grain elevator depot, all ready to load up your trailer.
Also, remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news from not only this map expansion, but also other American Truck Simulator projects, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!
Steam Train Fest is chugging along through July 27th at 10 a.m. PT! Score deals on train games of all kinds: Building train stations and train tracks, managing entire lines, or riding the rails in general.
Join us for Steam Train Fest and get your Steam Library on track. (Eh?)
With the upcoming 1.61 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2, we’re excited to introduce a complete rework of the Livestock Trailer, which our vehicle team has reworked from the ground up. Let’s take a closer look at what changes have been made!
The goal for our team was to create a model that closely matches what you’d see on the road in the real world, with a strong focus on detail. Inspired by modern European livestock trailers, our vehicle team rebuilt the trailer entirely from scratch, replacing the previous older model with a brand-new one.
One of the biggest changes drivers will notice is the removal of the older belly axle variant, which has been replaced with a lowered chassis configuration featuring dual wheels. Alongside this, the trailer has been refined with improved proportions, updated details, and an overall cleaner, more modern appearance.
For those who own their own Livestock trailers, the updated trailer will offer multiple customization options, including two chassis variants, a Straight 3 Axle and a Lowered 3 Axle configuration. Drivers will also be able to choose between an Aluminium body or a fully paintable body.
A wide range of accessories have also been included to customize your trailer including storage boxes, water tanks, side protections, full side covers, fenders, marker lights, rear bumpers, mudflaps, a spare tire, and a fire extinguisher.
We’re also introducing newly configurable paint jobs for owned trailers, allowing you to customize up to four different colour sections across specific parts of the trailer for even greater customization. Freight Market and AI traffic variants have also been reworked based on the new owned trailer model, with company paint jobs completely reworked to better reflect more realistic transport operations.
We look forward to seeing you out on the road with this reworked trailer in Euro Truck Simulator 2. Be sure to keep an eye our blog and social media channels for more upcoming development news on the 1.61 update and more. Until next time, keep on truckin’!
When we released the Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack for Euro Truck Simulator 2 back in 2016, it quickly became a popular addition to many players’ fleets. With the upcoming 1.61 update, we’re excited to begin updating the Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack DLC to better reflect the new modern trailer designs, starting with a complete rework of one of its low loader trailers and accessories. Let’s take a closer look!
As Schwarzmüller’s real-world trailer lineup has continued to evolve over the years, we felt it was the right time to revisit this popular trailer pack and bring it more in line with the manufacturer’s current designs. Leading this update is the redesigned low loader trailer, which has been rebuilt to closely match Schwarzmüller’s latest real-world model.
Alongside the trailer itself, its available accessories have also been updated with refreshed designs to better represent the equipment and styling Schwarzmüller offers today. While the available cargo options remain the same, this update marks the beginning of a larger goal for us, to rework the entire Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack.
We hope you're excited to hit the road with this newly redesigned low loader trailer and accessories, which will arrive as a free update for all Euro Truck Simulator 2 owners in the future. Be sure to keep upto date with the latest news by following us on our socials. You can find us on X, Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram & TikTok. Until next time, we’ll see you on the road!
This update is for the SteamOS Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.
Known Issues - Beta
There is a known issue with degraded performance in some cases when composition is required (such as when having FSR enabled).
This issue is fixed in the latest SteamOS stable release (3.8.16). Affected users may wish to switch to the stable update channel while we work on bringing this fix to the beta channel.
General
Fixed an issue causing black screens in certain launchers, including Zenless Zone Zero and FINAL FANTASY XIV Online
As the development of the upcoming Coaches DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 advances, today, we'd like to show you some of the new vehicle features we have developed for this expansion. Let's take a look!
Coaches feature a variety of systems and functions that trucks don't. So we needed to dive deeper and faithfully recreate new vehicle systems for the Coaches DLC, which we believe will enhance the driving experience and make every journey feel even more immersive when this expansion releases.
The first thing we have decided to implement is the destination display panel visible at the top of the windshield, showing the coach's final stop. It is a removable accessory, giving players the option to decide whether they want to use it or not, and is also visible from the interior. We've fine-tuned its appearance, including text length, colour, and other visual details to ensure it fits well across different destinations.
Another difference between coaches and trucks is that coaches have larger windshields, which means sunlight can be a greater challenge while driving. That is why we have developed adjustable sun visors. On coaches that support this feature, the visors are split into left and right sections, allowing each side to be controlled independently and positioned as needed. They are also visible from the exterior and include animated controls, as well as sound effects.
