This year, we were once again invited by Western Star to take part in their Star Nation Experience along with two members from our American Truck Simulator community. Today, we bring you an SCS On The Road episode where you can watch what the whole amazing event looked like!
Beny and Oscar travelled all the way to Bend, Oregon, to represent SCS at the wonderful Star Nation Experience 2026 in June. There, they met up with two members of our ATS community, Conor and Nathan, who were selected and invited by Western Star for an all-expenses-paid trip and a weekend packed with unforgettable experiences.
From fly fishing and ATV rides to the X-Series Ride & Drive Challenge at the Madras Proving Grounds, they also got to meet the Western Star team and other trucking enthusiasts. So, let's watch together and see how the Star Nation Experience 2026 went!
We would like to say a huge thank you to Western Star for inviting us once again, along with Nathan and Conor, and for giving us the opportunity to take part in such an amazing event. We are also happy that we could capture the experience and share it with our community!
Get ready for a brand-new experience in American Truck Simulator! It's time to grab a different set of keys and hit the road in amazing vehicles that are a little different than what you've been used to. We're excited to announce that the
We are so excited to be almost finished with this upcoming DLC and that our #BestCommunityEver will be able to enjoy it too! To get you in the mood for driving the stunning cars from Ford, our talented video team has put together an official video trailer. Watch it below to see all that is coming!
Road Trip will bring a whole new experience for players of American Truck Simulator. Not only will you be able to drive in completely different types of vehicles than before, but you will also have the opportunity to complete smaller delivery jobs, customize your cars with accessories, paint them in different colors, or explore the vast landscapes of the U.S. from a completely new perspective while also discovering and learning about beautiful landmarks with the new Atlas feature!
Just imagine driving legendary cars like the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, 2023 Ford F-150, 2023 Ford Bronco, and 1998–2012 Ford Crown Victoria on Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles, through the rolling hills of the Midwest, or over the beautiful mountains in Montana from the comfort of your home.
And if you are a pure truck driver and don't feel like ever leaving your decked-out rig, don't forget that the Atlas feature available with Road Trip DLCs is not just for cars. You can still enjoy the feature behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler - just make sure to own the Road Trip: Ford DLC so this feature is unlocked for you right after its release.
In June, we announced that we are working on the Indiana DLC for American Truck Simulator. While our map teams are busy bringing the Hoosier State to life, they first had to experience it for themselves. Let's take a look back at their research trip to Indiana!
The team that set out for Indiana consisted of the map DLC lead Dubak, our map designers Lukáš and Martin, and our researcher Spekin. Today, they will share their impressions from the trip and a couple of photos they captured along the way. Below, we are also bringing a few screenshots from the work-in-progress map!
"This was my second research trip to the US, and every time it's an incredible experience for me. It boasts not only amazing nature and landscapes, but also rich and beautiful cities. Before the trip, we were a bit worried that Indiana would be a state full of fields, but we were completely wrong. It was a great experience, and I'm really glad that my team and I get to build this wonderful state and show players all the beauty and hidden gems Indiana has to offer," Dubak told us.
They travelled across the state, visiting many of its cities and landmarks, from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, and more. "We were blown away by the memorial and the Capitol in Indianapolis, and we also checked out a massive steel mill in East Chicago, Lake Monroe, and the Indiana Dunes National Park," Dubak said.
During their nine-day journey, the team gathered plenty of references and experienced the atmosphere of each place they visited. They explained that walking the streets and visiting these places in real life before recreating them in the editor was a completely new experience.
"As a map designer, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit the US in person. You can feel the atmosphere and the scale of everything around you. Personally, I enjoyed all the landmarks in Indiana - from courthouses and churches to banks, statues, historical monuments, memorials, and murals, not to mention the small details here and there. History has shaped the US greatly, and you have the opportunity to experience that," Lukáš shared with us.
Being there in person also reveals smaller details that can be difficult to notice through street view or other sources. This helps the team understand what is important to include in the game and what gives each place its authentic feel.
"As a map designer, I looked for all the details that make every corner authentic. If you are sufficiently attentive, you can find a lot of interesting stuff around. For example, I learned that bigger is better. You can hardly go wrong with that. I also love discovering all the different advertisements, billboards, and signs. I created a large photo gallery of them so that our branding and asset team could use them as inspiration for the state of Indiana and upcoming projects. We also saw an Amish community in the region, which was really interesting. Overall, the research trip was a great experience, and I would love to come back for more inspiration," Lukáš said.
For Martin, it was the diversity of Indiana's landscapes and the roads connecting them that made the biggest impression.
"I was amazed by how diverse the landscape actually is, with plenty of forested areas that transition into national parks, wetlands, prairies, and even sand dunes up north along Lake Michigan. What captivated me the most was probably the scenic IN-46 highway between Bloomington and Columbus. The road winds through the Norman Upland, home to Indiana's largest state park, Brown County State Park. We drove through many towns packed with truly memorable landmarks. In the capital, Indianapolis, it was fascinating to see modern skyscraper architecture blending with historic buildings, churches, cathedrals, and beautifully maintained parks," Martin shared with us.
Even Spekin was surprised by some of the things he saw during the trip, despite his role as a researcher, which means he spends a lot of time studying upcoming DLC areas and preparing references for the rest of the team.
"I was shocked by how big everything is in the US. For example, flags, totems, grain bins, or even roads and countryside are not as straight as they seem on street view, and you can also see the elevation. We observed and measured everything from a random curb in the city to grown corn in the countryside, so the biggest task was just not to look suspicious while capturing those details," he told us.
