With the release of our South Dakota DLC, we invite you all to join us on Thursday, the 24th of September, for the newest World of Trucks event - Cruising South Dakota! Roll through the Mount Rushmore State and take in its wide-open landscapes, natural beauty and rich history.
So, what is the challenge? Haul cargo to or from any city in South Dakota and help the community reach a collective goal of 150,000,000 miles (241,402,000 km). With the strength of our #BestCommunityEver, we know you will smash it!
Hit the road by #CruisingSouthDakota, where vast prairies meet the rugged Black Hills and the otherworldly Badlands, with long crossings over the Missouri River along the way. But this land carries far more than scenery, it holds stories that reach deep into the past. The Black Hills, known to the Lakota people as Paha Sapa, are sacred ground, while Badlands National Park preserves one of the richest fossil beds on Earth. This is where giants like SUE the T. rex slept for millions of years before being discovered.
During your travels, you can look forward to many spectacular views and highlights, such as:
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the iconic monument carved into a granite face in the Black Hills.
Badlands National Park, a dramatic maze of layered rock spires and buttes unlike anywhere else in America.
Deadwood, the legendary gold rush town where Wild Bill Hickok played his final hand.
Missouri River crossings, where the great river divides the rolling east from the rugged west of the state.
As with past Cruising events, you can also participate using your own trailer by selecting jobs from the External Market!
The South Dakota DLC features 13 incredible cities to explore, and we're offering an exclusive reward for completing your personal goal, which will require you to deliver a job to or from all of them. All jobs for the event must be at least 100 miles (161 km) long.
Take part in this breathtaking journey across the Great Plains, from South Dakota's sweeping landscapes and Black Hills to its frontier towns. Let's roll through the Mount Rushmore State!
Rules
Using External Contracts or External Market, with a World of Trucks-connected profile in American Truck Simulator, the community goal is to drive 150,000,000 miles (241,402,000 km) while delivering cargoes to or from any city in South Dakota.
When a player has completed deliveries to or from all 13 South Dakota cities, they will achieve their personal goal.
All jobs for the event must be at least 100 miles (161 km) long.
You can check if your recent deliveries met these conditions using your Log Book in your World of Trucks profile.
Rewards
Personal: Players who complete deliveries to or from all 13 South Dakota cities will earn a personal World of Trucks Achievement and a Call of the Badlands ATS truck paint job Steam inventory item.
Community: When the community goal of driving 150,000,000 miles (241,402,000 km) during deliveries to or from any city in South Dakota is met, players who have also achieved their personal goal will receive a Ring-necked Pheasant Steam inventory item.
Note: In order to qualify for the community reward, you must complete your personal goal in American Truck Simulator. Each reward will be a Steam inventory item for American Truck Simulator. Once completed, claim your rewards on the Events page of your World of Trucks profile.
The event will conclude on Sunday, the 22nd of November at 23:59 UTC.
Gear up for the latest addition to American Truck Simulator and join us for #CruisingSouthDakota! Share your screenshots and videos with us on our Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram profiles, and we will share our favourite ones (we may even feature some of them in a future blog post!).
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!
We are excited that the 1.61 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now officially released and available on Steam! We hope you will enjoy all the new features, which you can read about in more detail below.
We would like to thank everyone who took part in the open beta phase and reported possible issues or any kind of feedback on our forum, as it helped us fine-tune everything for a smooth transition to the full update!
We'd also like to thank everyone who participated in the 1.61 Experimental Beta, especially those who shared their thoughts on the Multi-Function Display (MFD) and the In-Game Menu. These additions will be introduced in a future update, giving us more time to refine and polish these features and ensure they deliver the best possible experience when they are ready.
Now without further ado, let's take a look at what this update includes!
Proximity Exploration
In the 1.61 update, we are introducing a new feature designed to assist players with exploring the world map and discovering more along their journey. Introducing Proximity Exploration, a new quality-of-life feature that makes map discovery a little more intuitive, while still keeping the enjoyment of exploring the world for yourself.
When enabled, Proximity Exploration automatically reveals a small area around your vehicle as you travel. This means you will no longer need to drive over every tiny section of road to mark it as explored, which should be especially useful for those of you chasing that elusive 100% map discovery! It can also help reveal nearby accessible roads and areas around locations such as rest stops, toll gates, border crossings, gas stations, and other places where multiple road segments may sit closely together.
And don't worry, secret roads will still have secrets to uncover! Proximity Exploration can reveal the first segment of a secret road when you get close enough, giving you a small hint that there might be somewhere new to explore. From there, however, the rest is up to you, as the remaining route will only be discovered by actually driving along it.
Whether you use Proximity Exploration to help hunt down those final percentages or simply make exploring the map a little smoother, the choice is yours! Volvo Special Edition
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.
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.
On the exterior, this update introduces two new paint jobs: 100 Year Edition – Night and 100 Year 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 100 Year logo and another one with the FH16 logo.
We are also adding a 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 100 Year logo.
You can read more about this special edition at our dedicated blogpost! 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.
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. In this update, we're excited to bring the Improved Material System update to the Volvo FH Series 6, Volvo FH Series 5 and Volvo FH Series 4 alongside the already updated 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.
Livestock Trailer Rework
We’re excited to introduce a complete rework of the Livestock Trailer, which our vehicle team has done so from the ground up.
Inspired by modern European livestock trailers, our vehicle team rebuilt the trailer entirely from scratch, replacing the previous older model with a brand-new one. One of the biggest changes drivers will notice is the removal of the older belly axle variant, which has been replaced with a lowered chassis configuration featuring dual wheels.
For those who own their own Livestock trailers, the updated trailer will offer multiple customization options, including two chassis variants, a Straight 3 Axle and a Lowered 3 Axle configuration. Drivers will also be able to choose between an Aluminium body or a fully paintable body.
