Two weeks ago, we had the pleasure of opening our doors to the public as part of the Open House Praha Festival, welcoming visitors to our headquarters in Prague. As a festival dedicated to architecture, urbanism, and exceptional spaces that are not normally accessible to the public, Open House Praha offers a unique opportunity to explore some of the city's most interesting buildings and interiors.
As the first tenant of the Roztyly Plaza office building in Chodov, awarded Building of the Year 2024, we were proud to take part in this event and share our workplace with visitors. Throughout the weekend, guests joined guided tours across our offices, discovering not only where we create our games but also the architectural and technological solutions that make this space unique.
Designed by Studio Perspektiv, our offices span several floors and are built around the concept of an adventurous journey through a microworld where nature and technology intertwine. During the tours, visitors learnt more about the architectural vision behind the interior design, as well as the technical aspects of the workspace, including its acoustic design, ventilation systems, and the solutions implemented to create a comfortable and inspiring environment for our teams.
Guests were also able to explore many of the facilities available to employees, including the fitness center, rooms dedicated to massages and meditation, spaces for board games, and even our own movie theater. One of the most striking features of the interior is the monumental red staircase known as Diamant, which connects all three floors of the company and serves as a central architectural element of the space.
Alongside the architectural and technical aspects of the offices, we were happy to share more about SCS Software, our projects, and the work that takes place within these spaces every day. It was a pleasure to meet so many visitors, answer their questions, and showcase the environment where our teams collaborate and create.
A big thank you goes out to everyone who stopped by, as well as to the organizers of Open House Praha for making this event possible. We truly enjoyed welcoming you to our offices and sharing this experience with you.
If you weren't able to visit us during Open House Praha, or would simply like to take another look around, you can explore our offices virtually through Google Street View.
Behind every new feature in our games is a dedicated team of talented people working together to bring ideas to life. In this special edition of our Meet the Team, we'd like to introduce some of the people who have been instrumental in creating Game Radio, from the earliest concepts to its implementation in both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator.
Mrazik - Producer
"During our console development efforts, I've quickly realised that the game's soundscape is an underexplored territory within our games. There's a saying that 'sound is half of the picture', and especially when you're chilling out with a controller in hand, you appreciate a well-tailored musical experience smoothly integrated into the game. I have made it my personal challenge to tackle this effort and venture into the unknown, forming a vision and a team to deliver a result I would personally love as a player myself, and I'm extremely proud of everyone who fell in love with the idea and helped make it a reality.
We've got many plans on how to develop the radio platform in the future, and this is just the starting line. I genuinely hope you love the end result as much as I do, because every road trip is better with a soundtrack!"
Damiana - Radio Producer & Audio Designer
"Before joining SCS Software, I spent over five years shaping the sonic identity of Czech Radio podcasts as a sound designer, composer, and co-editor. When I got the opportunity to bring that experience to SCS nine months ago as Radio Producer & Audio Designer and to lead the Game Radio project, it was a no-brainer.
As someone who lives and breathes music, I know how much a single song can change an experience. It sets the mood, triggers unexpected emotions, and makes a fictional world feel real. That mindset naturally carried over to SCS, where I took full creative ownership of the in-game radio stations from the ground up. I’m responsible for defining each station’s brand and sonic identity, curating and processing music for in-game use, and coordinating closely with the whole team (who are amazing, by the way) to make every frequency feel alive.
I’m incredibly excited to hear feedback from the community and to keep building the next chapter of our game’s radio world."
Zuzka - Junior Game Designer
"Hi, truckers! My name is Zuzka, and I’ve been working at SCS Software for almost three years now. I started out as a 2D graphic designer, then moved on to leading the 2D branding team for ATS, and finally landed my current position as a UX game designer. In this role, I took on the task of creating Game Radio. In addition to designing the behaviour of the feature and solving all related issues, I also helped establish guidelines for the creation of the visual identity of each Game Radio station, so I had the opportunity to combine my skills as a UX designer with my graphic design background. All of this has been done with the support of an enthusiastic team of great colleagues who did their very best to bring you an enjoyable experience.
I hope you will love Game Radio as much as we do! Rest assured that the development of the radio is just getting started with this update, and we have plenty of exciting ideas in store for you."
Raivis - Junior Programmer
"I've been at SCS for almost two years now, though it really doesn't feel that long. During this time, I've worked as a programmer on various features, both for the game itself and for the supporting tools.
These past few months, I've been the main programmer for Game Radio, which was exciting because I got to create something new, not just tweak an existing feature, although there were plenty of things that needed to be changed for existing stuff as well.
As for the future, I'm excited for what we have planned for this feature, and I can't wait to work on it."
Petr - Console & UI/UX QA Lead
"Hi, my name is Petr, and I've been part of SCS Software for five and a half years. During the development of Game Radio, I worked closely with our Game Design team, brainstorming what we wanted the radio feature to offer and how we could improve the overall user experience. I also helped coordinate production efforts, organised internal playtesting sessions across the company, and participated in functional testing to ensure everything worked as intended.
Throughout development, I gathered a lot of valuable feedback from both our colleagues at SCS and members of the community on social media. Seeing people's reactions and suggestions has been incredibly rewarding, and I'm excited about the future of Game Radio and the opportunities we have to continue expanding the feature with new ideas and improvements."
Misha - Researcher
"My name is Misha, and I've been working at SCS Software for the past 3 years as a researcher, with my biggest project so far being the British Columbia DLC. For the radio feature, alongside research, I've mainly focused on building the identities of the radio stations - defining their philosophy, values, and overall creative direction.
What I enjoy most about this work is turning a large amount of ideas and research into something clear and meaningful. The process can feel chaotic at first, but over time, each station develops its own distinct personality, which then shapes everything from the visual identity to the content itself.
Outside of work, my two biggest passions are composing music and playing video games, so working on the radio feature has been an ideal combination of both worlds for me. I'm really excited for players to experience our in-game world while listening to the new radio stations we've been creating!"
Ales - Junior Producer
"Hi, I’m Aleš, and July marks my first completed year onboard the SCS truck. Prior to working here, I dedicated my working efforts in the gaming industry to community management, PR, and marketing. In SCS, I have the privilege to explore possibilities of being a producer, which I very much enjoy. Generally, I focus on the production of map DLCs for American Truck Simulator, but as a producer, I have the option to try to lend a helping hand to various projects, such as Game Radio.
Unlike other members of the team, my contribution was mostly indirect, focusing on operational support, coordination of tasks and meetings, and overall team progress.
I am very much looking forward to any endeavours of Game Radio, since, in my honest opinion, it has huge potential to add a nice melodic flavour to further enhance the experience of driving the roads of Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator."