As a researcher, Spekin records everything that could be useful to other departments and considers how these references could be used in the game, while keeping our scale and other map limitations in mind: "Sometimes a reference can be just for inspiration, like night photos of buildings with neon lights or backlit advertisements, which are often difficult to find. During the trip, however, this was much easier, as we often arrived at our final destination late at night," he shared.
"It might sound weird, but I like farm areas, so grain elevators, barns, and animals are my favorite ones, so you can probably guess what my photo library looks like. I also love industrial zones, so I really enjoyed Gary Steel Works, even though we saw it only from the outside. We also visited a few old covered bridges in Indiana, and I know it's just an old bridge, but I liked it a lot. Of course, I enjoyed the whole trip, every city and every town. I wish we could put everything into the game," Spekin says.
While our work on the map is still in its early stages, we also wanted to give you a small preview of what's already getting done.
Here, you can see a few locations that are taking shape for the Indiana DLC, including the public library in Evansville, Acy Lake, and locations around Indianapolis and along I-69 and US 30.
And that's it from today's blog! We hope you have enjoyed this report from our research trip to Indiana. If you are looking forward to exploring the Hoosier State like we did, be sure to add the Indiana DLC to your Steam wishlist and show your support to our team working on it!
A few weeks ago, we shared a blog from our research trip to Iceland, where the map designers who took part in the journey shared their impressions. Today, we're excited to bring you a big episode of SCS On The Road, where you can experience the research trip in more detail, complete with stunning shots of Iceland's breathtaking landscapes and even some comparisons with the in-game map!
Part of our marketing team set out on this journey alongside our map designers to document the unforgettable trip. Iceland is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and during their time there, the map team had the chance to visit some truly stunning locations that they are now recreating for this upcoming map expansion.
To bring these places to life in our game and do them justice, the team needed to gather plenty of visual references, helping them recreate the landscapes and landmarks as accurately and faithfully to reality as possible.
In this video, our map designers also shared some interesting insights into the map creation process, along with information about some of the places we are bringing directly into the map - keep an eye out for an upcoming hidden road, crossing a narrow bridge on its way to Þingvellir National Park!
We would also like to send a huge thank you to Volvo Trucks and Skúli, a real truck driver from Iceland, who made it possible for the map designers to take a ride in the 780-horsepower Volvo FH16 XXL and experience Iceland from a completely different perspective - from the cabin of a truck. So, without further ado, let's watch this episode together!
Stay tuned for more, because on this trip we also collaborated with Volvo to shoot one of their videos. While we cannot reveal what it was about right now, you can look forward to a behind-the-scenes SCS On The Road episode from that as well!
Earlier this year, we shared that we would be taking a temporary pause from running our World of Trucks events. We also know how much these events mean to our #BestCommunityEver and that many of you have missed taking part. Today, we are pleased to confirm that we have decided to resume our World of Trucks events in the familiar format you already know, while the wider rework continues.
This means you can once again look forward to coming together for events throughout the months ahead. First up will be Cruising South Dakota, followed by Cruising Iceland and our seasonal Halloween and Christmas events later this year. We will share full details ahead of each event.
Our teams will continue working on the underlying systems and infrastructure that support these events, with the goal of bringing much more of the event experience directly into Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator. This includes the improvements we previously described, such as the ability to view and redeem rewards, earn and view achievements, and follow event progress and community milestones directly in-game. It also involves broader behind-the-scenes changes to support the World of Trucks service in the future.
Thank you, as always, for your patience, support, and passion. We are excited to welcome you back to World of Trucks events and hope you will join us for the journeys ahead.
In today's blog, we bring you another one of our Community Stories. This time with Trucker Cassie, one of the content creators playing our games, who will tell you all about her job as a real-life truck driver, as well as her passion for Euro Truck Simulator 2!
You might know Trucker Cassie from her YouTube or Twitch channels, where she regularly posts videos from her life as a truck driver in Scandinavia, and also gameplay live streams, mostly from ETS2. And today, she will tell you all about her love for trucks!
"It's quite random that I started working as a truck driver. I never had any drivers in my family. It was a friend who showed me the world of trucks. He had just gotten his heavy license, and one morning he gave me a ride to school in the oldest Scania I had ever seen. But from that moment, a spark was lit. Maybe I could drive a truck too? It felt so cool and free! So I applied to a trucking school, and the rest is history," Cassie told us.
Cassie discovered her passion for truck driving, and now, it's been 13 years since she started this way of life, as she now works part-time as a truck driver and shares her stories on social media. "At the start of my career, I never wanted to stop working. I wanted to beat my earlier record on how many deliveries I could make in a day. I had really found my place in life! But a few years with this lifestyle caused me to burn out, and it forced me to rethink my situation. Today, I work part-time, and I've learnt how important it is to wind down and relax when I can," she says.
If you wonder what kind of work Cassie usually does and what her days on the long and beautiful Scandinavian roads look like, she also shares this with us: "I have tried various delivery types, such as gravel, wood chips, and powder tanker. Now I'm delivering various goods from Sweden to Norway. And when I'm done with that delivery, I normally load fish in Norway. The fishing industries can be located in tricky places! Through small towns and up and down steep and curvy hills. It can really be a challenge during wintertime. After the fish is loaded, I drive to Denmark, where another driver picks up my trailer and drives it somewhere in Europe! Then I pick up a load from Denmark and drive home to Sweden again."
What Cassie loves the most about her job are the amazing views she sees along the way as well as the solitude this life can bring. "I get to listen to music and podcasts, and I rarely talk to customers. I also get to bring my Chihuahua, Happy," she told us.
This interesting merge of the two worlds is something we really love, as we have heard similar stories where either members of our community started driving trucks for a living because of our games, or long-term truck drivers that found their passion in Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator.