A wide range of accessories have also been included to customize your trailer. We’re also introducing newly configurable paint jobs for owned trailers, allowing you to customize up to four different colour sections across specific parts of the trailer for even greater customization. Freight Market and AI traffic variants have also been reworked based on the new owned trailer model, with company paint jobs completely reworked to better reflect more realistic transport operations.
We’re excited to begin updating the Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack DLC to better reflect their new modern trailer designs, starting with a complete rework of one of its low loader trailers and accessories. Let’s take a closer look!
Leading this update is the redesigned low loader trailer, which has been rebuilt to closely match Schwarzmüller’s latest real-world model.
Alongside the trailer itself, its available accessories have also been updated with refreshed designs to better represent the equipment and styling Schwarzmüller offers today. While the available cargo options remain the same, this update marks the beginning of a larger goal for us, to rework the entire Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack.
We look forward to seeing you on the road with this newly updated trailer! You can read more about this update at our dedicated blog.
Map Changes for Coaches With the upcoming Coaches DLC, our map and asset teams have also been making a number of changes across Euro Truck Simulator 2 to prepare the world for passenger transport. The biggest of these can be found in Nuremberg, where we have added a brand-new bus station alongside several remade and newly created landmarks in the surrounding area. Our teams have put a lot of work into bringing this part of the city to life and making sure it is ready to welcome coaches.
We have also updated the bus stations in Karlstad, Aarhus, and Thessaloniki so they are now functional with our upcoming Coaches DLC. We've also made other smaller changes, including updates to navigation, access, and layouts.
The coach station at Karlstad has received a brand-new station building, while Thessaloniki now features new signage and other updates. In Heraklion, we have also opened up a previously inaccessible street to make room for the new bus station.
We’ve also made a number of changes to border crossings to ensure they work correctly with coaches. This included introducing vehicle-specific navigation, as well as opening up parts of border areas that were previously inaccessible to players. Border crossings across the map have also received smaller layout adjustments to help coaches follow the correct routes while keeping navigation working as expected.
Alongside these changes, we have made plenty of smaller tweaks to bus stops and their surroundings across the map. While many of these may go unnoticed, they all help make sure the existing world is ready for the arrival of Coaches.
Changelog
Map
Proximity Exploration
Map changes for the upcoming Coaches DLC
Vehicles
Addition of the Volvo FH Series 6 100 Year Edition
Livestock Trailer Rework
Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack Update
Visual
Improved Material System added for the Volvo FH Series 6, Volvo FH Series 5 and Volvo FH Series 4
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!
We're excited to announce that the 1.61 updateforAmerican Truck Simulator has officially been released and is now available on Steam!
Before we head to the news, 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.
We'd also like to thank everyone who participated in the 1.61 Experimental Beta, especially those who shared their thoughts on the Multi-Function Display (MFD) and the In-Game Menu. These additions will be introduced in a future update, giving us more time to refine and polish these features and ensure they deliver the best possible experience when they are ready.
Now, let’s dive into what you can expect in the 1.61 Update:
Proximity Exploration
In the 1.61 update, we are introducing a new feature designed to assist players with exploring the world map and discovering more along their journey. Introducing Proximity Exploration, a new quality-of-life feature that makes map discovery a little more intuitive, while still keeping the enjoyment of exploring the world for yourself.
When enabled, Proximity Exploration automatically reveals a small area around your vehicle as you travel. This means you will no longer need to drive over every tiny section of road to mark it as explored, which should be especially useful for those of you chasing that elusive 100% map discovery! It can also help reveal nearby accessible roads and areas around locations such as rest stops, toll gates, border crossings, gas stations, and other places where multiple road segments may sit closely together.
And don't worry, secret roads will still have secrets to uncover! Proximity Exploration will only reveal the first segment of a secret road when you get close enough, giving you a small hint that there might be somewhere new to explore. From there, however, the rest is up to you, as the remaining route will only be discovered by actually driving along it.
Whether you use Proximity Exploration to help hunt down those final percentages or simply make exploring the map a little smoother, the choice is yours!
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.
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. In this update, we're excited to bring the Improved Material System to the International LT and International LoneStar.
With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games. You can read more about this feature here.
Map Changes for Road Trip
With the upcoming Road Trip project, our map and asset teams have also been preparing the world of American Truck Simulator for a new way to explore the roads. While many of these changes are happening behind the scenes, they help lay the groundwork for future features and ensure the map is ready for the journey ahead.
We have implemented inactive Tourist Boards across several states, including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the upcoming South Dakota DLC. These Tourist Boards will remain unavailable until the Road Trip project is released, but they are already in place and ready for the future. Alongside these additions, we have also applied various small visual improvements and polish to selected areas across the map.
As part of these preparations, we have also added a number of new gas stations across the map. These locations will not only serve truck drivers but will also become available for cars when the Road Trip project releases, giving players more places to stop and refuel during their travels.
These changes are just a small part of the preparation work being done behind the scenes, helping us make sure the American Truck Simulator world is ready for new adventures on the road.
New Cargoes
We are also introducing new cargo options and improving the visuals of some existing ones. Players can now transport new types of freight, including Seed Containers, Trailers, and Truss, adding more variety to their hauling jobs across America.
Alongside these additions, we also updated the existing Rails cargo with a brand-new model and improved textures. These changes help bring more detail and visual quality to the cargo you see on the road, making each delivery feel even more realistic.
Changelog:
Map
Proximity Exploration
Map Changes for Road Trip
Vehicles
New Cargoes
Visual
Improved Material System: International LT & International LoneStar
Who says deliveries are only for trucks? In today's blog, we're taking a closer look at how Quick Jobs and the Freight Market will work in our upcoming Road Trip module for American Truck Simulator. Let's check it out!
Before we continue, we’ve also put together a video version of this blog for you to enjoy. You can check it out below!
