A few weeks ago, several members of our team embarked on a research trip to Iceland to gather valuable reference material for the upcoming DLC. Let's take a look at what they thought of their journey!

The team that traveled to Iceland consisted of the map DLC lead Ivo and two map designers, Ashley and Johana. Travelling with them also were some of our colleagues from the marketing department, as they had the opportunity for the first time to join a research trip and document the whole journey. That's why we will also be bringing you a packed SCS On The Road episode in the future where you will see this whole trip in more detail.

"Visiting Iceland was wonderful because first-hand experience allows you to take in the landscape with all your senses and provides an insight that digital sources struggle to match. It was fascinating to "get to know" the places on which we work and to find our bearings in a landscape we know well, even though we were seeing it for the first time," says Ivo.

Even though the development of this map expansion is already in a more advanced state, this trip will help the team gather any missing references as well as learn even more about The Land of Fire and Ice.

"Soon after arrival, we started noticing some of the landmarks we already knew from the game. Seeing Iceland with my own eyes was truly incredible. All the mountains were so vast and varied that I sometimes found it difficult to fully comprehend them. My personal favourite memories were when we were at a rest stop and had time to go for a short walk on a footpath, just seeing nature up close while surrounded by giant mountains," Ashley told us.

Everyone on the trip was amazed by the beauty of this island and admitted it helped them get the feeling of what it's like to be there in person, as Johana explains here: "You get a pretty good sense of how gorgeous the place is from everything you can look up on the internet, but once you're there it really hits you. One thing you can't really experience from the street view is the scale, which is an important thing when it comes to landscape. And boy, weren't we surprised at how BIG some of the mountains and waterfalls really are."

The team managed to cover quite a distance in the one week they were visiting, taking into account how many different places they needed to stop by to study and take references.

"We managed to drive the entire western half of the Ring Road, roughly from Lake Mývatn in the north to Vík in the south, and visit interesting locations along the way. Everywhere we went, we came across something unusual for us, be it high mountains, fjords, lava fields, numerous small waterfalls and torrents that suddenly appear in some narrow gorge, or sheep and horses grazing freely. As well as various types of roads and urban areas, particularly in Akureyri and Reykjavík," Ivo says.

Iceland has a completely different and unique landscape compared to what we have worked on in the past, so seeing it with their own eyes was an unforgettable experience for our map designers. "What impressed me most was the raw beauty of the landscape itself. Iceland is a living textbook of geological processes, and that's something that fascinates me. My personal favourite, however, was visiting Thingvellir National Park, because I'm a history nerd and standing on the spot where the Viking Althing used to meet was a dream come true for me," Ivo shared with us.

One thing the team had to get used to was Iceland's almost endless daylight. During their visit, the sun set for less than three hours each day, but at least it gave them a lot of extra time. "Back home, we're not used to seeing the sun even around midnight, but although it made it a bit harder to sleep, on the other hand it allowed us to make the most of every day," Ivo told us.

We also have to send a huge thanks to Volvo Trucks, who invited us to be part of the filming of their videos, which we cannot reveal right now, but we are working on making another SCS On The Road episode with a behind-the-scenes look at the shooting. Thanks to that, our map designers had the unique opportunity to get in the passenger seat of a truck for the first time and gain insight into how the view from a truck differs from that of a standard car.

"Thanks to Volvo, we were able to cover part of the journey in a truck with a local professional driver, which gave us a brilliant new perspective," Ivo shared. Ashley was also impressed by the experience: "It was much higher than I expected, and the view was certainly great. Overall, a very cool experience," she said. Johana added: "Never in my life have I expected to be inside a truck and be driven in Iceland of all the places. It was an amazing experience and a work trip I won't soon forget!"

Our map designers were also able to compare their ongoing work on the map expansion with what they saw in real life. "I was really happy about how familiar everything felt, compared to what we already have in-game. Almost as if I had stumbled into the game itself," Ashley said.

"I got to see the town Ólafsvík, which I'm working on in the map, and was able to check out their harbour, which was quite helpful since there aren't enough references online. Now back in Prague, I got the sense of a map designer's pride while looking at our own Iceland in the editor, thinking, yup, this is gonna look great!" Johana concluded.

If you want to get a similar experience as our map designers and travel around Iceland in ETS2, don't forget to add this map expansion to your Steam wishlist.

Also, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow to receive updates not only about Iceland, but also other news from our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, happy haulin'!

Today, we’re taking you on a journey to one of South Dakota’s most recognizable landmarks and a true highlight of the upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator: Mount Rushmore! Set among the rugged beauty of the Black Hills, this iconic monument is also the reason South Dakota is officially known as the “Mount Rushmore State,” and it’s sure to be one of the most memorable sights you’ll encounter while exploring the state.

Standing high above the surrounding landscape, Mount Rushmore features the monumental granite faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Carved into the side of the mountain between 1927 and 1941, the monument has become one of the most famous landmarks in the United States, attracting millions of visitors from around the world each year.

Players will also be able to experience the impressive sight of Mount Rushmore from the roads running through the Black Hills. Nearby, you’ll also find the small town of Keystone, a popular gateway to the monument and the surrounding attractions. With its charming downtown, unique Western-style character, and location surrounded by the Black Hills, Keystone makes for a great stop as you explore this scenic corner of South Dakota. The town is also home to a depot for the historic 1880 Train, a steam-powered excursion railroad connecting Keystone and Hill City along an original late-1800s mining route.