"I have been a truck driver for a while before I discovered Euro Truck Simulator 2. A colleague of mine showed me the game, and I thought it was a silly idea to drive a truck for work, then get home, and play a truck simulator after work. And now look at me," Cassie shared.
So what is actually so satisfying about playing a truck simulator when you are a real-life truck driver?
"I am having the time of my life when I play ETS2 on my livestreams! Because in a real truck, you have a lot of responsibility; to deliver the cargo, the truck, and yourself to the delivery place safely. Always being alert. But when I'm playing the game, I can be social with the chat, drive together with the viewers, answer questions, and just have a good time. And the consequences won't be too big when my digital truck makes a kickflip off a mountain because I was focusing on what the chat is saying. I also like to compare the real-life roads to the simulator! And point out the landmarks and differences from the real places," Cassie explained.
What actually inspired Cassie to start creating content on social media was kind of a coincidence, but from there, it helped her to grow a big community of over 160 thousand followers on YouTube alone.
"I started my main YouTube channel after I got the offer of being in a reality TV show years ago. I had to film my workday as a truck driver myself, and then send the footage to the TV production. The TV show was canceled before it had even started, though, and there I was with a vlog. I realized I could put it together myself and post it on YouTube! So that's what I did. A few videos in, and I suddenly gained thousands of subscribers in a few weeks' time. It was crazy! I also have a smaller YouTube channel, where I post gaming content and previous livestreams. I decided to have two separate channels since the content is quite different. And of course, my Twitch channel, where I do livestreams when I have the energy for it," Cassie told us.
This gave us a great opportunity to ask Cassie, a real truck driver, how Euro Truck Simulator 2 compares with the real world, and she was happy to answer that:
"I think Euro Truck Simulator 2 is very accurate to real life trucking! Especially when you have a steering wheel and pedals. I know a few people who have practiced reversing trailers in the game, then tried it out in real life. And they nailed it! All because they have practiced in the game."
We were also curious how Cassie's driving differs from the real world to how she drives in Euro Truck Simulator 2. "I definitely test the limits and do more daring stuff in the game! Somehow, people get surprised when they see my real-life work videos, and notice I actually know how to drive a truck. But I don't blame them, after seeing my stunts in ETS2. It would be nice to have a pink MAN truck in real life as well! But until now, I'll get to be pretty in pink in the simulator," she answered.
If you think this life would be for you and you are also thinking about taking on a truck driver career, Cassie has a message for you! "I really recommend people try out Euro Truck Simulator 2 if they are curious about becoming truck drivers in real life. It is a pretty big decision, with lots of money needed to get a heavy license with all the needed certificates. And I think ETS2 gives a great hint of what trucking can feel like! Also, it's a really fun activity to bring home your non-trucking friends and let them reverse a trailer in the game! Better than any board game I have played :)," she concluded.
We hope you have enjoyed Cassie's story! If you did, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow so you won't miss similar blogs and also updates from our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Keep on trucking!
Welcome to the capital city of the Mount Rushmore State, Pierre! In today's blog, we will be sharing a preview of our version of this beautiful town and its sister city, Fort Pierre, which are eagerly waiting to welcome their first truckers with the imminent release of the South Dakota DLC.
While being a relatively small town with just around 14,000 residents, Pierre is a hidden gem waiting to be explored. Welcoming nearly 3 million visitors each year, it is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering world-class fishing, scenic trails, and endless opportunities for water recreation. This is made possible by its location along the banks of the Missouri River, set between Lake Oahe and Lake Sharpe, both created by dams.
But it's not just outdoor activities that draw visitors to Pierre. The city is also home to plenty of stunning historic landmarks, some of which we have recreated in our map. One of them is the South Dakota State Capitol Building, constructed in 1910. Keep an eye out for this architectural gem when driving through the city, as it can be spotted from a distance.
When arriving to the Pierre area from the south, you'll first pass through Fort Pierre, the oldest established settlement in the state, dating back more than 200 years. Here, you'll be able to spot a school building featuring a beautiful bison mural, as well as Fort Volunteer, a fort built to honor the volunteers who came to help during the 2011 flood.
Across from it, you'll find the courthouse with its stone monument featuring another bison. Further down the road, you'll also be able to spot the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center Museum up on the hill, which is a multipurpose conference center and historical museum dedicated to the legendary sport of South Dakota rodeo.
Then, crossing the Missouri River over a newly built bridge, you'll be greeted by the "Welcome to Pierre" sign, followed by the Discovery Center building, an interactive, hands-on science museum for families and children.
And if you are driving to Pierre not just for sightseeing, but also to pick up a job, there are also plenty of industries that will need your help transporting their products, such as the shopping center, landscape supplies, and roadwork depots. We have also included the Pierre Airport on the outskirts of the city into the map, where you will be able to deliver cargo to and from. On the other side of the river in Fort Pierre, you will find a local truck dealer, livestock auction, mining machinery service, and truck stop depot.
Don't forget 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 content, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, we will see you on the road!
Today, we bring good news to our #BestCommunityEver! With the upcoming 1.61 update, the improved material system will be implemented on three additional trucks, so read on to find out more!
We first introduced the improved material system with the 1.60 update, when it was added to the DAF NGD and MAN TG3 TGX in Euro Truck Simulator 2, and the Mack Anthem and Western Star 49X in American Truck Simulator. With the next update to our games, we will be expanding this feature to the International LT and International LoneStar in American Truck Simulator, as well as the Volvo FH Series 6 in Euro Truck Simulator 2!
But that's not all, as we have also polished a few details in the interior and completely redesigned the seats in the International LT and LoneStar to better match their real-life counterparts. Along with that, we are introducing a new Diamond interior option with leather seats for both trucks!