Players familiar with American Truck Simulator will already know Quick Jobs and the Freight Market from their trucking careers. Road Trip builds on these systems with its own approach to courier work, customer reviews, and progression.
Just like with trucks, you won't need to have your own vehicle to take on a Quick Job. A suitable vehicle will be provided for you by the company offering the job, allowing you to jump straight into work as a courier driver. Fuel, repairs and any other expenses you encounter will be covered by the company, just as they are with traditional Quick Jobs in American Truck Simulator.
So what kind of jobs can you expect? Drivers can be tasked with delivering small packages and documents, as well as transferring vehicles between car dealerships. The jobs available to you can also vary depending on the type of vehicle involved, so a pickup truck may receive different contracts compared to a sports car or a classic vehicle.
However, completing the journey is only one part of the job. After each delivery, the customer will review your performance across three areas; Time Management, Vehicle Appearance, and Cargo Handling.
These reviews are specific to the delivery you have completed. Damaging valuable documents, for example, may lead to very different feedback compared to successfully delivering delicate plant seedlings without any issues. Our goal is to make each job feel a little more personal, with a customer waiting at the other end to judge how well you handled their delivery.
Some customers may also place a higher priority on one of these three areas. You'll be able to see this before accepting the job, and meeting their expectations will be more demanding. However, taking on that extra risk can also result in a better financial reward.
Time Management also works a little differently from simply beating a deadline. Customers expect you at a particular time, which means arriving too early can be just as unwelcome as arriving late. Each completed delivery is also given a star rating, which contributes towards your overall Courier Rating.
Your Courier Rating determines the types of jobs available to you, the maximum distance of the routes you can take on, and how much you can earn. Maintaining a higher rating will unlock more challenging work, such as fragile or valuable cargo and jobs with tighter delivery windows, while also providing a bonus to the offered payout.
Drivers who consistently achieve five-star deliveries can also build a Perfect Delivery Streak, which will reward drivers with additional money bonus.
Already saved up enough money to purchase your own vehicle? Then you'll have access to even more job opportunities! Players of American Truck Simulator will already be familiar with the Freight Market, and Road Trip introduces its own equivalent, known as the Dispatch Market.
The Dispatch Market works in a similar way to Quick Jobs, but instead of using a borrowed vehicle, you'll complete the job using a vehicle from your own garage. As you're supplying your own vehicle, these jobs will also offer a slightly higher payout, as you'll be responsible for your own expenses, including repairs and fuel.
The same Courier Rating, customer reviews, and performance criteria apply here too. Naturally, some jobs will differ from those found in Quick Jobs, such as car jockey work, after all, asking you to give away your own car would be a little unfair.
Any money you earn from these jobs goes directly into your existing ATS profile, which is shared between your trucking career and Road Trip. There is no separate XP system for this mode, instead, progression is earned by your Courier Rating, customer reviews, and your ability to maintain a Perfect Delivery Streak.
For the initial release of Road Trip, jobs will focus on getting yourself and the delivery safely from point A to point B, with more possibilities we hope to explore in the future.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about how jobs will work in Road Trip. We’re looking forward to seeing how you build up your Courier Rating, tackle different types of deliveries, and make the most of these new opportunities on the roads of American Truck Simulator.
If you’re excited to get behind the wheel when Road Trip arrives, be sure to add the Ford Car Pack and RAM & Dodge Car Pack to your Steam Wishlist! Until next time, keep an eye on our official channels for more news and previews from Road Trip. We’ll see you on the road!
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!
Today, we're excited to take you on a journey to another destination coming to the upcoming Isle of Ireland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 - the county town of Cavan!
Located in the heart of Ireland's lakeland region, Cavan is known for its picturesque countryside, rolling green landscapes, and rich agricultural heritage. As our map team continues to recreate the unique atmosphere of Ireland, we knew this important regional hub deserved its place on the road network of the Isle of Ireland DLC.
While exploring the area, keen-eyed drivers may spot a stone wall or even a rugby field, well-known local landmarks that help bring even more regional identity to the town and its surroundings. Combined with carefully crafted roads, vegetation, and architecture, these details help create a location that feels true to its real-world counterpart.
Of course, no town in Euro Truck Simulator 2 would be complete without plenty of opportunities for work. In Cavan, truckers will be able to deliver cargo to several industries that play an important role in the local economy.
One of the key destinations is a local oil supplier, serving businesses and communities across the region. Whether you're hauling fuel products or supporting regional logistics, this depot offers an important link in the supply chain.
Drivers looking for refrigerated or packaged cargo will also find work at a food distribution depot. Acting as a hub for incoming and outgoing goods, this facility ensures products reach stores and customers throughout the island.
In addition, a supermarket depot provides another busy destination for deliveries. From everyday consumer goods to fresh produce, truckers will have a variety of cargoes to transport while helping keep shelves stocked across the region.
Our teams have worked hard to capture the atmosphere of this charming Irish town, from its characteristic rural surroundings to its industrial areas and landmarks. We hope that Cavan will become a memorable stop on your journeys across the Isle of Ireland.
We look forward to sharing more previews from the Isle of Ireland DLC in the future. If you're excited to discover, explore, and travel across the Isle of Ireland, be sure toadd this upcoming map expansion to your Steam Wishlist!
Today, we're heading to Bristol, a historic city in the south-west of England known for its harbour, maritime & industrial heritage and iconic landmarks.
We’re excited to bring Bristol to life as a brand new city in our UK Rework project for Euro Truck Simulator 2. Our talented map and asset teams have been working hard to recreate its distinctive character, landmarks and industries for players to discover. So, what can you expect to find? Let us show you!
Located in the south-west of England, Bristol has long been shaped by its connection to the water. The city grew around the River Avon and became one of Britain's most important ports, playing a major role in maritime trade and engineering. Its location close to the Severn Estuary also places Bristol on an important route towards South Wales, making it a natural gateway between England and Wales.