The journey to Mount Rushmore also gives you the opportunity to experience some of the area's scenic roads. US-16, also known as Mount Rushmore Road, connects Keystone with nearby communities and offers beautiful views as it winds through the Black Hills. Along the way, you’ll pass through several tunnels, some of which offer a unique view of Mount Rushmore framed in the distance. For an even more memorable drive, you can take the scenic US-16A, also known as the Iron Mountain Road. With its winding route, forested surroundings, and carefully designed curves, this road is an adventure in itself.

As you make your way through the Black Hills, keep your eyes peeled for the many scenic views and natural landmarks surrounding the roads. The landscape here is quite different from the wide-open plains found elsewhere in South Dakota, with dense forests, rugged rock formations, and curvy mountain roads creating a unique driving experience. The Black Hills are also steeped in motorcycle culture, with the region being a popular destination for riders and enthusiasts. You may spot a few of them parked at some of the area’s parking lots, adding another touch of local character to your journey.

Mount Rushmore is just one of the many highlights waiting for you in our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator. Whether you’re making a delivery, exploring the Black Hills, or simply taking the scenic route, there will be plenty of opportunities to stop, look around, and enjoy the views!

We can’t wait for you to experience South Dakota for yourself. If you’re excited about this map expansion, be sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlist! Don't forget to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter. Until then, keep your engines running and stay tuned for more news from the Mount Rushmore State!

We're excited to announce that we'll be hosting another SCS Fan Day Experience on the 2nd of October, inviting a selection of fans from our #BestCommunityEver to join us for a memorable afternoon at our offices in Prague! If you'd like to visit us, you'll find all the important information, along with the application form, below.

We hosted the last Fan Day in May. It was awesome to meet with dedicated members from our community, as we gave them a guided tour of our office, where they had the opportunity to try our 4D Motion Simulator, meet with some of our colleagues, and take a look behind the scenes of our projects. We then wrapped up the day with snacks and coffee in our fun zone, followed by a Q&A with our team and CEO, Pavel Šebor. To top it all off, our guests received a small gift bag filled with our merchandise. You can watch our wrap-up video from the day below.

And on our next Fan Day in October, we plan to do the same, so if this is something you are interested in, make sure to read further and apply below until the 31st of August! From all applicants, SCS Software will personally select 20 community members, and we reserve the right to make the final choice.

Before you apply, it's important to note that SCS Software unfortunately cannot cover accommodation and travel costs, so if you are selected, you will need to cover these expenses yourself.  Also, the event date is fixed and cannot be changed, so if chosen, you will need to be at our offices in Prague, Czech Republic, on the 2nd of October, 2026. Additionally, if you are under the age of 18, you will be required to bring an accompanying adult with you to the event.

And that's it! We are very much looking forward to seeing all your applications - make sure to include as much information about yourself as possible. Maybe even include a photo or a short video introducing yourself and your passion for our games, which might boost your chances of being selected. And don't forget to regularly check your email inbox, as we will contact you there if you are selected.

You can apply here until the 31st of August, 23:59 CEST!

We cannot wait to welcome our passionate fans to our offices once again and spend another memorable afternoon with them. So don't hesitate and fill out the application form! 

Also remember to follow us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

Last week, we showed you the new Atlas gameplay feature coming to American Truck Simulator with the release of Road Trip. And today, we are excited to also showcase a video trailer focused on Atlas!

This upcoming feature is designed around exploration and encourages players to discover, visit, and learn about selected locations across the world of American Truck Simulator via Tourist Boards. These will then uncover Points of Interest, Viewpoints, and Photo Trophies, which highlight significant spots in the region that you'll need to discover to earn a special postcard reward. You can find out more about Atlas in the dedicated blog.

Now, to get you in the mood for the upcoming Road Trip DLCs, we have put together a video trailer where you can see in more detail how Atlas will work in American Truck Simulator. Let's watch it below!

Keep in mind that Atlas will only be unlocked for players owning any Road Trip DLC (Ford Car Pack or RAM & Dodge Car Pack), so make sure to add them to your Steam wishlist. However, this feature is not limited to cars, and you will also be able to enjoy it when driving a truck.

Don't forget to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow to not miss out on any Road Trip news, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed!

We're excited to share that, for the very first time in SCS Software's history, we'll be attending the Tokyo Game Show 2026! We can't wait to meet our community in Japan and be part of one of the world's most iconic gaming events as it celebrates an incredible milestone.

This year's edition of Tokyo Game Show is especially significant, marking the event's 30th anniversary. To celebrate this special occasion, TGS 2026 will take place over five full days, from September 17th to 21st, bringing together leading publishers, exciting upcoming games, and countless attractions for visitors from around the world.

You'll be able to find us in Hall 09, Booth E86, where our colleagues from SCS will be exhibiting in a compact booth made possible with the support of our friends at Neon Noroshi. Whether you're a longtime fan of our games or discovering them for the first time, we'd love for you to stop by, say hello, and experience what we've been working on.

During the first two days, the Tokyo Game Show is dedicated to gaming industry professionals, while the final three days are open to the public. Throughout the event, visitors will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel and try several of our upcoming projects, including the Iceland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2, as well as the upcoming British Columbia and South Dakota map expansions for American Truck Simulator.

We're also doing everything we can to bring playable demonstrations of our upcoming Road Trip and Coaches projects to Tokyo Game Show, along with a PlayStation 5 version of Euro Truck Simulator 2. While we're not quite ready to make any promises, our teams are working hard behind the scenes, and we hope to give visitors an early hands-on look at these exciting new experiences.

We're especially happy to share that Japanese-speaking visitors will be able to communicate with our team comfortably, as language interpreters will be available at our booth throughout the event. We hope this will make it even easier for everyone to ask questions, chat with us, and enjoy their time at our exhibit.