The improved material system significantly enhances the lighting and visual quality of vehicle interiors, with a particular focus on how different interior materials react to light. This results in a more detailed, readable, and visually pleasing cabin environment. It also makes the differences between materials such as leather, fabric, plastic, and metal much more apparent, even in low-light conditions.
As promised, we are gradually bringing this feature to more trucks, allowing you to enjoy beautiful cabin interiors across a wider range of vehicles. If you would like to learn more about what the process of implementing this feature on new vehicles looks like, make sure to check out our Under the Hood blog, where we spoke with colleagues working on the improved material system.
We hope you will be happy to see the improved cabin interiors in more trucks with this upcoming update! Remember to stay tuned for more news from our games by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter, so you can be informed. Until next time, keep on trucking!
In today's blog, we are revealing the new routes coming with our upcoming South Dakota map expansion, where owners of the Special Transport DLC will be able to take on the challenge of hauling oversized cargo. So let's take a closer look!
As you know, transporting cargo of this size is no small task. Its large scale requires not only escort vehicles and police assistance, but also special routes that are wide and spacious enough for your truck to safely pass through, helping ensure a smooth delivery. Of course, successful drivers are also adequately compensated for the responsibility that comes with maneuvering such a colossal load!
Are you one of the most skilled drivers ready to take on the challenge? If so, and you own the Special Transport DLC, you can find jobs offering the opportunity to haul oversized cargo on these three routes:
Pierre to Spearfish Winner to Mitchell Mobridge to Buffalo
There, you will find industries that play an important role in South Dakota's economy and will be glad to put your hauling skills to work! Support the custom quarry depot in Spearfish by delivering equipment from the mining machine service in Pierre, or haul specialized cargo such as a giant silo or large reservoir tank from the agriculture equipment dealer in Winner to a custom farm depot in Mitchell. You can also load up your trailer with a large tank or pipes at the oil service depot in Mobridge and safely deliver them to the warehouse in Buffalo.
We hope you'll enjoy discovering the landscapes of South Dakota as you travel these routes, whether you're hauling oversized cargo or not. But if you do take on a Special Transport job, stay alert - navigating these roads with an extra-large load on your trailer can still get tricky!
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. Until next time, stay safe on the road!
Today, we're happy to bring you another preview from the Road Trip project. This time, we'll be showing you more from the vehicle configuration and purchase process, so let's take a look!
Both the purchase process and vehicle configuration in Road Trip will work a little bit differently than what you are used to with trucks. If you want to get behind the wheel of your own Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger, or any other car, you will need to head on to the "Car Dealer" tab in the in-game desktop.
There, you'll first select your preferred car brand, with the available options depending on which Car Pack DLCs you own. If you own both the Ford Car Pack and RAM & Dodge Car Pack DLCs, you'll be able to choose from Ford, RAM, and Dodge. As you can see, some Car Packs may contain and unlock more than one brand, as is the case with the RAM & Dodge Car Pack DLC. After that, you can choose a specific model, take a closer look at the car, see its light signature, explore its details, and check out its description, technical details, and specifications. You can browse the available models like a catalog, or switch to a table view and easily compare their specifications side by side. Before purchase, you can choose from a variety of unique colours.
After purchasing your car, you'll either have the option to drive it straightaway or give it a more personalized look based on your preference. If you decide to make some further customizations, you will need to head to the garage, which can also be found in the in-game desktop under the "My Cars" tab. This is a brand new virtual space where you can view, customize, and manage your cars.
There, the layout is similar to the Car Dealer, allowing you to browse the cars you own, view their details, and compare them. But more importantly, this is where the customization happens! Just hit Configure and choose from a variety of different options tailored for each car - from paint jobs to both exterior and interior parts. Selected cabin accessories will also be compatible with Car Pack DLCs. You can also sell your cars here.
Now you can hit the Drive button and start exploring the world of American Truck Simulator from a completely new and different perspective.
We are still researching further options and are dedicated to continuing our work on bringing new features and customization options to Road Trip vehicles in the future. Stay tuned as we explore new ways to expand and enhance this experience!
If you are excited about Road Trip, make sure to add both its DLCs, the Ford Car Pack or the RAM & Dodge Car Pack, to your Steam wishlist!
We are very excited to join Volvo Trucks in the celebrations of their 100th anniversary by welcoming the Volvo FH Series 6 100 Year Edition to Euro Truck Simulator 2 with the release of the upcoming 1.61 update! Let's take a look at what's in store.
Volvo Group was established in 1927 and will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year. To mark this special occasion, Volvo Trucks is introducing the anniversary edition of their latest model, the Volvo FH Series 6, and we are proud to be bringing the updates coming with this edition to Euro Truck Simulator 2 as well.
The Volvo FH Series 6 100 Year Edition will bring a new look for both the interior and exterior, reflecting Volvo's century of innovation with driver-centric features. These additions will be reflected in the base game of ETS2 with new accessories and paint jobs available for the Aero XL cabin of the Volvo FH Series 6, enabling every virtual trucker to drive the beautiful centennial edition in our game as well, when the 1.61 update releases.
On the exterior, this update introduces two new paint jobs: 100y Edition – Night and 100y Edition – Day. The two designs feature distinctive dark or light exterior colour striping, complemented by two additional Centennial logos on either side of the truck. You will also be able to choose from two different light boxes: one with the 100y logo and another one with the FH16 logo.
We are also adding one brand new interior option featuring black leather door panels with unique stitching, carpets, a rear wall decoration featuring the 100 Year Edition logo, and a decorative dashboard ambient LED lighting available in red or blue colour options.