Since coaches are long vehicles, judging what's behind you can be quite a challenge. That's why modern coaches are typically equipped with rear-view cameras, which we've also included in this DLC. The camera feed is integrated directly into the dashboard, automatically switching from the navigation display when a reverse gear is engaged. Since we've aimed to recreate bus stations and stops as faithfully as possible, including real-life situations a coach driver might encounter, we believe the camera will prove especially useful in many situations.
We've also added interior lighting options to brighten up the journey for you and your passengers. The first is ambient lighting, which allows you to choose the color to suit your preference. The second is the main ceiling light, which can be switched on and off with a button, particularly useful at night when stopping to pick up or drop off passengers.
SteamOS 3.8.16 has just been released for all users with the following changes:
General
Reverted a change from 3.8.15 resulting in some titles showing a blank screen. The Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced HDR fix will be available in Beta while the root cause is investigated.
The countdown to one of the biggest gaming events of the year has begun, and we're excited to share that SCS Software will be attending Gamescom 2026! From August 26th to August 30th, you'll be able to find us in the Entertainment Halls, where we'll have our biggest booth yet. We will be located in Hall 10.1, Booth B022-C023.
We're looking forward to meeting our #BestCommunityEver once again. Whether you've been trucking with us for years or are just discovering our games, we'd love for you to stop by, say hello, and spend some time with the team. Meeting our community in person is always one of the highlights of the year, and we can't wait to see familiar faces as well as meet new ones.
Visitors to our booth will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel and try exclusive demo builds showcasing several of our upcoming map expansions. We plan to bring special preview versions featuring the breathtaking landscapes of the upcoming Euro Truck Simulator 2: Iceland DLC, explore the stunning roads and scenery of British Columbia in the upcoming American Truck Simulator: British Columbia DLC, and get a first taste of the upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator.
We're also doing everything we can to bring playable demonstrations of our upcoming Road Trip and Coaches projects to Gamescom. While we're not ready to make any promises just yet, we're working hard behind the scenes and hope we'll be able to let visitors get an early hands-on experience with these exciting new additions as well.
To make the experience even more immersive, we're thrilled to be partnering with Thrustmaster once again. They will be equipping our booth with a brand-new product that visitors will have the exclusive chance to test! We can't wait for everyone to get their hands on it and experience what's in store. A huge thank you to Thrustmaster for helping us make our Gamescom booth even more exciting!
We'd also like to extend our sincere thanks to Volvo Trucks for helping us prepare something truly special for Gamescom. While we'll keep the details under wraps a little longer, let's just say that fans of Volvo trucks won't want to miss our booth. We'll be showcasing something truly exclusive straight from Volvo that every truck enthusiast will want to see up close.
And if that isn't enough, our 4D motion simulator will also be making its return! If you've always wanted to experience the feeling of driving a truck with added motion effects, be sure to give it a try during your visit.
We can't wait to see you in Cologne this August! We'll have more information to share as Gamescom gets closer, including our booth location and additional activities, so make sure to keep an eye on our social media channels and give us a follow on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter, so you never miss any news. Safe travels, and we'll see you there!
This update is for the SteamOS Beta and Preview channels, and includes new features that are still being tested. You can opt into this in Settings > System > System Update Channel.
Note: This beta contains changes that were simultaneously released to SteamOS stable channel as 3.8.15,noted below
Known Issues - Beta
There is a known issue with degraded performance in some cases when composition is required (such as when having FSR enabled).
This issue is fixed in the latest SteamOS stable release (3.8.15). Affected users may wish to switch to the stable update channel while we work on bringing this fix to the beta channel.
General
Fixed delayed start time for some games under Proton when no capture device is present
Security and stability improvements
Fixed in 3.8.15
Fixed an issue with HDR in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Today, we're excited to take you on another journey through the upcoming Iceland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2. This time, we're focusing on one of the country's fascinating pieces of infrastructure - its bridges.
Although Iceland is known for its dramatic volcanoes, glaciers, and waterfalls, every trucker's journey depends on something a little less obvious: the bridges that connect communities across the landscape. From narrow crossings over glacial rivers to long bridges spanning waterways, each one plays an important role in keeping the country's road network moving.
Our map team has carefully recreated a wide variety of bridges inspired by their real-world counterparts. Whether you're hauling cargo along the famous Ring Road or venturing onto more remote routes, you'll encounter structures that reflect Iceland's unique engineering and natural surroundings.
One of the defining characteristics of Icelandic bridges is their diversity. Modern concrete spans stand alongside older steel bridges that have served travellers for decades. In more remote areas, you'll also find plenty of single-lane bridges, where traffic from both directions must carefully share the crossing. These iconic structures have become a familiar sight for anyone who has explored Iceland by road, and we're happy to bring that authentic experience to the game.