If you're planning to attend Tokyo Game Show 2026, we'd love to see you there! Be sure to stop by Hall 09, Booth E86, try out our latest projects, meet the team, and share your passion for trucking with us. We look forward to welcoming you to our very first Tokyo Game Show!

Today, we're excited to share a brand-new gameplay preview from our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator! Get a closer look at some of the beautiful roads, landmarks, and industries our map team has been recreating.

In the gameplay preview below, you'll follow a journey that begins in the Black Hills before passing by the scenic Pactola Lake and crossing the Spring Creek Memorial Bridge. Along the way, we'll drive through several settlements, including the beautiful city of Hot Springs and part of the historic town of Deadwood, before completing our delivery at a wood processing depot.

This route is just a small preview of what South Dakota has to offer, featuring winding mountain roads, charming communities, and diverse scenery. Whether you're taking in the views or making deliveries across the state, there's plenty to discover behind the wheel.

We hope you enjoy this gameplay preview and the stunning scenery South Dakota has to offer. As always, please keep in mind that everything you see is still a work in progress and subject to change during development.

If you like what you see, be sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam Wishlist. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, happy haulin'!

What's the best way to capture the spirit of Ireland? Hit the road, of course! In June, members of our Euro Truck Simulator 2 map team travelled across the Emerald Isle on a research trip for our upcoming Isle of Ireland DLC. With cameras in hand and thousands of kilometres ahead, they explored everything from lively cities and picturesque villages to rugged coastlines and breathtaking scenery, collecting the references that will help shape this exciting expansion. Here are some of their highlights from their journey.

In today's blog, we are excited to show you a new gameplay feature that will come to American Truck Simulator with the arrival of Road Trip. Let's take a closer look at Atlas!

You can access the Atlas interface from your in-game desktop under the Navigation tab. At the heart of this feature are Tourist Boards scattered across the map. By selecting a Tourist Board in the Atlas interface, you'll be directed to the board via your GPS. Once you arrive, several exploration locations will be revealed. These locations are typically spread throughout the surrounding region and showcase some of its most notable highlights. 

Your objective will be to visit every exploration location associated with the Tourist Board. These include Points of Interest, Viewpoints, and Photo Trophies.

Points of Interest are a new type of discoverable location. Unlike Viewpoints or Photo Trophies, there's no need to stop or activate a trigger - simply driving through the designated area is enough to mark it as explored. The game also lets you revisit each explored Point of Interest through the Atlas or Gallery, where you can view a live camera feed of the location. If your vehicle is parked there, you'll see it in the live view.

Whenever you've explored a new location, you'll be notified by a new on-screen widget, which can be enabled or disabled in the widget settings. A short celebratory sound effect will play, and the location will be marked as explored. You'll also unlock a brief description with interesting information about the place, which you can revisit at any time through the Atlas interface.

This feature will become available to players owning any Road Trip DLC, so either the Ford Car Pack or the RAM & Dodge Car Pack. However, Atlas is not limited to only cars, as you will also be able to enjoy this feature behind the wheel of a truck!

With the introduction of Atlas, you will be able to find Tourist Boards in California, and in the Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota DLCs. We will then be gradually adding them to all the other states as well.

We hope you are excited about this new gameplay feature! If you are, make sure to add the Ford Car Pack and the RAM & Dodge Car Pack to your Steam wishlist.

Don't forget to stay tuned for more news from Road Trip by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. Drive safe!

Today, we're excited to showcase some of the remarkable tunnels and snow sheds that await you in our upcoming British Columbia DLC for American Truck Simulator. Whether you're traveling through rugged mountain passes or navigating busy highways near Vancouver, these unique structures are an essential part of the province's transportation network.

One of the most recognizable structures you'll drive through is the Great Bear Snow Shed on the famous Coquihalla Highway. Built to protect motorists from avalanches and falling snow, this impressive concrete structure has become an iconic feature of one of British Columbia's most challenging mountain routes. As you make your way through the surrounding peaks, this landmark is sure to stand out during your journey.

Further east, along the Trans-Canada Highway (TC-1) in Glacier National Park, you'll come across several more snow sheds that shelter the roadway from heavy snowfall and avalanche hazards. Nestled among towering mountains and dense forests, these structures are an essential part of traveling through one of Canada's most spectacular alpine regions, adding another layer of authenticity to the mountain trucking experience.

The winding section of the Trans-Canada Highway near the town of Hope is also home to a remarkable collection of tunnels carved directly through the surrounding mountainsides. As you travel this scenic corridor, you'll pass through several recreated tunnels, including the Yale Tunnel, Alexandra Tunnel, Hell's Gate Tunnel, Ferrabee Tunnel, and China Bar Tunnel. Together, they create one of the most memorable stretches of highway in British Columbia, with dramatic canyon views waiting between each passage.

Our journey doesn't stop there. Drivers exploring the Vancouver area will also encounter the Cassiar Tunnel, an important urban tunnel that carries traffic beneath one of the city's major corridors. Meanwhile, another engineering highlight awaits beneath the mighty Fraser River, where you'll drive through a tunnel connecting key parts of the Metro Vancouver region. These additions showcase not only British Columbia's stunning natural landscapes, but also the impressive infrastructure that keeps the province moving every day.

From towering mountain passes to modern urban highways, British Columbia offers a wide variety of unforgettable driving experiences. We hope you're looking forward to exploring these tunnels and snow sheds as much as we enjoyed recreating them!

If you're excited to hit the roads of Canada's westernmost mainland province, don't forget to add the British Columbia DLC to your Steam Wishlist! Also, be sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss any future updates. Until next time, keep on truckin'!