Karina - 2D Graphic Designer
"My journey with SCS Software started almost five years ago, back when I was still a university student. Since then, I’ve become a 2D artist and had the opportunity to work with the 2D design team on the branding for the in-game radio stations. We especially enjoyed this unique task because each station had its own atmosphere and visual style that we needed to capture. It was a refreshing change from our usual routine, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the stations become part of the game."
We hope you've enjoyed getting to know some of the talented people who helped bring Game Radio to life. Features like this are the result of collaboration across multiple departments, and we're always proud to shine a spotlight on the individuals whose passion and expertise make them possible.
Game Radio will make its debut in update 1.60 for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, and we can't wait for you to experience it for yourself. We'd like to thank everyone involved in the project for sharing their insights, and we hope this behind-the-scenes look has given you a deeper appreciation for the work that goes into every update. You can find out more about Game Radio here.
As always, thank you for your continued support, and be sure to let us know what you think once you hit the road with Game Radio. Don’t forget to follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky, and subscribe to our newsletter. Until next time, keep on truckin'!
Today, we are excited to officially announce that a brand-new map expansion is on the horizon for American Truck Simulator. Get ready to discover the crossroads of the Midwest with the upcoming...
Known as the Hoosier State or Crossroads of America, Indiana is a land shaped by hardworking communities, rich agricultural heritage, iconic motorsports culture, and bustling industry. From scenic rural highways lined with endless cornfields to thriving urban centers filled with towering factories and busy freight depots, Indiana offers truckers a diverse and authentic slice of America waiting to be explored.
You will haul cargo through vibrant cities, each with its own unique atmosphere, landmarks, industries, and opportunities. At the heart of the state lies Indianapolis, home to a world-famous racing culture and a major hub for transportation and logistics. Whether you are navigating busy interstates around the capital or taking quieter roads through small-town America, every mile brings something new to experience.
As you journey across Indiana, you will encounter a wide variety of landscapes and industries. Deliver agricultural equipment and grain from the fertile farmlands, transport steel and heavy machinery through industrial regions, or supply bustling distribution centers. Keep an eye out for iconic water towers, classic red barns, charming downtown districts, and historic covered bridges that help give Indiana its unmistakable character.
Indiana is also home to an impressive network of highways and interstates that play a vital role in American commerce. With the continuation of I-90 through northern Indiana, you can also look forward to trucking all the way to Indianapolis and deeper into the Midwest. Along the way, drivers can expect a blend of open highways, dense urban traffic, industrial zones, and peaceful countryside roads that capture the true spirit of Midwestern trucking.
Our teams are hard at work bringing Indiana to life with the detail and authenticity our community expects, and while there is still a long road ahead before release, we are excited to begin sharing more from this upcoming expansion in the future. Please keep in mind that everything you see here is still a work-in-progress and may change during development.
We’re excited to share that the 1.60 Open Beta for American Truck Simulator is now available for players to try out. If you decide to join the beta, we’d really appreciate it if you report any bugs or issues you encounter in the appropriate section of our official forums.
Your feedback plays a huge role in helping us improve the game, and we truly value the time and effort you put into testing these new features and changes. Now, let’s dive into what you can expect in the 1.60 Open Beta update:
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 ATS will be the Mack Anthem and the Western Star 49X. 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.
Players' Company Paint Jobs
Players are now able to customize their trucks and trailers with a brand-new collection of company-themed paint jobs inspired by the selectable company identities available when creating a driver profile. These designs bring a more cohesive and professional visual style to your fleet while fitting naturally into the world of ATS.
One of the biggest focuses during development was ensuring that every paint job feels unique, depending on the type of trailer it is applied to. Rather than simply using one design across all trailer models, our teams carefully adapted each company's paint scheme to match the shapes and details of different trailer types. Whether you’re hauling cargo with a tanker, transporting materials in a dumper, or pulling a traditional box trailer, each variant features its own tailored details and layout. You can find out more in our blog here.
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 the 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 American Truck Simulator, drivers can stay on the road for up to 14 hours before they must take a mandatory break, requiring 10 consecutive hours of rest afterward. You can read more about this feature here.
Changelog:
Vehicles
Players' Company Paint Jobs
Visual
Improved Material System
Light Tweaks
Sound
Game Radio
UI/UX
Job Details Widget
Expanded Rest Mechanic
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 American Truck Simulator → 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.
Today, we’re excited to share more details about a feature coming to American Truck Simulator in Update 1.60 - Players’ Company Paint Jobs!
For quite some time, our teams have wanted to expand and improve the way players can represent their in-game trucking companies. After over a year of development as a passion project created especially for the ATS community, we’re happy to finally reveal the results.
With Update 1.60, players will be able to customize their trucks and trailers with a brand-new collection of company-themed paint jobs inspired by the selectable company identities available when creating a driver profile. These designs bring a more cohesive and professional visual style to your fleet while still fitting naturally into the world of American Truck Simulator.
One of the biggest focuses during development was ensuring that every paint job feels unique, depending on the type of trailer it is applied to. Rather than simply stretching one design across all trailer models, our teams carefully adapted each company's paint scheme to match the specific shapes and details of different trailer types.
Whether you’re hauling cargo with a tanker, transporting material in a dumper, or pulling a traditional box trailer, each variant features its own tailored details and layout. Our designers paid close attention to every surface, curve, and accessory to make sure the final result feels authentic and visually balanced across the entire fleet.
Players familiar with the feature in Euro Truck Simulator 2 will also feel right at home with the customization options included in ATS. Every company paint job comes with four pre-made color presets, giving players multiple styles to choose from right away while maintaining a consistent company identity.
We can’t wait for you to hit the road with your newly branded fleet when Update 1.60 arrives for American Truck Simulator. Whether you’re starting a brand-new company or giving your current operation a fresh identity, we hope these new paint jobs help make your journeys feel even more personal.
It has been a few days since the last DLC was released, so it is time for us to begin looking ahead in American Truck Simulator. While today is not quite the official reveal, we do have a small teaser from a brand-new destination currently in development for ATS, and we think some of you may already be able to guess where our journey will lead next.
Development on this project is still in its early stages, so we are not ready to share all the details just yet, including any release timeline. However, we couldn’t resist giving the #BestCommunityEver a tiny glimpse of what our teams have been working on behind the scenes.
From iconic roadside landmarks to stretches of highway surrounded by lush countryside, this upcoming map expansion will offer truckers a brand-new region of the United States to explore, haul through, and discover. Whether you enjoy cruising through bustling urban areas, navigating industrial hubs, or taking in scenic rural drives, there will be plenty waiting for you down the road.
Still unsure? Don’t worry, we have a screenshot for you to examine closely. We know our community is filled with expert detectives, and we are excited to see your guesses rolling in across the comments and social media.
As development continues, our map, asset, and research teams are hard at work recreating the atmosphere, industries, road networks, and landmarks that make this part of the United States unique. There is still a road ahead before we are ready to fully unveil this DLC, but we are already looking forward to sharing more about this journey soon.