To complete the interior, you will also have the option to customize it with a range of exclusive accessories. These include a black leather steering wheel and new two-tone seats combining a black leather base with a grey textile upper section and the 100y logo.
We are very proud to be able to bring these new additions to the world of Euro Truck Simulator 2 and enjoy the celebrations along with our community and Volvo Trucks, whom we wish many more successful years of producing great trucks and machines!
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.
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'!
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.
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!
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.
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!
We know many of you have been wondering what new gameplay experiences Road Trip will bring, and today we're excited to introduce Atlas. Designed around exploration, Atlas encourages players to discover, visit, and learn about selected locations across the world of American Truck Simulator. Along the way, you may come across famous landmarks or hidden gems you may have overlooked before - and even learn something about them!
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.
Once you've explored every location connected to a Tourist Board, the board itself will be marked as completed. As a reward, you'll receive a postcard with a unique design inspired by the region you've just explored, which you can display on your vehicle's dashboard. You can also return to the Atlas interface at any time to review the locations you've discovered, read their descriptions, or replay any unlocked cutscenes.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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:
Volvo FH Series 6, Volvo FH Series 5, and Volvo FH Series 4
Volvo FH Series 3
Scania R and S
Scania R 2009 and Streamline
Iveco S-Way
DAF NGD and XD
DAF XF 105 and DAF XF Euro 6
MAN TG3 TGX
MAN TGX Euro 6
Renault T
Mercedes-Benz New Actros
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.
In today's blog, we're excited to share something we know our #BestCommunityEver has been eagerly waiting for - the first gameplay video preview from project Road Trip, with the Ford F-150 as the first vehicle in the spotlight.
The Ford F-150 has earned its legendary status over decades at the top as America's best-selling car, built on a foundation of reliability, toughness, and continuous innovation. In this gameplay preview, we take a relaxed drive with the 2023 Ford F-150 Lariat, one of the vehicles included in the upcoming Ford Car Pack for American Truck Simulator.
We begin our journey on the roads near the city of Redding in sunny California. From there, the route takes us through busier traffic areas before transitioning to a dirt road, where the F-150 truly shines, showcasing its smooth handling and impressive capability on uneven, rugged terrain. So without further ado, let's take a look!
We hope you have enjoyed the first video preview from the Road Trip project, but remember that everything you saw is still very much a work in progress, such as the vehicle sounds and behaviour, and will be adjusted before the release. We can't wait to bring you more previews of what Road Trip will look like in our game, so stay tuned.
Even though the 1.60 update for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator was released just last week, we are already working on features for future updates. And since we want to gather as much feedback from our #BestCommunityEver, we are starting an experimental beta way in advance of the actual update release, with focus on two upcoming features - the Multi-Function Display and In-Game Menu. To make sure we get it right, we need your help!
As mentioned above, this time, we are starting the beta cycle from an early stage. The level of polish and stability in this release might not yet be on the same level as with our typical Open Betas. However, we recognize the importance of involving our community in the development process and need to gather feedback early to help us identify any imperfections.
With the Experimental Beta, we would like to invite our dedicated players to join us in fine-tuning, testing, and providing feedback on the upcoming Multi-Function Display and In-Game Menu features for both games. We appreciate all of your feedback on ourforum and your bug reports in the dedicated section for ATS and ETS2.
Multi-Function Display
The MFD has been part of our vision to improve the overall in-game driving interface and accessibility of vehicle systems. Our goal is to create a more unified and intuitive way to access vehicle functions directly in-game, without the need to interrupt your experience or remember dozens of keybinds.
The MFD is an in-game interface accessible from both interior and exterior camera views. From there, you can quickly navigate through various categories and vehicle systems such as driving assists, lighting controls, vehicle adjustments, media functions, trip information, and more.
One of the main goals of this feature is to reduce interruptions while accessing vehicle systems and information. In most situations, opening the MFD will not pause gameplay, and vehicle controls will remain responsive during interaction.
Another key goal of this feature is discoverability. Over the years, ETS2 and ATS have accumulated many functions and controls that players may never encounter. The MFD helps make these features easier to find by presenting them in context and displaying their associated key binds directly within the menu.
The MFD is designed to support keyboard, mouse, wheel, and controller (both on PC and consoles in the future) users alike, with customisable navigation controls. You can read more about this feature here.
Please note that for the purposes of MFD in Experimental Beta, the controllers will only support In-Game Mapping Mode (which is the recommended default). The support for Steam Client Input Mode will be added only for the full release.
In-Game Menu
The In-Game Menu is a new quick-access overlay presented as a compact horizontal bar at the top of the screen, providing players with instant access to essential functions.
In the new design, the In-Game Menu, accessible via F1, includes two roles: it provides access to functions exclusive to it, while retaining quick access to selected functions that were previously available through F4 and F7. In-Game menu now consolidates what was previously spread across F1, F4, and F7, providing more immediate access to important system and gameplay functions.
From this bar, players can quickly access controls, photo mode, widget options, services, vehicle adjustments, and the quick info menu.
In single-player mode, opening the In-Game Menu will pause the game. For now, the In-Game Menu will not be accessible while driving in the convoy, but we are exploring ways in which players can use some of the menu's functions while driving in multiplayer.
Don't forget that both of these features are still in a work-in-progress phase and are undergoing internal and external testing and adjustments, so your feedback is crucial in helping us polish them before the final release.
We hope you'll enjoy these new additions, but please remember: It's only an experimental beta, not an open beta yet or even a stable public version, so you may encounter bugs, instability, or crashes - which is where we need your input the most to solve any of these issues. The new features for both games will also be available only in English, so it's completely okay if you want to wait for the open beta or the final release. But if you're interested in helping us get there faster, we'll appreciate all of your feedback on our forum.