Today, we're taking you on a journey through the beautiful Black Hills, one of South Dakota's most iconic regions, which we of course couldn't miss including in our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator. From legendary Wild West history to breathtaking mountain highways, let us share some of the work our talented teams have done to faithfully recreate this beautiful region.

We are excited to continue expanding the world of American Truck Simulator as we head further into the Northern Plains. Our map teams are currently working on bringing another unique state to life, filled with sweeping prairies, vibrant communities, and industries that keep America moving:

North Dakota for American Truck Simulator

Welcome to the Peace Garden State! Bordering Canada to the north, North Dakota is a land of sweeping prairies, fertile farmland, winding rivers, and skies that seem to stretch forever. Whether you're rolling into the capital city of Bismarck, navigating the busy streets of Fargo, or passing through communities such as Pembina and the Devil's Lake region, every stop offers a different glimpse into the character of this northern state.

North Dakota's road network is just as memorable as its destinations. Alongside major highways, you'll travel scenic routes like ND-57 and cruise along parts of the famous Enchanted Highway, where towering metal sculptures line the roadside, creating one of the state's most unique driving experiences. Nature lovers will also enjoy the expansive National Grasslands, whose open prairies perfectly capture the beauty of the Northern Plains.

Of course, no trucking adventure would be complete without plenty of cargo to haul. Agriculture remains the backbone of North Dakota, with vast fields producing crops that supply industries across the country. You'll also service facilities such as the sugar processing plant in Wahpeton and support the state's booming oil industry, ensuring there's always another job waiting just down the road.

As you explore, don't forget to keep an eye out for some of North Dakota's most distinctive landmarks. You may spot the state's highest TV tower rising above the prairie or encounter Wahpper, the World's Largest Catfish in Wahpeton. From famous landmarks to quiet country roads, North Dakota is full of memorable moments waiting to be discovered.

We can't wait to share more locations and information about North Dakota in later blogs! If you're excited to explore the Peace Garden State, be sure to add the North Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlist!

Remember to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news about this upcoming American Truck Simulator map expansion, or sign up for our newsletter so you never miss an update. Until next time, we wish you happy travels!

Ready to hit the open road behind the wheel of a true American legend? Today, we're excited to share a new gameplay preview from our upcoming Road Trip module for American Truck Simulator, featuring the iconic 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, which is a part of the Ford Car Pack DLC.

Today, we're taking a closer look at Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota and one of the highlights of our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator. Whether you're delivering cargo or simply enjoying the drive, this city offers plenty of memorable sights and destinations to explore. Let's take a closer look!

Today, we'd like to give you a glimpse of our work on the Soul of Anatolia DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 by showcasing some of the new assets we've been creating to make this map expansion unique!

Because the DLC is still very much a work in progress, it's not quite the right time to start previewing specific locations, as our map designers are still bringing them to life. Instead, we'd like to share a selection of the 3D models that our assets team has been hard at work creating, displayed in a placeholder setting for now.

Keep in mind that the assets we're showcasing today are just a glimpse of what's still to come. The assets team continues making new models throughout the entire development process, so what you're seeing here represents only a fraction of what will eventually make its way into the final product.

Based on our research team and close collaboration between our map and assets teams, these models are created to reflect the architecture and character of the region. In this map expansion, you will encounter plenty of different cities, each with its own unique architecture, so we need to capture a wide spectrum of buildings, from the big and small, modern and older city buildings to rural houses you would see when visiting the western part of Türkiye in real life.

Over time, they are being integrated into the map by the team working on this DLC, helping shape its towns, cities, and other locations across the map expansion. In total, we plan to create around 300 new generic assets, similar to the ones you see here, as well as our usual landmark assets, which are created for more significant buildings to make them instantly recognizable. You can look forward to seeing these in future blog posts.

If you are excited to be cruising in this map expansion, don't forget to support us by adding the Soul of Anatolia DLC to your Steam wishlist.

Also, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow, as you'll receive updates from our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, we wish you safe travels!

In the 1.60 update, we have introduced the Improved Material System for selected trucks for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator. And today, we bring you a look behind the scenes at how this feature came to life!

The two main people working on this feature are our colleagues Daniel and Martin, who were and still are implementing the system for trucks in both games, and also for cars in the upcoming Road Trip project for American Truck Simulator.

Daniel - Vehicle Technical Leader

"I've been working at SCS Software for over thirteen years. I started as a 3D Generalist, then worked as a 3D Vehicle Artist and Vehicle Team Lead. Today, my role is the Vehicle Technical Leader.

My work bridges the gap between the graphical and technical aspects of development. I collaborate with programmers to implement vehicle features into the engine, while also helping artists establish efficient workflows. I also design new tools and technical improvements.

My task on the improved material system was to identify the problem, propose a solution, and collaborate with programmers on its implementation into the engine. Next, we needed to set up a practical workflow for the vehicle team so that the system could be used consistently across other vehicles. The programmers created the necessary support in the engine and shaders. The graphic designers then converted and fine-tuned the materials for specific trucks."

Martin - Senior 3D Graphic Designer

"I work as a Senior 3D Graphic Designer specializing in vehicles. I also worked as Head of Content for the Road Trip project. I participated in selecting the vehicles and their specific variants, handled research and pre-production, provided expert consultation, and subsequently worked on the actual creation of the vehicles. I also helped Dan fine-tune changes to the material system.

Cars have been a long-standing passion of mine, especially sports cars and classic cars - particularly American ones. Thanks to this, I was able to bring my own experience and knowledge of American automotive culture, history, and the technical development of individual models to the project.

My main task was the 1967 Ford Mustang and everything related to its visual and content preparation. I was involved in selecting the specific car and its variant, conducting research, gathering references, consulting during data collection, and the actual creation of the model and materials.