We cannot wait to show you more when the time is right. Until then, stay up to date with the latest news, don’t forget to follow our blog, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram. Until next time, keep on truckin’!
For many drivers, music and the open road naturally belong together. Whether you are cruising through the countryside at sunset, hauling cargo across busy interstates, or relaxing during a long night drive, the right soundtrack can completely change the atmosphere of your journey. With Game Radio, we wanted to take that experience much further than a simple music player.
Game Radio is a brand-new in-game radio system designed to deepen immersion, support roleplay, and make every drive feel more authentic. Rather than approaching radio as just another technical feature, we created a collection of stations with their own distinct identities, philosophies, moods, and sounds. This is Game Radio's first chapter - built on music, with more layers planned for the road ahead.
At launch, Game Radio will feature five unique radio stations:
Rust FM
Rust FM is a guitar-driven station bridging five decades of rock, from the psychedelic garage sounds of the late 60s all the way to modern indie. Built for drivers who enjoy raw riffs, extended solos, distortion, and live energy.
This station features, amongst others, Sorry and SASAMI, both on Domino Records. Sorry is a North London indie band whose debut was co-produced by James Dring of Gorillaz fame, while SASAMI is a classically trained French horn player from the Eastman School of Music who scored films and commercials before going solo. Also on the roster: Holiday Ghosts, a DIY duo from Cornwall who record on their own equipment and have built a devoted cult following in the UK underground.
Escape
Escape is for drivers whose nervous systems are stretched thin, a place to slow down, settle in, and find some quiet. Lo-fi textures, jazzy chords, minimal beats. Escape is ideal for peaceful night drives and calm moments behind the wheel.
Escape is also a radio station designed to help content creators, and we are committed to do our best to keep it stream-safe, featuring StreamBeats by Harris Heller, a music library built by a streamer, for streamers. Its music is specifically licensed with streamers in mind, designed to help avoid copyright claims and support content monetization. Players will be able to enable Streamer Mode directly from the game menu.
PUMP IT!
PUMP IT! turns your truck cabin into a dance floor, built on hypnotic beats and precisely engineered production. This station is all about movement and intensity. Don't think it. Just feel it. Featuring Tony Romera, a French producer with official remixes for Calvin Harris and Diplo, and a #1 track on the Beatport Overall Charts, and KIDSØ, a Munich duo known for fully improvised live shows with live visual installations across the European festival circuit.
Pop Gear
Pop Gear runs on hooks, momentum, and dopamine. Designed to capture attention and trigger the irresistible urge for just one more song, the station thrives on the emotional highs of contemporary pop: modern production, catchy melodies, hook after hook. Featuring Palace Winter, a Copenhagen duo the New York Times called "a darkly intoxicating potion," and School of X, a Danish artist whose music moves between orchestral pop and raw electronics.
Roadio
Roadio is dedicated to American roots music that feels grounded, honest, and deeply connected to the spirit of the open road. Inspired by wide landscapes, truck stops, desert highways, and classic Americana, Roadio aims to become the perfect companion for long-distance hauls and quiet moments of reflection. Featuring Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, one of indie folk's most revered voices whose song "I See a Darkness" was covered by Johnny Cash; Grammy nominee and 2021 IBMA Songwriter of the Year Thomm Jutz; and New Zealand singer-songwriter Amber Lynn Nicol.
Game Radio features music from artists across some of the most respected independent labels in the world, including Domino Recording Company, home to Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, and Wet Leg, alongside Drag City, Ninja Tune, and independent artists who record and tour entirely on their own terms. Every track was chosen by hand, built to hold up across hundreds of hours of driving.
Game Radio Feature
Game Radio will expand the existing audio experience alongside the current Radio Stream (Online Radio) and Music Player systems, while also bringing a variety of improvements to music selection, user experience, and overall interaction with the in-game audio players.
In-game Widget
While driving, the Audio Player widget will appear above the navigation interface and display detailed playback information, including:
Unique station name and icon
Current song title
Artist name
Animated audio wave visualization
Favorite station indicator
Players will also be able to customize the behavior of the widget through the Widget Options menu (F6), allowing them to tailor how and when radio information appears during gameplay.
Support for Community-Created Stations
We are also excited to support creative possibilities for our modding community. Players will be able to create their own custom radio stations featuring their own music and share them with the community for playback, just like any other mods.
Game Radio has been designed to become part of the driving experience itself. Different stations can completely change the atmosphere of your journey, whether you are hauling cargo through dense urban traffic, crossing remote deserts, or enjoying scenic roads across Europe and North America.
This feature also brings improvements to the existing music and radio systems, creating a more seamless listening experience while driving.
We are incredibly excited to finally begin sharing more about Game Radio with our community, and we look forward to hearing which station becomes your favorite once 1.60 arrives. The stations you hear at launch are the foundation. Music comes first, and there is plenty more we want to build on top of it in the future!
We’re back with another episode of SCS On The Road! This time, our journey took us across the Atlantic to Dublin, Virginia, where members of our team visited the Volvo Trucks Customer Center to get up close and personal with the all-new Volvo VNL. During our visit, we had the opportunity to gather valuable reference materials, learn more about the truck directly from the experts, and even take it for a test drive!
Join Nemiro, Oscar, Ondřej, and Matěj from the SCS Software team as they explore one of Volvo Trucks North America’s newest and most advanced trucks yet. From detailed photography and video references to capturing authentic sounds and interior details, our team worked hard to ensure that every aspect of the all-new Volvo VNL could be recreated as accurately as possible for our players. We’re also excited that players can already experience this truck for themselves, as the all-new Volvo VNL has officially been released for American Truck Simulator. Find out more in our dedicated blog here.
A major part of the trip was also learning more about the design philosophy, technology, and innovations behind the truck itself. We’d like to give a special thank you to Brian Balicki, Head of Design at Volvo Trucks North America, who took the time to share more details about the all-new Volvo VNL and provided fascinating insights into its development and features.
Of course, no SCS On The Road visit would be complete without getting behind the wheel! Our team had the chance to experience the all-new Volvo VNL firsthand during a test drive around the area surrounding the Volvo Trucks Customer Center. Experiencing the truck on the road gave us valuable insight into its handling, driver comfort, visibility, and overall driving feel, all of which helped us better understand how to bring these experiences into our game.
We’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone at Volvo Trucks North America and the Volvo Trucks Customer Center for welcoming us and making this visit possible. Opportunities like these are invaluable for helping us deliver authentic and immersive trucking experiences to our community.
Make sure to stay connected with all the latest news and upcoming episodes by following us on X, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube, or by subscribing to our newsletter. We look forward to bringing you more SCS On The Road episodes in the future, and until next time, keep on truckin'!