Our recreation of Bristol is divided into two main areas, the city centre and its surrounding road network, and the harbour and logistics area. While everything you see is still in early development, the city centre portion is already progressing well.
Drivers will be able to travel along a variety of road networks including Brunel Way, the A4, Hotwell Road, Merchants Road, and the A4018. These routes offer some fantastic views across different parts of Bristol, from its residential streets and riverside scenery to several of the city's best known landmarks.
One of the most recognisable sights is the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which spans the Avon Gorge and has become one of Bristol's defining landmarks. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the bridge has overlooked the city since the 19th century and can be seen from parts of the road network around the River Avon.
Brunel's influence can also be found closer to the harbour with the SS Great Britain. Launched in Bristol in 1843, the ship was one of the most advanced vessels of its time and today remains preserved in the city's historic dockyard. Drivers passing through the area will be able to spot the famous ship and enjoy views across Bristol Marina.
Elsewhere in the city centre, you'll come across landmarks such as Cabot Tower, which stands above the city on Brandon Hill, and the Wills Memorial Building, one of Bristol's most distinctive buildings and an important part of the University of Bristol. Queen Elizabeth's Hospital can also be seen along the route through the city.
The road network itself includes several notable junctions and intersections too. Among them is St James Barton Roundabout, commonly known as The Bearpit, an instantly recognisable part of Bristol's inner-city road network.
Closer to the waterfront, drivers will also discover our Marina Plaza depot, situated among the historic dockside surroundings of Bristol Marina. This part of the harbour has a long connection with shipbuilding, with the nearby Albion Dockyard tracing its history back to the early 19th century.
Of course, Bristol's maritime character also plays an important role in its in-game economy. The harbour and logistics area will feature three main depot locations. A logistics warehouse, a car shipping terminal, and a marina yacht dock. Be sure to have a good look around while you're there too, you never know what you might find hidden among the dockside buildings!
The Bristol Bus & Coach station is also being recreated, giving players another destination to visit as part of the upcoming Coaches DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2. Whether arriving in the city or setting off on a new journey, it will form part of the growing network of coach destinations being prepared across the reworked UK.
We hope you've enjoyed this first look at Bristol, one of the brand-new cities being introduced as part of the UK Rework. We're excited to share more from this project, which will arrive as a free update for all owners of Euro Truck Simulator 2 in the future. Be sure to let us know in the comments what UK city you'd love to see next! Keep on truckin', cheerio!
Today, we're excited to take you to Whistler, one of British Columbia's most famous mountain destinations, coming to our upcoming British Columbia DLC for American Truck Simulator!
Located along the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway north of Vancouver, this vibrant resort town is surrounded by towering peaks, dense forests, and breathtaking alpine landscapes that make every journey through the region unforgettable.
Whistler is world-famous for its outdoor recreation and winter sports, attracting visitors from around the globe year-round. Nestled among the towering peaks of British Columbia's Coast Mountains, it gained international recognition as a host community during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today, the area is renowned for its expansive ski terrain, scenic hiking trails, and impressive network of gondolas and cable cars, which provide breathtaking views of the rugged mountain landscape that surrounds the town.
Our map team has worked hard to capture the unique atmosphere of Whistler, from its distinctive mountain-town architecture to the spectacular scenery that surrounds it. Whether you're delivering supplies to local businesses or simply passing through on your way across British Columbia, this town offers plenty to admire from behind the wheel.
With stunning views around every corner and a rich history tied to one of Canada's most memorable sporting events, Whistler is sure to become a favourite stop for many virtual truckers exploring the British Columbia DLC.
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!
From the 14th to the 20th of September, members of our team will once again be heading to Hannover, Germany, for IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026, one of the world's leading events for logistics, commercial vehicles, and the transport industry.
Having attended IAA in previous years, we’re excited to return in 2026 and meet with many of our friends and partners from across the automotive industry. We’ll also be working alongside a few of our valued partners to bring our truck simulation experience to the DAF Trucks, MAN and Scania booths throughout the event!
At the Scania booth, visitors will have the opportunity to experience a special Euro Truck Simulator 2 demonstration running on Scania's own motion simulator setup. Our team has been happy to work closely with Scania to develop the software and a specially prepared demo experience for their simulator, and we're looking forward to seeing visitors get behind the virtual wheel and try it out for themselves during the show.
Our friends at DAF and MAN will also both be bringing Euro Truck Simulator 2 to their booths, as we're lending them our very own 4D motion simulators, giving visitors another opportunity to experience our virtual trucking world. We're very happy to support our partners at DAF & MAN for this year's event and to see our motion rigs become part of their presence at the show.
Attending IAA is much more than what visitors will see on the show floor for us. Bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, and many other representatives from across the transport industry makes an event of this scale an invaluable opportunity for our team.
Throughout the week, we plan to meet with a number of our existing partners, continue building the relationships which help us bring the world of trucking into Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, and hopefully make some new connections along the way. Events such as IAA also provide our teams with a valuable opportunity to research the latest developments within the transport industry, see new vehicles and technologies up close, and gather useful references and knowledge for our future work.
We're very much looking forward to returning to Hannover and meeting so many familiar faces from across the industry. If you're attending the event yourself, be sure to stop by and check out the simulators; or if you happen to spot some of our team attending, wearing a SCS Software, ETS2 or ATS T-shirt, be sure to stop them and say hello!
As always, keep an eye on our social media channels for updates from the show floor, as we will be bringing you some cool photos from the event. We hope to see some of you there! Until till next time, keep on truckin'!
In that blog, we also mentioned that our cameras were rolling throughout the journey, as we worked on a special SCS On The Road episode documenting the trip. Today, we're happy to finally share it with you!
Join Alex, one of our Community Managers, and the team as we take you across Ireland, visit some of the locations featured in our research, and give you a closer look at what goes into gathering the references and information our teams use during development.
We hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride! If you enjoyed the episode, and would like to see more like it, be sure to leave a like, and a comment on where in Ireland you'd love to visit! If you're excited about the upcoming Isle of Ireland DLC, don't forget to add it to your Steam Wishlist! Until next time, keep on truckin'!
We're happy to announce that the Open Beta for the 1.61 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 the appropriate section of our official forums.
Your feedback and reports are incredibly valuable to our team, and we truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to help us improve the game experience. Players who participated in the Experimental Beta should now switch to the Open Beta branch to continue receiving the latest 1.61 updates and fixes. Any saves made during the Experimental Beta will be compatible with the Open Beta.
We'd like to thank everyone who participated in the 1.61 Experimental Beta, especially those who shared their thoughts on the Multi-Function Display (MFD) and the In-Game Menu. Based on the feedback we received, we've decided to postpone these additions from the 1.61 update. This will allow us to spend more time refining these features and ensure they deliver the best possible experience when they're ready.
Now, without further ado, let's take a closer look at what the 1.61 Open Beta has in store.
Proximity Exploration
In the 1.61 update, we are introducing a new feature designed to assist players with exploring the world map and discovering more along their journey. Introducing Proximity Exploration, a new quality-of-life feature that makes map discovery a little more intuitive, while still keeping the enjoyment of exploring the world for yourself.
When enabled, Proximity Exploration automatically reveals a small area around your vehicle as you travel. This means you will no longer need to drive over every tiny section of road to mark it as explored, which should be especially useful for those of you chasing that elusive 100% map discovery! It can also help reveal nearby accessible roads and areas around locations such as rest stops, toll gates, border crossings, gas stations, and other places where multiple road segments may sit closely together.
And don't worry, secret roads will still have secrets to uncover! Proximity Exploration can reveal the first segment of a secret road when you get close enough, giving you a small hint that there might be somewhere new to explore. From there, however, the rest is up to you, as the remaining route will only be discovered by actually driving along it.
Whether you use Proximity Exploration to help hunt down those final percentages or simply make exploring the map a little smoother, the choice is yours!
Livestock Trailer Rework
We’re excited to introduce a complete rework of the Livestock Trailer, which our vehicle team has done so from the ground up.
Inspired by modern European livestock trailers, our vehicle team rebuilt the trailer entirely from scratch, replacing the previous older model with a brand-new one. One of the biggest changes drivers will notice is the removal of the older belly axle variant, which has been replaced with a lowered chassis configuration featuring dual wheels.
For those who own their own Livestock trailers, the updated trailer will offer multiple customization options, including two chassis variants, a Straight 3 Axle and a Lowered 3 Axle configuration. Drivers will also be able to choose between an Aluminium body or a fully paintable body.
A wide range of accessories have also been included to customize your trailer. We’re also introducing newly configurable paint jobs for owned trailers, allowing you to customize up to four different colour sections across specific parts of the trailer for even greater customization. Freight Market and AI traffic variants have also been reworked based on the new owned trailer model, with company paint jobs completely reworked to better reflect more realistic transport operations.
We’re excited to begin updating the Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack DLC to better reflect their new modern trailer designs, starting with a complete rework of one of its low loader trailers and accessories. Let’s take a closer look!
Leading this update is the redesigned low loader trailer, which has been rebuilt to closely match Schwarzmüller’s latest real-world model.
Alongside the trailer itself, its available accessories have also been updated with refreshed designs to better represent the equipment and styling Schwarzmüller offers today. While the available cargo options remain the same, this update marks the beginning of a larger goal for us, to rework the entire Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack.
We look forward to seeing you on the road with this newly updated trailer! You can read more about this update at our dedicated blog.
Map Changes for Coaches With the upcoming Coaches DLC, our map and asset teams have also been making a number of changes across Euro Truck Simulator 2 to prepare the world for passenger transport. The biggest of these can be found in Nuremberg, where we have added a brand-new bus station alongside several remade and newly created landmarks in the surrounding area. Our teams have put a lot of work into bringing this part of the city to life and making sure it is ready to welcome coaches.
We have also updated the bus stations in Karlstad, Aarhus, and Thessaloniki so they are now functional with our upcoming Coaches DLC. We've also made other smaller changes, including updates to navigation, access, and layouts.
The coach station at Karlstad has received a brand-new station building, while Thessaloniki now features new signage and other updates. In Heraklion, we have also opened up a previously inaccessible street to make room for the new bus station.
We’ve also made a number of changes to border crossings to ensure they work correctly with coaches. This included introducing vehicle-specific navigation, as well as opening up parts of border areas that were previously inaccessible to players. Border crossings across the map have also received smaller layout adjustments to help coaches follow the correct routes while keeping navigation working as expected.
Alongside these changes, we have made plenty of smaller tweaks to bus stops and their surroundings across the map. While many of these may go unnoticed, they all help make sure the existing world is ready for the arrival of Coaches.
Changelog
Map
Proximity Exploration
Map changes for the upcoming Coaches DLC
Vehicles
Livestock Trailer Rework
Schwarzmüller Trailer Pack Update
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.
The wait is almost over, truckers! The time has come to mark your calendars and get ready to explore the rugged landscapes, wide-open roads, and unique sights of the Mount Rushmore State. We’re excited to officially reveal that the...
South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator will be released on September 24th, 2026
To celebrate this milestone, we’re also happy to share the official South Dakota DLC trailer on our YouTube channel. This new video offers a glimpse at the scenery and experiences awaiting you!
So, sit back, turn up the volume, and take a look at the trailer below!
As we approach release, our teams are putting the finishing touches on the DLC and making sure everything is ready for its big debut.