During the development of the new material system, I prepared and fine-tuned the individual surfaces on the Mustang. Together with Dan, we used this car to verify how the new technical solution behaved in practice and which values provided the most accurate results."

How did this project start?

"Development began while we were working on the Road Trip project. The interiors of passenger cars are smaller and darker than those of trucks, so the shortcomings of the original system were more noticeable in them.

Aside from direct light, the original system had no way to render light within the interiors. In the real world, a large portion of the visuals consists of so-called indirect, or reflected light (GI). However, the game did not work with this concept at all and was not designed for it. We knew we needed to change this somehow.

The second problem was that the interiors of the trucks contain many different materials, such as fabric, leather, plastic, painted surfaces, metal, and glass. The original system was unable to render them accurately, especially under indirect lighting; everything looked very flat.

"Road Trip provided us with a suitable, isolated environment for development and testing. From the start, however, we designed the system so that it could also be used for trucks," says Daniel.

What did you have to do before actually starting to implement the improved system?

"We needed to map out the actual vehicles and the materials used in their interior in detail through extensive research. I studied magazines, photographs, available documentation, and individual trim levels. While gathering data, we had the opportunity to see the specific car in person, speak with its owner, and document its construction and appearance in detail.

It wasn't enough to simply determine that a certain part of the interior was made of, for example, plastic, leather, or metal. We also had to examine the surface texture, the degree of gloss, the way the material reflects light, its wear and tear, the color shade, and the differences between individual parts.

This research laid the foundation upon which we could later assess whether the materials in the game corresponded to the actual vehicle," Martin told us.

"We also had to decide which direction to take. One of the key requirements was maintaining performance, so we looked for approaches that didn't require complex computational operations and sought techniques that would achieve good results with minimal changes to computational complexity. I believe the result of our efforts is a noticeable improvement in graphics with minimal impact on performance," Daniel shared with us.

How did the process of bringing the new system into the game look?

"We needed to implement changes to the engine regarding how the game loads and handles reflective textures. A reflective texture is essentially a cube where each face shows a reflection in a different direction relative to the player. Using it is significantly more efficient than calculating actual light reflections using ray tracing. We made several changes to the code to gain direct access to individual mipmaps. A mipmap is a scaled-down copy of the original image, typically used when a textured object is farther away from the player to eliminate unappealing texture aliasing. In our specific case, however, a lower resolution automatically results in a softer reflection, which can be used for materials that do not have a 100% glossy surface but rather a physically rougher surface, causing the reflection on the material to be more diffuse.

This way, we created several different levels of reflection smoothness, ranging from perfectly glossy surfaces like chrome, through smoother reflections such as those found on leather seat materials, to rough, nearly non-reflective materials like fabrics, where one side of the reflection cube is only 2x2px. In our case, it replaces the Iradience map, which means it primarily serves to project the surrounding light palette onto the given material (color cast). The game was already calculating the mipmaps themselves, which means this change costs us practically nothing in terms of performance - and that is the main reason we decided to use this approach.

Along with the material changes, we also needed to rebalance the contrast and lighting throughout the game to eliminate extremely dark areas and achieve a more realistic sense of lighting.

Unlike the original solution, where reflective textures were used only for highly reflective materials, particularly metals, the revised system applies a reflective texture to every single material in the vehicle's interior. However, they differ in how strongly the reflection is visible in the final image and in the softness of the reflection applied. This ensures that even less reflective materials - especially plastics - convey a sense of reflected light, color cast, and improved contrast, particularly in shaded areas of the interior. Players will now notice that the entire interior actually reacts to the truck's surroundings; for example, when driving past trees, the part of the interior near the windows takes on a subtle green tint. This makes the game feel much more realistic than before, even without the computationally expensive global illumination (GI) calculation.

Once the technology was ready, we needed to determine how to adjust the individual materials under the new conditions. Since each material now includes a reflective component, we had to completely rebalance all the settings for each material. To ensure that existing textures would function correctly with the new settings, we also had to rebalance their color and specular components to the standard values we had established during our extensive testing.

The final step for system-wide deployment was to create a material library so that we wouldn't have to configure each material type separately for every vehicle," Daniel explains.

What were the biggest challenges in implementing the system?

"The biggest challenge was the diversity of the vehicles. The individual trucks were created at different times and used different source data, textures, and rendering methods. There is no single conversion that works for all trucks. Each completed interior has its own structure and requires a customized approach," says Daniel.

"Also, the individual properties of materials influence one another. Changing the reflectance or roughness might improve the appearance of one surface, but at the same time cause the material to behave poorly in a different lighting situation. Or a material that looked right in direct daylight might be too shiny in a dark interior or react unnaturally while driving at night. It was therefore necessary to constantly strike a balance between realism, visibility, and consistent behavior. The goal was not to make all surfaces more prominent or shinier, but to accurately capture the differences between them.

We reworked many of these steps several times during development. However, the result was not just materials for one specific car, but also experience and guidelines that will significantly facilitate work on future vehicles.

The process wasn't straightforward. It wasn't enough to simply set a few parameters according to a pre-prepared table. We had to figure out many of the values ourselves, and together with Dan, we tested them repeatedly right in the game," Martin added.

How did you manage to do the changes without affecting performance?

"Our players use a wide range of hardware. We didn't want to create visual enhancements that would significantly reduce the game's performance or even make the game unplayable for some players. Therefore, the system is not based on a new, resource-intensive lighting simulation. It extends the existing rendering pipeline and utilizes already available data more efficiently.