Today, we’re excited to bring not one, but two new additions to American Truck Simulator! Whether you prefer the power and comfort of long-haul trucking or the cutting-edge innovation of electric mobility, this update delivers something special for every kind of driver. Introducing the all-new 2025 Volvo VNL and Volvo VNR Electric!
From refined aerodynamics and driver-focused interiors to sustainable, zero-emission technology, both vehicles showcase Volvo’s commitment to innovation and performance. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these incredible trucks has to offer.
Volvo VNL 2025
The all-new Volvo VNL arrives in American Truck Simulator as a step forward in long-haul trucking. Designed with efficiency, comfort, and modern styling in mind, this truck is built to conquer the open road.
Players will immediately notice the redesigned exterior, featuring smoother lines and improved aerodynamics. Every detail has been carefully crafted, making it a perfect companion for those long interstate journeys.
Inside the cabin, the VNL focuses on ergonomics and accessibility, with a fully digital dashboard and thoughtfully placed controls ensuring maximum comfort during extended trips.
A wide range of customization options is also available, including chassis configurations, paint jobs, accessories, and much more. This also includes a special paint job for the SCS box trailer.
Under the hood, players can select from a variety of powerful engine options paired with smooth transmissions, delivering the performance and reliability expected from a modern long-haul truck.
Volvo VNR Electric
Alongside the VNL, we’re proud to introduce the Volvo VNR Electric, bringing the first electric truck to American Truck Simulator. While the VNL is a full-size truck that you can own, customize, and expand your fleet with, the VNR Electric is availableexclusively through Quick Jobs, giving players a chance to experience electric trucking in a curated way.
This truck represents a modern era of transportation, designed primarily for urban and regional distribution. Its fully electric powertrain delivers smooth, quiet operation, offering a completely different driving experience compared to traditional trucks.
Visually, the VNR Electric stands out with its modern, clean design and distinctive lighting elements. The interior reflects the same philosophy, offering a sleek and functional workspace tailored for urban operations.
We’re incredibly excited to see you hit the road with both the Volvo VNL and the Volvo VNR Electric. Whether you’re hauling across states or navigating city streets, these trucks open up new experiences in American Truck Simulator.
We look forward to your feedback, screenshots, and stories from the road!
For our Road Trip project in American Truck Simulator, we continue to expand a growing collection of legendary vehicles that feel perfectly at home cruising endless highways and scenic byways across America. Today, we’re excited to share a work-in-progress look at the 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody, one of the most iconic American muscle cars of modern times.
Few vehicles represent contemporary American muscle quite like the Challenger. The Hellcat Widebody stands as a bold statement from an era when muscle cars reached new heights of power, presence, and character, while still paying homage to the unmistakable design language that defined generations before it. It is already regarded as a modern legend, a car that proudly carries the spirit of American performance into the present day.
The Dodge Challenger has always been about more than numbers on paper. It’s about attitude, confidence, and the feeling of pointing a long hood toward the horizon. The Hellcat amplifies all of that with its aggressive stance, widened bodywork, and unmistakable road presence.
In Road Trip, this vehicle is about experiencing the vastness of North America from behind the wheel of an automotive icon, cruising historic highways, rolling through small towns, and stopping to admire the diverse landscapes and landmarks that define each state. This is the kind of car meant for memorable journeys, where the drive itself is just as important as the destination.
With every new Road Trip vehicle, our team continues to raise the bar for visual fidelity, and the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody is no exception. From the muscular exterior proportions to carefully crafted interior details, our vehicle artists are paying close attention to materials, lighting, and overall authenticity to ensure the car feels believable and immersive within the world of American Truck Simulator.
Whether parked at a scenic overlook or cruising under changing skies, we want this Challenger to look and feel right in every situation, making each Road Trip experience more atmospheric and visually rewarding.
We’re looking forward to sharing more updates as the Road Trip project evolves. Please remember that this car is still a work in progress, and further refinements are planned as development continues. With legendary vehicles like the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, we aim to clearly set expectations: Road Trip is about exploration, atmosphere, and celebrating American automotive culture on the open road, one unforgettable journey at a time.
Today, we’re taking a closer look behind the scenes of Building Canada, focusing on the creation of British Columbia and what it takes to bring it into American Truck Simulator. We spoke with Patrix, our Map Technical Lead for ATS, who shared his perspective on how this ambitious new region is being brought to life and how the new road networks are being made.
"Hi, my name is Patrik (also known as Patrix). Over the past 15 exciting years at SCS Software, a mix of good fortune and personal dedication has taken me on quite a journey, from starting as a junior map designer on Euro Truck Simulator 2 just months before its release, to my current role as a Technical Lead working on American Truck Simulator."
"It's a pleasure and a big responsibility to be trusted by the company in terms of technical knowledge and pipeline correctness. In my early years, I recall breaking a lot of technical rules to achieve any sort of visual that was (or could be) considered nice. Doing that, I was many times inevitably instructed by experienced senior colleagues about how the game engine works and why I should be careful about overloading hardware with random details or items in map scenes."
"As years flew by, I became more responsible and stood rather rational about the complexity of the map and shaped a pretty exact vision of where the limits are and how the map should be done, so that it works smoothly on any computer and is also accessible to maintenance, which is critical for projects that live on for more than 10 years, just like ATS recently proved to be able to."
"Right now, my responsibility is to set and maintain a certain technical consistency in terms of how our map is being done across the entire ATS, which means syncing the attitude towards map creation across several projects and across different map teams."
"When our CEO, Pavel Šebor, approached us initially with the idea of going north to British Columbia, we immediately knew it would be a challenge. With its significance for the future of ATS, British Columbia reminds me of the times when we worked on Texas. Both were to be bigger than regular DLCs and should also carry a lot of specific new content. Logically, as we are going to another country in ATS for the very first time, we had to prepare a new set of road signage, both vertical and horizontal. Vertical signage are road-side signs, and those in Canada are very similar to the ones in the United States."
"Small things like font differences, dimensions, or rules for placement are exactly those little details we are looking for and following, so that our community of experienced drivers will immediately recognize that they are in Canada, even from unspecified random screenshots."
"Just like we did for the US, we read lots of Canadian documentation to get things right. One of the more complicated decisions was to pick the correct width of road lines. If documentation gives you a variety, what would you pick? The middle, one of the edge cases, or the most common? Also, how would we know from Prague what the most common roadline width is in Canada? When we found answers to these initial questions, even bigger issues appeared with implementation. For our Prism3D engine, different roadlines mean lots of new data that we had to create. Our in-game roads are made from templates of roads and more complex baked segments that we call prefabs. So if we wanted a slightly different yellow and a little wider/narrower lines, it meant making hundreds of road templates and prefabs to be able to bring this detail into British Columbia."
"Another part of my role as technical leader is to check all city layouts and compare their ambitions to the rest of the map, so that we stay consistent in the way we shape the game world."