South Dakota offers plenty of variety for truckers to discover. You’ll travel through the vast Great Plains, pass through the stunning Badlands, and explore the rugged rock formations of the Black Hills while encountering iconic landmarks along the way, including the famous Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the waterfalls of Sioux Falls, the Dignity of Earth and Sky statue overlooking the Missouri River, the Corn Palace, Hot Springs, and many more.
From busy cities and industrial areas to smaller settlements and scenic stretches of highway, every route brings something different to your journey, with plenty of new ground to cover.
We’re incredibly excited to finally share the release date and trailer with you, and we can’t wait to see you hitting the roads of South Dakota for yourselves. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm throughout the development of this DLC.
We’re excited to share that the 1.61 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.
We'd also like to thank everyone who participated in the 1.61 Experimental Beta, especially those who shared their thoughts on the Multi-Function Display (MFD) and the In-Game Menu. These additions will be introduced in a future update, giving us more time to refine and polish these features and ensure they deliver the best possible experience when they are ready.
Now, let’s dive into what you can expect in the 1.61 Open Beta update:
Proximity Exploration
In the 1.61 update, we are introducing a new feature designed to assist players with exploring the world map and discovering more along their journey. Introducing Proximity Exploration, a new quality-of-life feature that makes map discovery a little more intuitive, while still keeping the enjoyment of exploring the world for yourself.
When enabled, Proximity Exploration automatically reveals a small area around your vehicle as you travel. This means you will no longer need to drive over every tiny section of road to mark it as explored, which should be especially useful for those of you chasing that elusive 100% map discovery! It can also help reveal nearby accessible roads and areas around locations such as rest stops, toll gates, border crossings, gas stations, and other places where multiple road segments may sit closely together.
And don't worry, secret roads will still have secrets to uncover! Proximity Exploration can reveal the first segment of a secret road when you get close enough, giving you a small hint that there might be somewhere new to explore. From there, however, the rest is up to you, as the remaining route will only be discovered by actually driving along it.
Whether you use Proximity Exploration to help hunt down those final percentages or simply make exploring the map a little smoother, the choice is yours!
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.
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. In this update, we're excited to bring the Improved Material System to the International LT and International LoneStar.
With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games. You can read more about this feature here.
Map Changes for Road Trip
With the upcoming Road Trip project, our map and asset teams have also been preparing the world of American Truck Simulator for a new way to explore the roads. While many of these changes are happening behind the scenes, they help lay the groundwork for future features and ensure the map is ready for the journey ahead.
We have implemented inactive Tourist Boards across several states, including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the upcoming South Dakota DLC. These Tourist Boards will remain unavailable until the Road Trip project is released, but they are already in place and ready for the future. Alongside these additions, we have also applied various small visual improvements and polish updates to selected areas across the map.
As part of these preparations, we have also added a number of new gas stations across the map. These locations will not only serve truck drivers but will also become available for cars when the Road Trip project releases, giving players more places to stop and refuel during their travels.
These changes are just a small part of the preparation work being done behind the scenes, helping us make sure the American Truck Simulator world is ready for new adventures on the road.
New Cargoes
We are also introducing new cargo options and improving the visuals of some existing ones. Players can now transport new types of freight, including Seed Containers, Trailers, and Truss, adding more variety to their hauling jobs across America.
Alongside these additions, we also updated existing Rails cargo with a brand-new model and improved textures. These changes help bring more detail and visual quality to the cargo you see on the road, making each delivery feel even more realistic.
Changelog:
Map
Proximity Exploration
Map Changes for Road Trip
Vehicles
New Cargoes
Visual
Improved Material System: International LT & International LoneStar
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 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!
Our talented video producers have put together a trailer showcasing both the vehicle purchase process and how you can configure and customize your vehicle, which will work a little differently from what you may be used to with trucks in ATS. We hope you enjoy the video and that it gives you a clearer look at what to expect when Road Trip arrives further down the road.
If you're excited about Road Trip, make sure to add its DLCs, the Ford Car Pack and the RAM & Dodge Car Pack, to your Steam Wishlist!
Today, we’re excited to introduce you to some of the talented team members behind the upcoming Nevada Rework for American Truck Simulator. This project brings a fresh look to one of the game’s original states, with updated roads, cities, landscapes, and landmarks that better reflect our current standards.
In this Meet the Team episode, you’ll hear directly from the developers who have been working on different parts of Nevada and learn more about their experiences, favorite locations, and what they’re most looking forward to players discovering. So, let’s take a closer look at the people helping bring the Silver State back to life!
Ella - Senior Map Designer
I’ve been at SCS for close to 7 years, and in that time I’ve worked on many projects, starting my journey with the Utah DLC in 2019. From there, I moved on to work on large cities across several states, such as El Paso, Texas; San Diego, California; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As our team’s road specialist, I oversee Nevada’s road layout and also do work on some of the truck stops there, which are critical for our gameplay by providing players an opportunity to refuel and rest. Besides that, I’m working on the city of Phoenix, Arizona, which will be included as another part of our Rework project.
I’m looking forward to watching players explore the newly added locations and seeing their reactions as well as getting their feedback, which is always appreciated. I love creating maps so many people enjoy driving in; that always feels very rewarding on its own.
Johny - Senior Map Designer
I’ve been at SCS for six years. I started out working on sections of Texas and Montana before moving fully into Rework. I’ve been part of the rework team since the very beginning.
Over the years, I’ve worked on both roads and cities, including San Jose, Santa Cruz, El Centro, and Grand Canyon. Most recently, for the Nevada Rework, I’ve been working on the roads around Panaca and Las Vegas, as well as Panaca itself and the northern part of Las Vegas.
I love working on epic scenery, which is why I really enjoyed working on the Grand Canyon, and I’m having just as much fun working on Las Vegas now. I think Nevada will now meet our current standards, and players can look forward to a faithful recreation of the real-life locations.