Performance was continuously profiled during development. The goal was to achieve a visible improvement with minimal impact on the graphics card and memory. Furthermore, the system is configured to function with a certain trade-off even when set to medium or low - in such cases, while reflections are not rendered in real time and some benefits, such as realistic color cast from the vehicle's surroundings, are lost, the materials themselves still look realistic and can be distinguished from one another," says Daniel.

So far, we've implemented the improved material system on four trucks across ETS2 and ATS. Rather than making the community wait until every truck has been updated, we'll continue rolling out the improved material system for other trucks gradually, allowing you to enjoy the improvements on some vehicles already while we complete the rest. As Daniel explains here:

"Each truck requires individual adjustments, a visual inspection, and testing of all variants in daylight, at night, in the rain, and in cloudy weather. Therefore, it was not possible to update the entire fleet at once. This smaller initial group will allow us to verify the entire production process, maintain quality, and gather feedback from players."

We hope you have enjoyed this in-depth look at how we work on the improved material system. Make sure to also add the Ford Car Pack and the RAM & Dodge Car Pack to your Steam wishlist, so you can enjoy this feature on cars when we release them.

Don't forget to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube a follow, as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed! Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

If you've been following our rework projects in American Truck Simulator, you may be wondering what's next after our recent focus on Route 66. Today, we're excited to share the answer! Our next major undertaking will be the Nevada Rework Project, where we'll give the Silver State a complete overhaul.

As part of this next phase, our map designers will focus on the entire state of Nevada, reworking all of its existing cities and road networks to bring them up to the quality standards of our latest content. Since Nevada was one of the original states released with American Truck Simulator, this rework will allow us to rebuild many locations from the ground up while preserving the character and atmosphere that make the state so unique.

In addition to refreshing familiar places, we're also taking the opportunity to expand Nevada with locations and road connections that were missing from the original version. One example is the city of Fallon, located east of Carson City. Alongside it, we'll also add the missing sections of US-95 that pass through Fallon from south to north, creating a more complete and authentic driving experience.

Throughout the state, you can also look forward to a variety of brand-new custom depots, offering more diverse delivery destinations and making freight transportation across Nevada feel even more immersive than before.

This is just the beginning of the Nevada Rework Project, and we're looking forward to sharing more previews from development as work progresses. Be sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss any future updates. Until next time, keep on truckin'!

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!

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.

We hope you are excited to discover Rapid City and everything else the Mount Rushmore State has to offer. If you do, make sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlist! 

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!

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! 

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 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.

We hope you are looking forward to taking advantage of the new vehicle features we developed for Coaches. If so, then don't forget to add the Coaches DLC to your Steam wishlist! Also, make sure to keep track of future updates by following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, safe travels!

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!

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!

We hope you enjoyed this preview of what's to come! If you did, make sure to add the Iceland DLC to your Steam wishlist and don't forget to follow our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok to receive all the recent updates straight to your feed. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

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!"

In today's blog, we'd like to introduce you to some of the custom depots and industries you'll be able to visit in our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator!

South Dakota's economy is built on a strong foundation of manufacturing, agriculture, and construction. While the state is well known for its farming and ranching, it is also home to a growing manufacturing sector that produces everything from trailers and heavy equipment to food products distributed across the country. As always, we've taken inspiration from these real-world industries to create authentic locations that bring the state's economy to life.

One of the new highlights you'll encounter are the trailer manufacturing plants located in Watertown and Mitchell. These large industrial facilities specialize in producing a variety of trailers, with completed units ready to be delivered to dealerships and customers across the map. You'll also be bringing in the materials and components needed to keep the production lines moving, making these factories a busy part of South Dakota's freight network.

If construction is more your style, you'll have the opportunity to deliver to new residential housing developments located in Watertown and Spearfish. These construction sites require regular deliveries of building materials, heavy machinery, and other essential cargo to support ongoing work.

The food industry also plays an important role in South Dakota's economy, and that's reflected in the food factory you'll find in Sioux Falls. This modern production facility receives a wide variety of raw ingredients before processing and packaging food products that are then shipped to businesses across the country. Whether you're delivering supplies or hauling finished goods, there's always plenty of work to be done.

These new industries are just a small taste of what awaits you in the South Dakota DLC, and we can't wait for you to explore them for yourself. If you're looking forward to hauling cargo across the Mount Rushmore State, be sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlist!

Also, remember to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news from this map expansion and other American Truck Simulator information, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Keep on truckin'!

It's been a while since we last shared a story from our community, and today we're excited to bring you another one. This time, we follow Arda from Türkiye, a fan of Euro Truck Simulator 2, who turned his passion for virtual trucking into reality and has now earned his real truck driver's license!

What started as a love for life on the road in-game has grown into a real profession behind the wheel. Arda started playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 regularly in 2025, and the enjoyment he found in ETS2 inspired him to pursue truck driving in real life.

"ETS2 is extremely popular in Türkiye and has a very large and passionate community. I have always loved simulation games, so I bought the game immediately after discovering it. What I enjoyed most about ETS2 was its realism. The traffic rules, weather conditions, real truck brands, vehicles, countries, and maps all felt incredibly immersive. It genuinely felt like I was traveling across different countries. The truck sounds are very close to reality, and playing the game helps me relax and leave behind the stress of everyday life," says Arda.

When he started playing ETS2, he had no prior experience with driving trucks. At first, Arda played the single-player mode until he discovered Driving Academy and became hooked.