If you wish to participate in this Experimental Beta, you can find this version in the Experimental Beta branch on Steam. The way to access it is as follows: Steam client → LIBRARY → right-click on Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator → Properties → Betas tab → Beta Participation drop-down menu → experimental_beta. No password is required. Sometimes you will have to restart your Steam client to see the correct branch name there.
Thank you for your ongoing dedication and feedback. We believe the Experimental Beta will be a valuable stepping stone towards Open Beta and the 1.61 version. Don't forget to stay connected with us and all the latest information through our social media channels, make sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok. Happy trucking!
Today, we would like to show you a preview of one of the most famous and unique landscapes we have been recreating for the South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator - the beautiful Badlands National Park!
Situated along the edge of the Great Plains in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park spans 244,000 acres of dramatically eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, alongside the largest protected mixed-grass prairie in the United States.
But why is such a stunning area named Badlands? For hundreds of years, the Lakota people have called it "mako sica", which translates to "bad lands". Then, early French fur trappers called the area "les mauvaises terres à traverser" (bad lands to travel across). Because when it rains there, the wet clay becomes sticky, and the jagged canyons also make it hard to navigate. The winters are cold and windy, and the summers are hot and dry. But it could have had a very different name, as in 1922, when Badlands was first proposed as a national park, the suggested name was Wonderland National Park.
The Badlands contain one of the world's richest fossil beds, preserving evidence of ancient species such as horses and rhinos that once roamed the region. Today, the area is home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and a diverse range of other plant and animal life. As players enter this region in the game, they will be immediately greeted by roaming bison and striking rock formations.
As you drive further, you'll come across iconic places like Pinnacles Overlook, Yellow Mounds Overlook, and the Fossil Trail.
"I fell in love with this place the first time we visited it on our research trip; it's like stepping into another world, where lush green grass blends with the colorful local soil and rolling hills," says Draky, our map designer who worked on recreating this national park for our game.
One thing you may notice in this region is the sudden transition from expansive plains and gentle hills to a dramatic, iconic landscape characterized by rugged formations and large wildlife such as the bison. As the seasons change, the Badlands vegetation undergoes significant shifts in color throughout the year. The version depicted in the game reflects how the landscape appears between July and August, in which the game is set.
Draky also shares her insight on how difficult it was to transfer this wonderful area into the scale of American Truck Simulator, with a message to our community: "The biggest challenge was the initial layout planning, as the space is quite limited, but I'm still very happy with the result, and I'm sure you'll love experiencing this place every time you pass through."
We are excited to announce that the 1.60 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now officially released! Let's dive in and take a look at what's in store.
As always, we would first like to thank everyone who participated in the open beta phase and helped us fine-tune all the new content by reporting issues to the dedicated section on our forum. Now let's see what's new in the 1.60 update!
Game Radio
With the 1.60 update, we are introducing Game Radio, a brand-new in-game radio system designed to make every drive feel more immersive and authentic. Rather than just playing music, Game Radio gives you five stations with their own distinct sounds, identities, and moods, each one built to shape the atmosphere of your journey in a different way.
Players can tune into Rust FM, Escape, PUMP IT!, Pop Gear, and Roadio, spanning guitar-driven rock and American roots music to electronic, pop, and lo-fi. Each station features carefully curated tracks, handpicked to hold up across many hours on the road. Escape is also a radio station designed to help content creators, and we are committed to do our best to keep it stream-safe.
Game Radio also introduces a new in-game widget displaying station info, track titles, and artist names while driving. Players can customize widget behavior through the Widget Options menu (F6). This update also brings a range of improvements to the existing radio and music player systems.
Game Radio arrives with its musical foundation in place, with more planned for future updates. You can find out more information about Game Radio in our dedicated blog post.
Improved Material System
The Improved Material System significantly improves the lighting and visual quality of vehicle interiors in selected trucks. Its main focus is to enhance how interior materials react to light, which results in a more readable, detailed, and visually pleasing cabin environment.
During the development of Project Road Trip, we implemented a wide range of visual and technical improvements. One of the most significant changes was a redesign of the materials used in vehicle interiors. As a result, it makes differences between materials such as leather, fabric, plastic, and metal far more apparent, even in low-light conditions. The new solution uses multiple variants of dynamic cubemaps, allowing all materials to reflect their surroundings more naturally and respond to ambient light in a more realistic way.
The entire system was designed from the start with the interiors of trucks in both games in mind, so the base games and their existing fleets will gradually benefit from these improvements as well. The first trucks to benefit from the Improved Material System in ETS2 are the DAF NGD and MAN TG3 TGX models. With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games. You can read more about this feature here.
Light Tweaks
We have carried out minor adjustments to the global lighting, primarily focused on exposure and contrast balancing, along with subtle visual refinements for bad weather conditions. The work mainly consisted of smoothing out and polishing the overall visuals to achieve a more consistent and refined look.
Volvo FH Series 6 Update
With this update, truckers can customize their Volvo FH Series 6 with a selection of several new aerodynamic parts, including the newly designed aerodynamic roof deflectors available for the Sleeper Cab, Globetrotter, and Globetrotter XL cab variants. These updated components help create a smoother and more refined roof profile, blending seamlessly into the truck's overall design.
Alongside these additions, all Aero cabin variants also have the option to add new distinctive black aerodynamic A-Pillar trim, as featured on the newest generation of Volvo FH truck. These new additions reflect Volvo Trucks' ongoing efforts to improve aerodynamic efficiency and optimise airflow around the cab to help enhance energy efficiency and overall vehicle performance.