Creating these locations required close attention to both realism and gameplay. Our teams worked to ensure that each bridge feels like a natural part of the surrounding landscape while remaining enjoyable to drive across. Terrain, road alignment, barriers, signage, and nearby landmarks all contribute to making every crossing a memorable part of your journey. Of course, bridges are much more than simple road crossings; they also offer some breathtaking views!
Steam Social Deduction Fest is packed with discounts on games that ask you to really look at everyone around you and ask "friend, or foe?"
As you'll see demonstrated in our trailer above, it's not always obvious who to trust. But that's the fun of it when you're grabbing deals on games that require your best judgment of character, whether that's in the form of murder mysteries, hide-and-seek, and even just good old-fashioned paranoia in general.
Join us now for Steam Social Deduction Fest, on through July 16th at 10 am Pacific. See you there! (Or will we? Can you trust us?*)
Today, we're taking you behind the scenes of the development of Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator to explore another important part of the process that helps shape your experience on the road. This time, we're shining a spotlight on UI/UX QA and its role in creating intuitive, enjoyable, and polished interfaces for our players.
To guide you through this fascinating area, we'd like to introduce Petr and Jan from our UI/UX QA team. They'll take you along for a day at work, explain what their role involves, and share how they help ensure every menu, button, and interaction feels just right before it reaches your screen.
Petr - Console & UI/UX QA Lead
"Hi! My name is Petr, and I work as the Console & UI/UX QA Lead. Together with my colleagues, I helped build two teams that now play a key role in ensuring our games both function well and deliver a great user experience.
We are responsible for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator across all platforms, including traditional PC, Steam Deck, VR, PlayStation, and Xbox Series X/S. In addition to the games themselves, we're also heavily involved in testing projects such as Driving Academy, Coaches, and Road Trip.
My work mainly revolves around coordination, planning, and analysing testing results. I collaborate closely with other teams to identify and resolve bugs or UX issues as early as possible. My goal is to organise our processes so that the entire team can work efficiently and stay focused without unnecessary pressure before every new patch or DLC release.
I also actively test everything my team works on. Not only do I genuinely enjoy testing, but I also see it as a major advantage. Being directly involved in the entire process allows me to better identify areas where we can continue improving and moving forward as a team.
I'm always there to support my team whenever they're unsure about something or need advice, and I make a conscious effort to maintain a positive, friendly atmosphere where everyone enjoys working together."
Jan - Senior UI/UX Tester
"Hi, I'm Jan, and I'm a Senior UI/UX Tester with a primary focus on playtesting. I'm 31 years old, and I've been at SCS Software for two years. I originally joined the company as a Junior Tester without a specific specialisation, but once I settled into the team and got to know our development process, I quickly discovered a passion for user experience.
With the support and guidance of Petr, who was already a senior at the time, I helped establish our playtesting process and have been refining it ever since."
What is UI/UX QA?
"Before a new feature gets added to our games, it has to go through a long journey. And the UI/UX (User Interface/User Experience) is there along the way. Whether it's a new feature or a redesign of an existing one, it all starts with analysis and dialogue between us (QA department) and the Game Design (GD) department. For redesigns, we need to start by assessing the current state, what works, and where changes are needed, and for new features and redesigns alike, we need to think about where we want to arrive. Answers to these questions will then inform all future decisions."
What does a typical UI/UX testing process look like, and how closely do you work with other teams?
"In general, we try to be involved in the process of a feature development as soon as possible and cooperate with the GD department as closely as we can, so we're also a part of the next stage of the feature's journey, where we provide feedback on the design. This means looking at the design document and trying to think ahead, so we ask questions like: "Is this going to be intuitive? Is it clear that this is a button? Aren't we forgetting anything? What about accessibility? Will the text be legible on a smaller screen?" and many more. After some back and forth with the GD department, we arrive at a design that can then be implemented by a programmer.
The first playable prototype is the point where we have to start sitting in two chairs at once. We still have to see the big picture - know the design, see how all the pieces fit, know why some decisions were made the way they were. But now, we can also see the game as a player seeing the feature for the first time. We have to become a player that is just starting out and has never played any other game before. A hardcore gamer who has played many games, but never a trucking simulator. Or a real-life trucker who plays our games on a handheld at their rest stops. Our games are played by a very wide audience, and the design has to work and be intuitive for all of them.
At this stage, we identify further issues, offer improvements, and look for possible solutions together with the GD team and programmers working on the feature. After we feel confident enough with the state we arrive at, it's time to validate in the next stage.