Pavel - Senior Map Designer
I've been part of SCS for almost four years now. I started my journey with the third phase of the California Rework, where Fresno was the first city I had the opportunity to work on. Since then, I've remained part of the Rework team, working on cities across different projects. As part of the Nevada Rework, I'm currently working on Reno and Fallon.
Reno is being completely rebuilt from the ground up, and one of my main goals was to capture the atmosphere and scale of the city. I put a lot of focus on the city's layout, character and recognizable landmarks, while also trying to keep some of the feeling of the original city that players might remember. The area will also feature reworked sections of I-80, which I'm really looking forward to seeing players experience.
Fallon is a much smaller city, but its location gives it a character of its own. Surrounded by the vast Nevada desert, it feels almost like a small oasis in the middle of nowhere, with the greenery and farmland around the city standing out against the otherwise dry landscape. There is definitely a lot for players to look forward to, and I hope they'll enjoy exploring these areas as much as I enjoyed working on them.
Tom - Map Designer
I'm doing mainly landscape, and I'm in the rework team since California's 2nd phase; my favourite tasks were forests with mountains and lakes, which I haven't seen in a while.
Luckily, Nevada offers dry mountains and hills providing interesting tall horizons which diversify the barren desert.
Nevada is also unique for long straight roads compared to other DLCs. If you enjoy driving into the distant horizon, you'll most likely enjoy it.
Roman - Map Designer
This October marks my fourth year at SCS. In my time on the ATS rework team, I had the chance to work on multiple phases of the California rework, the Route 66 rework project, and now Nevada. With each rework, I slowly figured out that I enjoy making detailed cities more than anything else, though the cities have never been as large or famous as the one I have been working on now.
Las Vegas has been quite a challenge compared to my previous cities, but it also gives many opportunities for fun detail work and making the city feel alive. I hope that the NEW Vegas is fun to explore for new players and even more fun to re-explore for returning trucking veterans.
Margo - Map Designer
Hi there! It’s been a ride here in the Rework team since I joined the company in 2022. Every year, a new project brings us something new to work on. I had the pleasure of working on the California rework, parts of Arizona, and now Nevada as well. Reworking Nevada brought me something I already knew and made me rethink my working approach, as my perspective changed a lot through the years.
Creating for me always comes with a deeper meaning to it. I don’t want my work to be just purely mechanical and soulless; I like hiding fun details in the ordinary. If spotting it makes someone smile or catches their attention - it’s worth it.
We really should be cultivating our curiosity and wonder more in our daily lives. So if you are already wondering about the brand new Nevada, that’s a good starting point. There are many cool places to see and some nice UFO references to spot!
Filip - Map Designer
Hello everybody! My map designer journey began during the fourth phase of the California rework, where I worked on smaller tasks suited for a rookie like me. On the Route 66 rework project, I was responsible for the design of I-191 and Page. I got to experience a bit of everything: a diverse road with settlements, scenic views, beautiful landscapes, and a challenging hilly city.
The experience I gained, I can now utilize in a brand new look of Nevada, where I am working on Carson City, its surroundings, and a small surprise.
I hope the work of our team will bring a fresh, up-to-date look to Nevada and that players will be able to rediscover this awesome state for a second time!
Mykyta - Map Designer
I have been working at SCS Software for two years, and during that time I have worked on projects such as Route 66 around Tucumcari.
As part of the Nevada Rework, I am currently working on the towns of Elko and Carlin and their surrounding areas.
Players can look forward to driving through the Carlin Tunnel, and if they pay close attention along the way, they may also discover some beautiful and interesting places in the surrounding landscape.
Jakub - Map Designer
I have been in SCS for more than a year. I started with reworking the northern part of Arizona and New Mexico. Now, reworking Nevada is another dream project of mine.
As a big fan of clean, big open landscapes and amazing mountains, rocks, and other unique hills, I enjoyed every road I've been working on, and now I am happy that Nevada looks like Nevada.
Rob - Junior Map Designer
Hi everyone, I’m Rob, and I’ve been with SCS for over a year now. The Nevada Rework is my first major project. Before that, I mainly worked on smaller projects in Arizona.
My part of the map is located in northern Nevada, where I’ve been working to bring the area as close to reality as possible and capture the atmosphere of sun-baked roads stretching through the endless desert. Players can look forward not only to the rugged, arid landscape, but also to beautiful and highly detailed cities.
I’m happy that we can give players a fresh take on familiar content and offer them the chance to experience Nevada in a slightly different and completely new way.
Filip - Junior Map Designer
Hi, I’ve only been in SCS for four months, but I already feel right at home here. Nevada is a beautiful state, and I’ve really enjoyed exploring it.
I was tasked with completing the road from Las Vegas to Panaca. It was a privilege to work on the surrounding mountain ranges and finish the work started by my colleague Johny. There is also a Visitor Center near Panaca, and I think I managed to capture it in all its beauty. So, I’d definitely recommend that players take a little detour from the road and explore the area around it.
Samuel - Junior Map Designer
Hi, my name is Sam, and I recently passed the five-month mark at SCS Software. Having grown up playing SCS games, being able to contribute to their development is a dream come true for me.
On this project, I worked on shorter roads in the western part of Nevada. Hopefully, I managed to capture the authentic feel of the landscape, biomes, and unique character of the area, and you'll enjoy driving through them! I’m really looking forward to showing you even more of my work in future DLCs.
That concludes today’s Meet the Team! We’d like to thank everyone featured in this blog for taking the time to share a little about themselves and their work on the Nevada Rework.
We always enjoy giving our community a glimpse behind the scenes and highlighting the talented people who help bring our virtual worlds to life. We hope you enjoyed learning more about the team and the passion they’re putting into giving Nevada a fresh new look.
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!
Ready to swap cargo for passengers? Then we've got some exciting news for you! Today, we're sharing more details about the upcoming Coaches DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2, including coach ownership and how you'll plan and take on passenger transport jobs. All aboard!