Job Details Widget
Based on feedback from our #BestCommunityEver and upcoming widget designs, the Job Details Widget is introduced with the 1.60 update. Its primary purpose is to enable a new, more immediate, and concise way of displaying relevant job info. Also, in response to community feedback, the GPS now displays the estimated arrival day and time, along with the remaining travel time and distance.
You can enable the Job Details Widget through the Widget Options menu (F6). The widget displays key job information, including cargo type and weight, delivery location, job income (colour-highlighted), and the remaining time to complete the job, so players will have this info available immediately without the necessity to pause the game. You can read more about the feature here.
Expanded Rest Mechanic
This new feature gives players greater control over their rest periods by allowing them to choose how long they want to sleep and exactly when they want to wake up, instead of being limited to a predefined rest duration.
Alongside this change, the Fatigue system is now split into two separate values: Rest State and Mandatory Break, each represented by its own icon in the UI.
The Rest State, symbolised by a bed icon, now gradually depletes rather than recovers over time. Extended periods of driving will steadily reduce the Rest State, while resting will restore it at a faster rate.
The Mandatory Break system, indicated by a "P" icon along with the remaining hours before a required stop, functions more strictly. In Euro Truck Simulator 2, drivers may drive for up to 10 hours before taking a mandatory break, which requires 9 consecutive hours of rest. You can read more about this feature here.
In today's blog, we take you along on a trip to the town of Akureyri, which you will be able to visit yourself when the upcoming Iceland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 releases. So let's take a look!
Akureyri is the fourth-largest city in Iceland and is often referred to as the Capital of the North due to its location and importance to the region. Nestled on the shores of Eyjafjörður, Iceland's longest fjord, the town enjoys a spectacular setting beneath snow-capped mountain peaks, with the Glerá River flowing through its heart.
The earliest records of settlement in the area date back to the 9th century. However, it was not until the 18th century that Akureyri began to develop into an important commercial center, thanks to its harbor and proximity to rich fishing grounds. Today, it is Iceland's second-largest port and serves as a major hub for the country's fishing industry, as well as for cruise ships and cargo transport.
Drivers traveling along Route 1, also known as the Ring Road, will pass directly through the center of Akureyri. From there, several side roads branch off toward the harbor, industrial areas, and local food-processing facilities. In the port district, truckers can deliver cargo to a marine logistics center, a shipyard, and an electronics manufacturing depot.
One of Akureyri's most recognizable landmarks is Akureyrarkirkja, a striking church designed in 1940 by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect behind Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland's most famous church.
Players will also recognize a number of other landmarks inspired by their real-world counterparts, including the Hof Cultural and Conference Centre on the waterfront and the Akureyri Art Museum, with its famous colorful pavement leading to its entrance. The town is also a great spot for whale watching tours, which is why we've also included the local whale watching center.
We hope you'll fall in love with Akureyri, with its colourful houses and stunning natural surroundings. If you do, you might even buy a garage in town and transform it into your company's northern Iceland branch.
Also, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow as you'll 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, safe travels!
A new SCS On The Road episode has just arrived! Buckle up and join us as we take you along for the amazing Volvo Days: Influencer Day event, where we were invited by Volvo Construction Equipment.
After the last one two years ago, Volvo CE once again hosted its well-known Volvo Days event at their Customer Center in Eskilstuna, Sweden, showcasing its latest products to customers and the public.
This year, Volvo invited us to attend the event and also approached us to help connect them with content creators from our community to take part in the Influencer Day, held on May 28. Together, we joined fellow influencers such asGamekeepers_cz, TheNorthernAlex, Polmanzan, Iwona Blecharczyk, and others for a day that began with an amazing machine show and continued with hands-on experience operating Volvo CE equipment and Volvo trucks. Now, let's watch the episode!
We would like to extend a huge thank you to Volvo Construction Equipment and their staff for inviting us to this incredible event, providing great hospitality, and giving us the opportunity to experience their vast product line hands-on! You can find more information about the Volvo Days event here.
And if you would like to transport some Volvo CE machines in our games, you can check out the Volvo Construction Equipment DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 here, and for American Truck Simulator here.
We are excited to introduce the TourAmerica paint jobs for the Kenworth T680 2022 and W900 as free content in the upcoming 1.60 update for American Truck Simulator!
A few months ago, Kenworth unveiled a special-edition paint scheme as part of the Freedom 250 initiative, a nationwide effort commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and celebrating the enduring spirit of American trucking.
Inspired by the iconic TourAmerica T600 paint scheme of the 1990s, this striking design combines red, white, and blue colors - a classic styling with contemporary finishes. We are happy to support the celebrations by bringing this beautiful paint job to American Truck Simulator, where it will be available for both the Kenworth W900 and Kenworth T680 2022.
Now, ATS drivers can join in the festivities as well and pay tribute to trucking heritage with a unique paint job that honors both a legendary design and a major milestone in American history.
These paint jobs are already available in the ongoing 1.60 Open Beta for American Truck Simulator. If you're taking part, be sure to give your Kenworth a fresh new look and hit the road in style!
We're excited to share that we'll be attending the Rock for People 2026 music festival in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. We've been invited by PlayStation CZ to their gaming hangar at the event with our 4D Motion Simulator, where you'll be able to play our games!
From the 10th to 14th of June, we'll be part of the 31st edition of this iconic festival, taking place at Park 360 in Hradec Králové. You'll find us in the PlayStation Hangar, located near the main entrance, where visitors will have the opportunity to experience our games on our immersive 4D Motion Simulator and meet some of our colleagues.
Rock for People welcomed more than 50,000 visitors last year, and we're thrilled to be part of this incredible event. While you're enjoying the music and atmosphere, make sure to stop by, say hello to our colleagues, and enjoy a ride on our simulator!