"Now, British Columbia is actually pretty huge, but just like in many other cases, it is disproportionally balanced in terms of city spacing. The area around Vancouver is surrounded by a huge agglomeration of suburbs, and even cities across the water, like Victoria, were challenging in terms of where to put them on our map scale. Obviously, we had to sacrifice some bridges or interesting road pieces near Vancouver, but on the other hand, we will bring both border crossings from the US to Canada below Vancouver. The one at Interstate 5 is now relevant since we know our car-driving module, Road Trip, is on the way."
"I hope that players will truly enjoy exploring British Columbia and come to appreciate the sheer scale and ambition behind the project. While bringing a brand-new map like this to life comes with its fair share of challenges, it’s also been an incredibly fun and rewarding experience for the team, one we’re excited to share with the community."
We're thrilled to announce that the 1.59 updateforAmerican Truck Simulator has officially been released and is now available on Steam!
First of all, we would like to thank everyone who took part in the Open Beta and reported any issues or provided general feedback on our forum. This makes it much easier for our team to fine-tune everything and helps ensure a smooth transition to the full update release.
Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets
We've been closely listening to feedback from our community, and one of the most common points raised in the new route advisor was that many players missed having quick access to information on vehicle damage and finances. While our teams are actively working on the next steps in our broader vision for a redesigned UI in this area, we didn't want to make you wait until that work is complete. Instead, we've prioritized implementing some of the most frequently requested improvements as soon as possible.
Based on that, we've implemented the Damage and Finances widgets. The widgets are designed to restore easy access to information about truck damage, plus trailer and cargo damage, if you are currently driving with a trailer and cargo, as well as your current bank balance, with an average profit over the last seven days displayed too.
These widgets can be turned on and off in the Widget Settings Menu, and if enabled, they will be displayed in the bottom-right corner above your GPS.
Tow to Road
The Tow to Road feature was designed to improve the overall quality of life for players by reducing frustrating situations during gameplay. It will allow drivers to quickly recover if their truck overturns or gets stuck in a ditch or uneven terrain. It will also help prevent disruptions in multiplayer sessions, enabling players to continue with their convoy when they find themselves stuck, without the need to be towed to a service location, which could cause unnecessary delays.
So when you are in a difficult situation, you can simply find the new "Tow to Road" button under the Service menu (set to F7 by default). After paying a small fee for the towing service, you will be transported to your last safe location on the road. You can read more about this feature here.
Skills UX Redesign
The Skill Screen has received a visual rework while remaining in its original place within the interface. This update focuses on improving clarity and overall user experience without changing its core functionality.
You can now view both your current skill level and the next step in its progression. Tooltips also allow you to explore other ranks within each skill. Selecting a skill provides improved readability and clearer visual feedback, including a better indication of how many steps remain in that skill's progression path.
Each skill is represented as a clickable button, making it easy to access more detailed information. The redesign also improves navigation when using a controller.
QoL UI/UX Changes
We're continuing to refine the overall user experience with updates focused on readability, clarity, and smoother controller navigation.
The in-game news banner has received a visual refresh to better align with our newer UI style while improving readability. When hovering over a news item, a tooltip will now display a longer excerpt along with a clear call to action. Deactivated news items now feature a clearer status indicator, which also doubles as an activation button.
We're making navigation on the world map more intuitive for controller users. A new "undo last pin" feature has been added, along with remapped controls for adding, removing, setting avoid areas, and resetting pins.
Save handling has also been improved, with new saves now using the standard save icon instead of a black screenshot and overwriting clearly labeled as "Overwrite". Garage upgrade cutscenes can now be skipped more consistently using the (B) button, and the controller navigation has been further refined with improved D-pad accessibility across UI.
Traffic Sound Rework
We’ve made some adjustments to traffic audio as part of this update. Sounds have been softened and rebalanced to better match real-world perception, with less emphasis on distant engine noise and more on the subtle “road hiss” of tires. Honking behavior has also been slightly randomized to reduce repetition. Overall, traffic should now feel less intrusive and better integrated into the ambient soundscape.
Height Blend Improvements
We’ve also made a few improvements to the Height Blend feature. Derived normal maps can now be enabled to help conserve GPU memory, and we’ve addressed several graphical issues to ensure more consistent, visually accurate results.
Detour Feature Maintenance
We've decided to temporarily disable the detour feature to focus on maintenance and further development. We've received numerous reports of Detours not functioning as intended, and the current system no longer meets our needs.
As a result, we'll be shutting down detours while we work on improving and upgrading the feature in the background to make it more stable and reliable. Please note that this change only affects detours - random road events will continue to be available in the game.
Changelog:
Gameplay
Tow to Road Feature
UI/UX
Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets
Skills UX Redesign
QoL UI/UX Changes
Improved News Banner Readability
World Map Pin Enhancements
Save Icon Update
Garage Cutscene Skipping
D-pad Accessibility Improvements
Visuals
Height Blend Improvements
Sounds
Traffic Sound Rework
Other
Detour Feature Maintenance
We hope you are also excited to try out all the new features! Make sure to keep up to date with the future updates by following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, and Instagram, and by subscribing to our newsletter! Until next time, happy haulin' and we'll see you on the road!
Lately, there’s been quite a bit of chatter echoing across the highways of American Truck Simulator. From truck stops to weigh stations, drivers have been exchanging stories about a certain unfamiliar rig cruising the open road. Naturally, this caught our attention!
This mysterious machine hasn’t made things easy for those trying to get a closer look. With its smooth ride and surprisingly quiet presence, it seems to come and go before anyone can properly study it. The image we’ve seen so far leaves plenty of questions unanswered, but also sparks a lot of excitement.
What we’re seeing here is a truck that keeps its secrets well. Its modern design and refined presence hint at something built with both performance and driver comfort in mind. However, details remain limited, and no one has managed to get a closer, clearer look… yet.
Reports suggest that this mysterious newcomer could be a strong contender for both long-haul journeys and regional routes alike, offering versatility for all kinds of jobs across the vast American landscape. Beyond that, though, we’ll leave the speculation up to you.
Do you think you know what it might be?
We’ll be sharing more information when the time is right. Be sure to stay connected with us on our social media channels on X/Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, and Instagram, and by subscribing to our newsletter so you don’t miss any future updates! Until next time, happy haulin'!
We’re excited to announce that the 1.59 Open Beta for American Truck Simulator is now live and ready for you to check out. If you choose to participate, we’d greatly appreciate you sharing any bugs or issues you come across in the proper section of our official forums.
Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us, and we’re thankful for the time you take to help us make the game even better. With that, let’s take a look at what’s included in the 1.59 Open Beta.
Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets
We've been closely listening to feedback from our community, and one of the most common points raised in the new route advisor was that many players missed having quick access to information on vehicle damage and finances. While our teams are actively working on the next steps in our broader vision for a redesigned UI in this area, we didn't want to make you wait until that work is complete. Instead, we've prioritized implementing some of the most frequently requested improvements as soon as possible.