"I immediately thought that maybe this is what I've been looking for. It turned out to be exactly that. On that day, I decided to obtain a truck driver's license. I spent a lot of time practicing in Driving Academy. I challenged myself to complete the scenarios using only the first-person camera view. The final scenarios were extremely difficult. There were many nights when I stayed awake until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning trying to complete a single challenge. At one point, I thought I would never finish them, but after enough repetition and practice, I gradually improved. The final challenges were very difficult, but I was incredibly happy when I completed them all."

Arda realized how much he enjoyed being on the road and traveling toward a destination. The more time he spent playing the game, the more excited he became whenever he saw a real truck on the road. Before the end of the year, he signed up for a truck driving course and decided to pursue it seriously, and eventually succeeded as well.

"The experience I gained in ETS2, and especially in Driving Academy, helped me tremendously during my lessons. Reverse maneuvers, reversing with a trailer, and navigating tight or sharp turns felt much easier because I had already practiced them extensively in the game. I have been driving regular vehicles for many years, but maneuvering a trailer, especially in reverse, is completely different from driving a car. Without ETS2, I would have struggled much more," he told us.

We have also received stories over the years from other members of our community who had a similar story, and we are so proud that ETS2 contributed to Arda's career in real life. 

"I told my instructors about the game and how much it had helped me improve so quickly. When I noticed that I was progressing faster than many other trainee drivers, I realized just how beneficial the game had been for me. I saw that around 30–40% of candidates failed. I told many of them about ETS2 because it genuinely helped me. Reversing and parking a truck with a trailer is largely a matter of practice, and Driving Academy provides an excellent environment for that. After enough repetition, your brain becomes surprisingly comfortable performing similar maneuvers in real life."

It goes to show that Euro Truck Simulator 2 and the Driving Academy can help players to grasp the feeling of driving a truck and make it more comfortable when you sit in the real vehicle, as Arda elaborates on here:

"In the game, I often leaned my view out of the driver's side window while reversing into parking spaces. When I later tried similar maneuvers in real life, I was amazed by how natural they felt. Parking in an L-shape to the right (a 90-degree reverse parking maneuver) is difficult both in the game and in reality. However, through countless hours of practice in Driving Academy, I learned how to approach those situations calmly, how much steering input was appropriate, when a maneuver became risky, and how to reverse into areas with limited visibility. The experience felt remarkably close to real life. Without ETS2, I might not have passed the exam," Arda shared with us.

Even though he completed the truck driving license, there are still more things Arda needs to sort out before he can begin his real-life journey on the route.

"In Türkiye - and perhaps in other countries as well - obtaining a truck driver's license is only the first step. To work professionally as a truck driver, additional certificates, transportation qualifications, and international freight transport documents are required. I have already obtained all of them except one, and I am currently waiting for the final certification process to be completed. After that, I will officially be able to work in freight transportation," he says.

At the end of the blog, Arda has a message to the #BestCommunityEver, which might even motivate some of you who have been thinking about taking up a career as a truck driver to make the next step!

"After experiencing real trucks firsthand, I realized how comfortable they actually are. I wish I could drive a truck every day. The cabin is incredibly comfortable, and the driving position provides a great sense of confidence and safety. Being able to see the road from above other vehicles is a unique and enjoyable feeling. The large windshield offers a wonderful view of both the road and the scenery. Even in ETS2, I would often stop to admire beautiful landscapes and lighting conditions. Experiencing that feeling in real life, however, is something truly special and difficult to put into words."

We would like to thank Arda for sharing this story with our community and us, and wish him safe travels in his future truck driving adventures!

Don't forget to follow us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, so you won't miss out on upcoming news! We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials.

Today, we’re excited to share your very first look at gameplay from our upcoming Coaches DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2, a highly anticipated expansion that many of you in our community have been eager to see more of. Let's hit the road!

We hope you've packed a warm jacket and perhaps a wee bit of shortbread, because today we're taking you to the Scottish Highlands! We're excited to share with you a closer look at Inverness, a brand-new city arriving as part of our upcoming UK Rework project for Euro Truck Simulator 2. Let's take a closer look at what this destination has to offer drivers.

British Columbia is home to some of Canada's most breathtaking landscapes, vibrant communities, and industries that keep the province moving. Today, we're excited to take you on a tour of several cities and towns featured in our upcoming British Columbia DLC for American Truck Simulator.

Grand Forks

Located in the beautiful Boundary Country region, Grand Forks sits at the meeting point of the Kettle and Granby Rivers. Surrounded by rolling hills, farmland, and forests, this welcoming community serves as an important agricultural and transportation center in southern British Columbia.

As you drive through town, you'll discover a charming downtown area alongside local industries that help support the region's economy. Truckers can find work connected to a local sawmill and building material factory, while those exploring the city may spot the historic gallery located near the heart of town. Whether you're delivering cargo or passing through on a longer journey, Grand Forks offers a relaxing stop with plenty of scenic views along the way.

Creston

Nestled within a fertile valley near the United States border, Creston is well known throughout British Columbia for its rich agricultural heritage. Surrounded by mountains and open farmland, this picturesque community offers drivers some truly memorable views.

Our team has recreated key landmarks and the area's distinct atmosphere, allowing players to experience the charm of this valley town firsthand. As you make your way through Creston, keep an eye out for recognizable sights, including the local theater, library, visitor center, and Presbyterian church. Truckers can also find a variety of cargo opportunities connected to the region's agricultural economy, with deliveries to and from farms, a winery, and a beverage factory making Creston an important destination for those traveling through southeastern British Columbia.

Sparwood

At the foot of the Canadian Rockies lies Sparwood, a town deeply connected to British Columbia's mining industry. Surrounded by rugged mountain landscapes, Sparwood is perhaps best known for its rich coal mining heritage and impressive industrial operations.