You can find more information about the Rock For People festival here. We would also like to send a huge thank you to PlayStation CZ for inviting us to this fantastic event. We can't wait to see you there!
We're happy to announce that the Open Beta for the 1.60 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now available for players to try out and test. If you choose to participate, we'd greatly appreciate any feedback, bug reports, or issues you encounter being shared in theappropriate section of our official forums.
Your feedback and reports are incredibly valuable to our team, and we truly appreciate everyone taking the time to help us refine and improve the game experience. Now, without further ado, let's take a closer look at what the 1.60 Open Beta has in store.
Game Radio
With Update 1.60, we are introducing Game Radio, a brand-new in-game radio system designed to make every drive feel more immersive and authentic. Rather than just playing music, Game Radio gives you five stations with their own distinct sounds, identities, and moods, each one built to shape the atmosphere of your journey in a different way.
At launch, players can tune into Rust FM, Escape, PUMP IT!, Pop Gear, and Roadio, spanning guitar-driven rock and American roots music to electronic, pop, and lo-fi. Each station features carefully curated tracks, handpicked to hold up across many hours on the road. Escape is also the only stream-safe station at launch, designed to help content creators avoid copyright claims.
Game Radio also introduces a new in-game widget displaying station info, track titles, and artist names while driving. Players can customize widget behavior through the Widget Options menu (F6). This update also brings a range of improvements to the existing radio and music player systems.
Game Radio arrives with its musical foundation in place, with more planned for future updates. You can find out more information about Game Radio in our dedicated blog post.
Improved Material System
The Improved Material System significantly improves the lighting and visual quality of vehicle interiors in selected trucks. Its main focus is to enhance how interior materials react to light, which will result in a more readable, detailed, and visually pleasing cabin environment.
During the development of Project Road Trip, we implemented a wide range of visual and technical improvements. One of the most significant changes was a redesign of the materials used in vehicle interiors. As a result, it makes differences between materials such as leather, fabric, plastic, and metal far more apparent, even in low-light conditions. The new solution uses multiple variants of dynamic cubemaps, allowing all materials to reflect their surroundings more naturally and respond to ambient light in a more realistic way.
The entire system was designed from the start with the interiors of trucks in both games in mind, so the base games and their existing fleets will gradually benefit from these improvements as well. The first trucks to benefit from the Improved Material System in ETS2 will be the DAF NGD and MAN TG3 TGX models. With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games. You can read more about this feature here.
Light Tweaks
We have carried out minor adjustments to the global lighting, primarily focused on exposure and contrast balancing, along with subtle visual refinements for bad weather conditions. The work mainly consisted of smoothing out and polishing the overall visuals to achieve a more consistent and refined look.
Volvo FH Series 6 Update
With this update, truckers will be able to customize their Volvo FH Series 6 with a selection of several new aerodynamic parts, including the newly designed aerodynamic roof deflectors available for the Sleeper Cab, Globetrotter, and Globetrotter XL cab variants. These updated components help create a smoother and more refined roof profile, blending seamlessly into the truck's overall design.
Alongside these additions, all Aero cabin variants will also have the option to add new distinctive black aerodynamic A-Pillar trim, as featured on the newest generation of Volvo FH truck. These new additions reflect Volvo Trucks' ongoing efforts to improve aerodynamic efficiency and optimise airflow around the cab to help enhance energy efficiency and overall vehicle performance.
Job Details Widget
Based on feedback from our #BestCommunityEver and upcoming widget designs, the Job Details Widget will be introduced with the 1.60 update. Its primary purpose will be to enable a new, more immediate, and concise way of displaying relevant job info. Also, in response to community feedback, the GPS will now display the estimated arrival day and time, along with the remaining travel time and distance.
Once added, you'll be able to enable the Job Details Widget through the Widget Options menu (F6). The widget will display key job information, including cargo type and weight, delivery location, job income (colour-highlighted), and the remaining time to complete the job, so players will have this info available immediately without the necessity to pause the game. You can read more about the feature here.
Expanded Rest Mechanic
This new feature gives players greater control over their rest periods by allowing them to choose how long they want to sleep and exactly when they want to wake up, instead of being limited to a predefined rest duration.
Alongside this change, the Fatigue system will now be split into two separate values: Rest State and Mandatory Break, each represented by its own icon in the UI.
The Rest State, symbolised by a bed icon, will now gradually deplete rather than recover over time. Extended periods of driving will steadily reduce the Rest State, while resting will restore it at a faster rate.
The Mandatory Break system, indicated by a "P" icon along with the remaining hours before a required stop, will function more strictly. In Euro Truck Simulator 2, drivers may drive for up to 10 hours before taking a mandatory break, which requires 9 consecutive hours of rest. You can read more about this feature here.
Changelog
Vehicles
Volvo FH Series 6 Update
Visual
Improved Material System
Light Tweaks
Sound
Game Radio
UI/UX
Job Details Widget
Expanded Rest Mechanic
So enjoy all the new additions, but please remember: It's only an open beta, not a stable public version - so you may encounter bugs, instability, or crashes. It's completely okay if you want to wait for the final release. But if you're interested in helping us to get there faster, we'd appreciate all of your feedback on our forum and your bug reports in the dedicated section.
Please check our modding wiki to get details pertaining to mods for the game.
If you wish to participate in this Open Beta, you can find this version in the Experimental Beta branch on Steam. The way to access it is as follows: Steam client → LIBRARY → right-click on Euro Truck Simulator 2 → Properties → Betas tab → Beta Participation drop-down menu → public_beta. No password is required. Sometimes you will have to restart your Steam client to see the correct branch name there.
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