Based on that, we've implemented the Damage and Finances widgets. The widgets are designed to restore easy access to information about truck damage, plus trailer and cargo damage, if you are currently driving with a trailer and cargo, as well as your current bank balance, with an average profit over the last seven days displayed too.
These widgets can be turned on and off in the Widget Settings Menu, and if enabled, they will be displayed in the bottom-right corner above your GPS.
Tow to Road
The Tow to Road feature was designed to improve the overall quality of life for players by reducing frustrating situations during gameplay. It will allow drivers to quickly recover if their truck overturns or gets stuck in a ditch or uneven terrain. It will also help prevent disruptions in multiplayer sessions, enabling players to continue with their convoy when they find themselves stuck, without the need to be towed to a service location, which could cause unnecessary delays.
So when you are in a difficult situation, you can simply find the new "Tow to Road" button under the Service menu (set to F7 by default). After paying a small fee for the towing service, you will be transported to your last safe location on the road. You can read more about this feature here.
Skills UX Redesign
The Skill Screen has received a visual rework while remaining in its original place within the interface. This update focuses on improving clarity and overall user experience without changing its core functionality.
You can now view both your current skill level and the next step in its progression. Tooltips also allow you to explore other ranks within each skill. Selecting a skill provides improved readability and clearer visual feedback, including a better indication of how many steps remain in that skill's progression path.
Each skill is represented as a clickable button, making it easy to access more detailed information. The redesign also improves navigation when using a controller.
QoL UI/UX Changes
We're continuing to refine the overall user experience with updates focused on readability, clarity, and smoother controller navigation.
The in-game news banner has received a visual refresh to better align with our newer UI style while improving readability. When hovering over a news item, a tooltip will now display a longer excerpt along with a clear call to action. Deactivated news items now feature a clearer status indicator, which also doubles as an activation button.
We're making navigation on the world map more intuitive for controller users. A new "undo last pin" feature has been added, along with remapped controls for adding, removing, setting avoid areas, and resetting pins.
Save handling has also been improved, with new saves now using the standard save icon instead of a black screenshot and overwriting clearly labeled as "Overwrite". Garage upgrade cutscenes can now be skipped more consistently using the (B) button, and the controller navigation has been further refined with improved D-pad accessibility across UI.
Traffic Sound Rework
We’ve also made some adjustments to traffic audio as part of this update. Sounds have been softened and rebalanced to better match real-world perception, with less emphasis on distant engine noise and more on the subtle “road hiss” of tires. Honking behavior has also been slightly randomized to reduce repetition. Overall, traffic should now feel less intrusive and better integrated into the ambient soundscape.
Height Blend Improvements
We’ve also made a few improvements to the Height Blend feature. Derived normal maps can now be enabled to help conserve GPU memory, and we’ve addressed several graphical issues to ensure more consistent, visually accurate results.
Detour Feature Maintenance
We've decided to temporarily disable the detour feature to focus on maintenance and further development. We've received numerous reports of Detours not functioning as intended, and the current system no longer meets our needs.
As a result, we'll be shutting down detours while we work on improving and upgrading the feature in the background to make it more stable and reliable. Please note that this change only affects detours - random road events will continue to be available in the game.
Changelog:
Gameplay
Tow to Road Feature
UI/UX
Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets
Skills UX Redesign
QoL UI/UX Changes
Improved News Banner Readability
World Map Pin Enhancements
Save Icon Update
Garage Cutscene Skipping
D-pad Accessibility Improvements
Visuals
Height Blend Improvements
Sounds
Traffic Sound Rework
Other
Detour Feature Maintenance
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 American Truck Simulator → 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.
Every road connects more than just places, and this upcoming journey is no exception. An iconic crossing comes into view: a bridge that not only unites distant shores but also brings the Euro Truck Simulator 2 community closer together than ever before. A powerful symbol of the connections, shared experiences, and journeys that lie ahead.
Today, we are excited to take you on a scenic journey to the historic city of Springfield, the capital of Illinois, which will be featured in our upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator!
Known for its rich heritage, beautiful architecture, and deep connection to American history, Springfield offers a unique blend of past and present. Our teams have worked hard to capture the essence of this iconic city, bringing its streets, landmarks, and atmosphere to life for virtual truckers to explore and enjoy.
As you approach Springfield, you’ll immediately notice its distinctive skyline, highlighted by the impressive Hotel Tower that rises above the surrounding buildings. While driving through downtown, you’ll encounter several important institutions that define Springfield’s character. The historic Old Capitol building stands proudly as a reminder of the city’s political legacy, complemented by nearby establishments, including a local bank and the County Office. Each of these locations has been carefully recreated to reflect its real-world counterpart, adding authenticity to your journey.
Springfield is not only about government and history, however. The city also offers a variety of everyday destinations that bring it to life. For example, a local clinic, an insurance company, or a public library; these locations add depth and realism to the environment, making your deliveries feel like part of a living, breathing community.
Rail enthusiasts will appreciate the inclusion of Union Station, an important transportation hub that adds another layer of activity to the city. As you pass by, you may catch glimpses of trains and infrastructure that highlight Springfield’s role in regional connectivity.
Of course, no visit to Springfield would be complete without honoring one of the most significant figures in American history. The statues and murals of Abraham Lincoln around the city are a tribute to the city’s most famous resident, offering a moment of reflection as you drive through the area.
Whether you are delivering cargo to bustling city depots or simply passing through, Springfield promises a memorable experience filled with detailed scenery and iconic landmarks. Our goal has been to create a city that feels authentic, immersive, and rewarding to explore from behind the wheel.
As you travel across the Mount Rushmore State, you’ll encounter a variety of distinctive and memorable settlements along the way. In today’s blog, we’re taking a closer look at another selection of towns that our map designers have been bringing to life for the upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator.
Redfield
Redfield is often called the “Pheasant Capital of the World.” This nickname comes from the area’s rich hunting tradition and thriving wildlife population. As you drive through town, you may notice subtle nods to this heritage, along with its classic Midwestern layout and welcoming small-town atmosphere.
Martin
Serving as a vital hub for nearby communities, Martin offers a glimpse into everyday life on the plains. It may be modest in size, but its role in the region is significant. Our team focused on capturing that authenticity, from local businesses to the open landscapes that stretch far beyond the town itself.
Mission
Mission is an important community within the Rosebud Indian Reservation. The town blends cultural significance with rural charm. As you pass through, keep an eye out for details that reflect its identity and the surrounding rolling plains.
Selby
A friendly small town with a population of just over 640, Selby sits among rich farmlands and serves as a quiet waypoint for travelers passing through the region. Its location along a well-traveled highway makes it a natural stop along your journey. In-game, you’ll experience its laid-back atmosphere, surrounded by the agricultural landscape.