The next important part of the feature's journey is internal Playtesting. It's a great way of getting a fresh perspective from people from various parts of the company who haven't seen the design documents and ideally don't know anything about it. Before we start playtesting, we define the questions we want answers to: "Is this screen intuitive? Does it control all accessories well? Did the addition of X add any unnecessary friction?" Based on these questions, we prepare detailed scenarios for the respondents to go through, which will get them to engage with the (re)designed feature in ways that try to simulate a regular gameplay loop. We then invite the respondents to our Playtest Lab, where we guide them through the scenarios, observing their behaviour, reactions, taking down notes, and asking questions. We also utilise eye tracking, which gives us more insight about the players' focus, telling us which elements are observed first and which go by completely unnoticed.
After the playtest ends, respondents also fill out a questionnaire, which allows them to think about the feature some more, further comment on it, and possibly come up with ideas of their own.
All of this gives us a lot of data that needs to be processed. For this, we use practices from applied research, so we start with qualitative coding, followed by thematic analysis with frequency counting. In layman's terms, we go through all the raw statements and observed behaviours and assign them to various categories, along with how often they were mentioned/observed. This helps us to identify recurring patterns and assign them to broader themes/issues.
We then prepare a final Output, which summarises the respondents' behaviour, reactions, opinions, identifies underlying issues, and proposes possible solutions.
The next steps depend on the results of the playtest. If we identify some deep issues that require big changes in the design, we have to go back to the drawing board, repeating the previous points, leading to another playtest to confirm the issues have been satisfactorily addressed. A good recent example is the redesigned Skip Time / Rest feature, which also divided Fatigue into two separate mechanics (Fatigue and Mandatory Break). During playtesting, we found out that this new division and its representation were very confusing to players, and the feature had to be redesigned completely, to great success (at least we hope so).
If, on the other hand, we only identify surface-level issues that require some polish, the GD department tackles those, and we can move on to the final testing of the feature.
In the final testing, we mostly focus on FQA - the design is largely set, and we're now making sure it all works as intended. As soon as this is done, the feature can be merged into the main branch, where the Integration QA department takes over, making sure the feature itself survived the merge in its intended state and didn't break anything else along the way, but that's for another chapter."
What do you enjoy most about working on UI/UX?
Petr: "What do I enjoy the most? That's a tough question. In short, pretty much everything! Everyone on our team is passionate about games of all kinds and genres, so having the opportunity to contribute our own ideas and suggestions for Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator is incredibly rewarding.
At SCS, we often do things our own way, which makes the work especially enjoyable. At the same time, we always keep our players at the heart of every decision. When developing new gameplay features, it's easy for designers to unintentionally fall into "tunnel vision." Our job is to challenge that perspective and bring in a fresh set of eyes. We think about our experienced truckers, but we never forget players who are just starting out. Looking at the game's interface from many different perspectives is both a key part of our work and one of its most creative aspects.
We put our all into making our games as accessible as possible while ensuring they remain just as fun to play."
Jan: "I like how it combines technical and human aspects. User experience is mostly an interaction between a human and a machine, and you have to make them understand each other.
The first project I came up with and delivered was the Graphics Settings screenshot representation to make it easier for players to see the changes they're making when setting up the visuals of their game, and that's the perfect example of what I mean - I'm interested in how things work under the hood, but also how the player perceives and understands them."
What message would you like to share with our community, and how valuable is player feedback in helping improve the user experience?
"Player feedback is incredibly important to us and a constant source of inspiration. We're genuinely happy to see more and more initiatives being built around your feedback here at SCS. I want to assure you that we truly do read your comments, ideas, and suggestions carefully, not just our UI/UX team, but the entire studio.
It's clear how much all of you who engage with us care about our games, and we feel exactly the same way. We love Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, and we want to keep making them better and better. We genuinely want to know what you enjoy, what you'd like to see added, and what you think could be improved. We've already received an incredible amount of feedback. I wish you could see the extensive documents where we carefully collect and organise all of your ideas and requests.
Unfortunately, we can't implement every suggestion. There can be many reasons that aren't immediately obvious, such as engine limitations, limited internal resources, technical constraints within our game systems, licensing agreements, and more. But please, keep talking to us! Your feedback never goes unnoticed. It's thanks to you that we're able to continue on this journey and keep making the experience even better together.
Thank you to everyone who's travelling this exciting road with us!"
The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:
Steam Workshop
Re-worked system that managed what subscribed items needed to be updated.
Remote Play
Fixed mouse coordinates for input-only streaming
Fixed very low refresh rate on some systems, introduced in the last beta
In-Game Overlay
Fixed a case where the in-game overlay could hold a reference and prevent a game which tries to fully tear down and recreate the renderer after a D3D12 device/driver failure from succeeding
Log in