Drivers passing through will encounter dramatic scenery, steep mountain grades, and large-scale industry centered around the local coal mine. Keep an eye out for some of Sparwood's recognizable landmarks, including the visitor center, library, and the famous World's Largest Tandem Axle Truck displayed proudly near the highway. It's a sight that's hard to miss and has been carefully recreated by our map team.

Invermere

Situated along the shores of Lake Windermere, Invermere offers a refreshing change of pace amid the towering peaks of the Columbia Valley. Popular with both locals and visitors, this mountain town combines beautiful scenery with a welcoming small-town atmosphere.

As you travel through the area, you'll encounter stunning views of nearby lakes, forests, and mountain ranges. While tourism plays a significant role in the region, truckers will also find important connections to local businesses that help keep the valley supplied year-round. Drivers familiar with the area may even recognize the iconic Steak & Schnitzel Haus, faithfully recreated as part of the town's streetscape.

Golden

Nestled between several major mountain ranges, Golden serves as an important gateway to British Columbia's interior. Its strategic location has made it a key transportation hub for decades, connecting communities through some of Canada's most spectacular landscapes.

Players can look forward to navigating winding mountain highways, crossing impressive bridges, and experiencing the unique geography that surrounds the town. Golden's position along major transportation corridors ensures that there will be no shortage of deliveries moving through this busy mountain community, including work connected to the local railyard. Be sure to also look out for the town's visitor center as you pass through.

Princeton

Located where several highways converge, Princeton has long served as an important stop for travelers and truckers crossing southern British Columbia. Rich in history and surrounded by forests, rivers, and rolling hills, the town retains much of its classic frontier character.

As you pass through Princeton, you'll discover a blend of historic charm and modern industry. Local businesses and resource-based industries provide valuable job opportunities, including deliveries connected to a sawmill and nearby copper mining operations. Be sure to take in the surrounding scenery as you continue your travels through the region.

Campbell River

Situated on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, Campbell River is known as one of British Columbia's premier coastal communities. Surrounded by forests and the waters of the Discovery Passage, it plays a vital role in the province's forestry, fishing, and transportation industries.

Truckers arriving in Campbell River will experience a unique coastal atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the DLC. From bustling industrial areas to scenic waterfront views, the city offers a memorable destination for those making deliveries across Vancouver Island. Drivers can also service the local marina, an important part of Campbell River's connection to the surrounding waterways. The surrounding landscapes and industries provide plenty of reasons to return time and time again.

These are just a few of the many cities and communities you'll be able to discover throughout British Columbia. Our teams are working hard to capture the unique character, industries, and landscapes that make this province such an exciting destination for truckers.

Stay tuned for more previews as we continue to reveal what’s in store for this DLC. In the meantime, don’t forget to add British Columbia to your Steam Wishlist and follow us on X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok, or subscribe to our newsletter for more behind-the-scenes content, teasers, and announcements. Until next time, keep on truckin' and happy haulin'!

We are excited to reveal the Holland Style Tuning Pack DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2, which is now released and available for you to get on Steam! This DLC contains dozens of accessories and paint jobs for a wide range of trucks and is the largest tuning pack we have developed for our games so far. Let's see what's in store!

Holland Style is one of the most distinctive and popular trends in European truck customization. In the 1970s, Dutch truckers began to adopt the idea of taking pride in their own trucks. Holland Style is characterized above all by perfectly coordinated colours, with a minimum of chrome, and an emphasis on symmetry, clean lines, and attention to detail.

The Holland Style Tuning Pack features a wide range of accessories for both the interior and exterior of your truck, along with an extensive selection of stylish paint jobs. This popular tuning style has been one of the most requested additions from our community, and many of the included items were inspired directly by their ideas.

"It all started some time ago when I was thinking about creating my own paint job DLC. Since we were working on the Benelux Rework at that time, which included the Netherlands, I wanted to create something to celebrate the occasion. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their tremendous cooperation and for putting so much passion into this project," says our 2D Graphic Designer for vehicles, Matej, who initiated the creation of this tuning pack.

With this DLC, you'll be able to customize your truck with a vast range of light boxes (for high-roof sleeper cabs), horns, mudflaps, auxiliary lights, Danish lights, and the famous double burners, as well as pennants, toys & decorations, steering wheels, and light boxes for the interior, allowing you to create a truly personalized cabin and make it feel like home.

While many of these accessories were designed by our team, we're especially proud to have collaborated with several well-known manufacturers to bring licensed products into the game. These include double burners, horns, auxiliary lights, and Danish plush pillows from Omnius; long mudflaps, pennants, and air fresheners from Go-In-Style; as well as interior light boxes, long mudflaps, and pennants from TruckJunkie.

You will also be able to select from 23 different paint jobs, each of which has 3 RGB presets that the player can choose from and customize the colours! The pack includes one paint job shared across all supported trucks, as well as two unique paint jobs for each of the truck groups listed below, with each pair tailored specifically to the respective truck models and differing between groups:

The tuning accessories for both the exterior and interior are available for all trucks in ETS2, where compatibility allows. The only exception is light boxes, which are limited to the trucks listed above. We also plan to update this DLC in the future for upcoming trucks.

While this tuning pack is going to make your truck beautiful on its own, we recommend combining it with other DLC for a top look, such as the HS-Shoch Tuning Pack, Michelin Fan Pack, XF Tuning Pack, Mighty Griffin Tuning Pack, FH Tuning Pack, Renault Trucks T Tuning Pack, or Actros Tuning Pack. All of these are fully compatible with this DLC, allowing you to create truly stunning combinations!

So if you'd like to start trucking in true Holland style, make sure to get this DLC on Steam now!

Remember to also give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube a follow, as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!