Sturgis
Famous across the country, Sturgis is best known for its legendary motorcycle rally, which draws huge crowds every year. Beyond the roar of engines, however, the town has its own everyday charm. Drivers can enjoy a mix of forested surroundings and winding roads that make this area especially memorable. As you approach the town, be sure to look out for the iconic Sturgis sign on Sly Hill!
Wall
Just off Interstate 90, Wall is a must-see stop for anyone traveling through western South Dakota. It’s widely known for its iconic roadside attraction, which has been drawing in visitors for decades with its classic Americana charm. As you cruise along I-90, you’ll also notice a series of billboards encouraging you to make a stop in town, a signature part of the experience that our team has recreated for players to enjoy.
Of course, South Dakota is home to many more towns and communities than we could include. As with all our map expansions, we carefully select and adapt locations to fit the 1:20 scale of American Truck Simulator. This approach allows us to create a map that feels both rich and true to life, while keeping drives engaging and well-paced for players behind the wheel.
And that’s all for today! We hope you enjoyed this second look at some of the settlements coming with the South Dakota DLC. Each town, big or small, helps bring this beautiful state to life.
We’re thrilled to announce that the SCS Fan Day Experience is returning for its fourth edition! On May 15th, 2026, we will once again be welcoming a group of passionate members from our #BestCommunityEver to our offices in Prague, Czech Republic, for a special behind-the-scenes afternoon. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like inside our studio, this is your chance to find out!
Our previous Fan Day Experiences have been truly unforgettable, from guided tours of our offices and insights into our development process to fun times with our simulators and friendly chats with our team. Meeting you in person, hearing your stories, and sharing our passion together is something we genuinely look forward to every time.
For this upcoming event, we will be selecting 20 fans to join us for SCS Fan Day Experience Vol. 4. During your visit, you can expect a deep dive into our studio, opportunities to meet the people behind our projects, and maybe even a few surprises along the way. Of course, no visit would be complete without some refreshments, great conversations, and a small gift to remember your day with us.
Please note a few important details before applying: As with our previous events, we are unfortunately unable to cover travel or accommodation costs, so all selected participants will need to arrange and fund their own trip to Prague. Additionally, if you are under the age of 18, you will be required to bring an accompanying adult with you to the event. If chosen, you will need to be at our offices in Prague on the 15th of May, 2026.
If you’re interested in attending, you can apply by filling out our application form. We encourage you to share as much as you can about yourself, your passion for our games, and why you’d love to visit us. Feel free to include photos or even a short video introduction; this helps us get to know you better! If we pick you, we will contact you via email with further details, so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox!
We’re incredibly excited to once again open our doors and share this experience with you. Thank you for being such an amazing community, and for your continued support. We can’t wait to meet twenty more of you and spend another memorable day together. In the meantime, stay up to date with the latest news by following us on our social media channels: X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube. Good luck to everyone applying. We hope to see you soon!
Illinois is home to a wide variety of public art, and many of its towns and cities proudly display colorful murals that celebrate local culture, history, and community pride. For our upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator, our map and asset teams have recreated several of these works so that drivers can come across them while traveling across the Prairie State. In today's blog, we'd like to highlight some of the murals you may spot on your journeys!
Chicago
As one of the largest cities in the United States, Chicago is well known for its thriving art scene. Murals can be found throughout many of the city's neighborhoods, decorating building walls with bold colors, detailed imagery, and unique designs. As you navigate the streets of Chicago, keep an eye out for these impressive works that help bring even more character and authenticity to the city.
These large-scale artworks reflect the creativity and diversity that Chicago is famous for. From colorful patterns and community-inspired pieces to striking portraits and imaginative compositions, they add life to the urban landscape and make each street feel a little more distinctive.
Springfield
As the capital of Illinois, Springfield is rich in history and culture, and its streets also feature a variety of murals that bring color and character to the downtown area. As you explore the city, you may notice several of these artistic pieces adorning building walls along your route.
These murals often celebrate the heritage and stories of the region, helping to create a sense of place for both locals and visitors alike. Including them in the Illinois DLC allows players to experience another layer of authenticity while traveling through the state.
Rockford
Located in northern Illinois, the city of Rockford is another place where you can spot several murals while driving through town. These artworks decorate a number of buildings and add vibrant colors to the streets, creating memorable sights for anyone passing by.
Public art like this plays an important role in highlighting the identity and culture of local communities. By recreating these murals, our teams aimed to capture the atmosphere and personality that make each Illinois city unique.
Quincy, Champaign, Macomb & Marion
Murals are not limited to just a few locations, however. As you continue your journey across Illinois, you may also discover colorful murals in cities such as Quincy, Champaign, Macomb, and Marion.
From large walls covered in vibrant illustrations to smaller artistic pieces that celebrate local culture, these murals help make every city feel more alive. Our teams enjoyed researching and recreating these details to ensure that each location feels authentic and full of character.
Buckle up and get ready to roll, because today we’re excited to share a brand-new gameplay preview from our upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator!
The Prairie State is a place where busy industry meets wide-open farmland, and where historic routes connect vibrant cities. Our team has been hard at work recreating this diverse state, bringing its highways, landscapes, and atmosphere to life for drivers to experience behind the wheel.
In this preview, you’ll get a first look at a journey through Illinois as we travel from Quincy all the way to Chicago, driving along major interstates and rural highways alike. Along the way, you’ll pass expansive agricultural fields and grain facilities before gradually approaching Chicago's dense urban skylines and underground.
Join us as we take a drive through a selection of locations across the state and showcase some of the roads and environments our map team has been crafting. As always, please keep in mind that everything you see in this gameplay preview is still a work in progress and subject to change as development continues.
Today, we’d like to shine the spotlight on the team working on the upcoming Isle of Ireland map expansion for Euro Truck Simulator 2. This brand-new DLC will take drivers across the island of Ireland, from lively urban centres to quiet coastal roads and rolling green countrysides. As with every map expansion we create, bringing a new region into the world of ETS2 requires a passionate group of developers working together to carefully craft every road, city, and landmark.
In this edition of Meet the Team, you’ll get the chance to learn more about some of the people behind the project. The developers featured here have prepared short introductions along with a few small insights into what they’ve been working on so far. We hope you will enjoy getting a closer look at the team helping to build this exciting new destination.
Honza - Map DLC Lead
"Hi. It has been six years since I joined SCS. It has been a great journey ever since. I grew from being a junior map designer to map lead, and now I enjoy leading such a talented group of people.
We're finishing up the Benelux rework project, and I hope truckers will enjoy driving on highways there soon. Meanwhile, we have started with the next project, the Isle of Ireland. This will be my first regular DLC, which is exciting. The Emerald Island is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful pieces of land on the whole continent. Green pastures, wild western coast, lively, colourful cities and towns. Oh, and not a lot of highways! We'll give it our best to do it justice.
Little about me: I have a Polish wife, a new baby and a neurotic dog. My favourite pastime: Having a nice beer while watching campy horror movies."
Eliška (foxxy) - Senior Map Designer
"Hi, I'm Eliska, a former filmmaker turned map designer. My journey with SCS Software started nearly 5 years ago during the pandemic and has been enjoyable and fulfilling ever since. I had never before imagined that I would be able to start a brand new career in my forties, based on what I loved to do in my free time my whole life - building imaginary digital worlds in games.
I am grateful that SCS accepted me without any prior professional experience, helped me grow and learn, and landed me where I am today, a senior specialist on a great team in one of the most peaceful games in the world. And that would not be possible without our incredible players. Thank you."
Kristián - Map Designer
"I have been working at SCS Software for four years, during which I have contributed to several map expansions, including the Benelux rework project. Within this project, I worked on the cities of Rotterdam and Antwerp, as well as the Europoort area. I specialise in creating ports and ferry terminals, but I also work on city design and the surrounding areas, focusing on their layout, atmosphere, and functionality within the game world.
For the Ireland DLC, I am responsible for the creation of cities and ferry terminals, including Waterford, where I continue to bring these urban environments to life through detailed design. I hope players will enjoy exploring them as much as I enjoy creating them."
Veronika - Junior Map Designer
"Pine trees lining German highways, small marinas in Nordic Horizon, water channels in Benelux. These are projects for which I had the opportunity to create maps. And now we are starting on the mysterious, cosy Ireland, which I associate with peat bogs and fairytale views of the countryside. I am especially looking forward to those in the heart of Ireland, around the town of Athlone, where I will be building. You can also look forward to lots of roadside art sculptures on your way."
Anis - Map Designer
"I spent years studying academic painting and drawing at two different universities. Over time, surrounded by theory, technique, and countless books on the history of art, I became convinced that I understood what "Art" truly meant. My education gave me structure, discipline, and a sense of certainty, but certainty can be limiting.
Now, six years into my journey at SCS Software as a Senior Map Designer, I see things differently. From shaping the quiet suburbs of Iberia and the rural roads of Slovenia to working on major cities and crafting unique custom depots, I’ve learned that art isn’t confined to canvas or theory. It lives in scale, in detail, in atmosphere – in everything we do, putting our heart into our work."
Marek - Junior Map Designer
"I joined SCS less than a year ago as a junior map designer. Immediately after my probation period, I started working on a section of Galway in Ireland, which was later featured in the teaser for the Ireland DLC. I’m really happy about it and grateful to have joined SCS Software at this time, with the opportunity to work on Ireland. Given the country’s diversity, ranging from dense urban centres to rugged, hilly terrain, the role of a map designer here allows me to work on an exceptionally wide and engaging variety of locations. We hope you enjoy exploring the Isle of Ireland as much as our team enjoyed creating it!"
Libor - Map Designer
"I have been working as a Map Designer for four years and have contributed to the West Balkans, Greece, and Nordic Horizons DLCs. Each country has its own unique vibe and atmosphere, and I truly enjoy bringing that into our game. Our work is not just about recreating well-known landmarks. Often, it’s a small, cosy street recreated 1:1 that you probably wouldn’t see in any other game, yet it adds that special touch and makes you truly feel like you’re driving in a specific country.
Every DLC starts with detailed research, from the distinct look of architecture, roads, signs, and sidewalks to small details like wildflowers that may grow only in one particular country. I love the attention to all these geeky details in our company, and I believe this is what makes our games unique. My main focus on the Ireland DLC is Killarney National Park and the town of Killarney. The nature of this region and the town itself are absolutely stunning, and I’m doing my best to bring that beauty to your screens. I also believe these roads will be perfect for upcoming coaches, as it is primarily a tourist region with only a small amount of industry. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this DLC will be received and to reading your honest and motivating reviews."
Jitka - Map Designer
"I've been enjoying creating landscapes and exploring the possibilities of our game since joining the team in 2022. After some of the most challenging roads in Switzerland and the verticality of Luxembourg city, I started working on Ireland.
Ireland is more than just green. It's mist rising over dark hills on the horizon, spreading across endless heather moorlands. It's a sunlit coastline and a road weaving ahead of you through open land. It's the little villages, where time has stopped.
Ireland's landscape has its own unique way to pull you in. And I can't wait for you to see more of what we are creating."
Radek - Junior Map Designer
"I have been working at SCS for a year and a half now. My first project was the Benelux rework, where I gained valuable experience that I put to good use as I started working on the Ireland DLC. As part of the team, I focus on vegetation and on helping the map feel as authentic and true to real references as possible. I am very excited to be part of this, as it feels like a long-missing piece of the Europe map. Ireland’s landscapes and colour palette will enrich the overall map with their lush, green, vegetation-rich environment."
Dimi - Junior Map Designer
"Hi, my name is Dimi, and ever since I was younger, I dreamed of creating video games in some sort of artistic way, so here I am! I became part of the SCS team about a year ago, and since then, I have participated in two of our upcoming projects. I took a small part in the creation of Benelux Rework and now Ireland, which I’ve really taken a liking to.
My favourite landmarks I had the pleasure of creating are the Giant's Causeway, together with its surroundings and Ben Bulben, which appeared in our teaser. After spending my time observing various locations, I have fallen in love with the landscapes and nature of Ireland, and I am more than happy to be a part of its creation. I will do my best to recreate that beauty in our game, hoping it will bring you the same happiness it has brought me along the way.
Bíodh lá maith agaibh!"
Jirka - Junior Map Designer
"Hi, my name is Jirka. I have been working at SCS for over a year and a half, and I really enjoy it here. I previously participated in the Benelux project, and now I am working on Ireland with the same great team of inspiring colleagues. I think that you will enjoy the diverse landscape full of beautiful views and diverse paths that beautifully reflect the character of the landscape, just like I do."
Tereza - Junior Map Designer
"Hello, I've recently celebrated two years at SCS. I started working on Germany and continued on Benelux. I'm still fixing bugs in Benelux for you, but I'll be moving to Ireland soon. While working on the flat environments of the Netherlands rework, I was also helping out on the Nordic Horizons DLC, where there were lots of beautiful landscapes.
I've already had a look at what awaits me, and it seems cosy. No more big highways and complicated junctions, just cities and roads. I have to say that left-hand traffic was a problem for me at first, but I quickly got used to it.
What I like most about Ireland are the colour-coded sheep. I just love them! Irish people, tell me, wouldn't it be cheaper to tag them on their ears, like we do in the Czech Republic? Just kidding, you make the world more colourful. Thanks."
That’s it for today’s blog! We’d like to thank everybody for sharing a little about themselves and their work on the Isle of Ireland. It’s always a pleasure to give our community a glimpse behind the scenes and introduce the talented people who help shape our projects.
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