One of our goals with the Coaches DLC is to give players the opportunity to purchase and customise their own coach, much like you already can with trucks.
Coaches will be available for purchase through the Online Dealer and will be stored in the player's virtual garage. From there, players will be able to manage, inspect, customise, and sell their vehicles whenever they wish. Coaches will also be stored separately from trucks, meaning they won't occupy any existing garage slots.
Purchasing a coach will be a significant investment, but finances will be shared across both Truck and Coach modes. This means players will be able to earn money through Coach Quick Jobs or regular truck jobs before purchasing their own vehicle. Financing and loans will also be available for those who wish to get behind the wheel a little sooner, just make sure to pay on time!
Coaches will feature a range of customisation options. Depending on the vehicle model, players will be able to choose from various chassis configurations, engine and transmission variants, along with a selection of interior options such as seat upholstery colours and curtains. Selected cabin accessories will also be compatible with coaches.
Not every upgrade will be available immediately. Some parts and accessories will unlock through player progression, giving drivers additional options as they gain more experience behind the wheel.
Owning a coach will also provide the freedom to explore the map outside of scheduled passenger services. Players will be able to travel wherever they like, visit viewpoints, and enjoy driving across Europe at their own pace. Fuel consumption, fatigue, and other familiar gameplay systems will work just as they do when driving an owned truck. Owning a coach will also unlock new gameplay features, one of which is Contract Jobs.
Using the Contract Jobs menu, players will be able to browse available passenger services in cities close to their current location. After selecting a route, they will first need to drive to the appropriate bus station before beginning the service.
Once at the station, players will confirm their selected line. The game will then advance to the scheduled departure time, passengers will board the coach, and the journey can begin. Many passenger services will include multiple stops along the route, and players can choose from jobs that vary in difficulty based on their experience and skill level. Taking on more challenging routes will reward higher earnings and additional experience.
We hope you enjoyed reading about the ongoing work for Coaches for Euro Truck Simulator 2. If you're excited to get behind the wheel, be sure to add this upcoming module to your Steam Wishlist. We look forward to sharing more news with you about this addition as development continues. See you on the road!
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'!
Today, we’re taking you on a journey to one of South Dakota’s most recognizable landmarks and a true highlight of the upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator: Mount Rushmore! Set among the rugged beauty of the Black Hills, this iconic monument is also the reason South Dakota is officially known as the “Mount Rushmore State,” and it’s sure to be one of the most memorable sights you’ll encounter while exploring the state.
Standing high above the surrounding landscape, Mount Rushmore features the monumental granite faces of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Carved into the side of the mountain between 1927 and 1941, the monument has become one of the most famous landmarks in the United States, attracting millions of visitors from around the world each year.
Players will also be able to experience the impressive sight of Mount Rushmore from the roads running through the Black Hills. Nearby, you’ll also find the small town of Keystone, a popular gateway to the monument and the surrounding attractions. With its charming downtown, unique Western-style character, and location surrounded by the Black Hills, Keystone makes for a great stop as you explore this scenic corner of South Dakota. The town is also home to a depot for the historic 1880 Train, a steam-powered excursion railroad connecting Keystone and Hill City along an original late-1800s mining route.
The journey to Mount Rushmore also gives you the opportunity to experience some of the area's scenic roads. US-16, also known as Mount Rushmore Road, connects Keystone with nearby communities and offers beautiful views as it winds through the Black Hills. Along the way, you’ll pass through several tunnels, some of which offer a unique view of Mount Rushmore framed in the distance. For an even more memorable drive, you can take the scenic US-16A, also known as the Iron Mountain Road. With its winding route, forested surroundings, and carefully designed curves, this road is an adventure in itself.
As you make your way through the Black Hills, keep your eyes peeled for the many scenic views and natural landmarks surrounding the roads. The landscape here is quite different from the wide-open plains found elsewhere in South Dakota, with dense forests, rugged rock formations, and curvy mountain roads creating a unique driving experience. The Black Hills are also steeped in motorcycle culture, with the region being a popular destination for riders and enthusiasts. You may spot a few of them parked at some of the area’s parking lots, adding another touch of local character to your journey.
Mount Rushmore is just one of the many highlights waiting for you in our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator. Whether you’re making a delivery, exploring the Black Hills, or simply taking the scenic route, there will be plenty of opportunities to stop, look around, and enjoy the views!
We'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.
We're excited to share that, for the very first time in SCS Software's history, we'll be attending the Tokyo Game Show 2026! We can't wait to meet our community in Japan and be part of one of the world's most iconic gaming events as it celebrates an incredible milestone.
This year's edition of Tokyo Game Show is especially significant, marking the event's 30th anniversary. To celebrate this special occasion, TGS 2026 will take place over five full days, from September 17th to 21st, bringing together leading publishers, exciting upcoming games, and countless attractions for visitors from around the world.
You'll be able to find us in Hall 09, Booth E86, where our colleagues from SCS will be exhibiting in a compact booth made possible with the support of our friends at Neon Noroshi. Whether you're a longtime fan of our games or discovering them for the first time, we'd love for you to stop by, say hello, and experience what we've been working on.
During the first two days, the Tokyo Game Show is dedicated to gaming industry professionals, while the final three days are open to the public. Throughout the event, visitors will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel and try several of our upcoming projects, including the Iceland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2, as well as the upcoming British Columbia and South Dakota map expansions for American Truck Simulator.
We're also doing everything we can to bring playable demonstrations of our upcoming Road Trip and Coaches projects to Tokyo Game Show, along with a PlayStation 5 version of Euro Truck Simulator 2. While we're not quite ready to make any promises, our teams are working hard behind the scenes, and we hope to give visitors an early hands-on look at these exciting new experiences.
We're especially happy to share that Japanese-speaking visitors will be able to communicate with our team comfortably, as language interpreters will be available at our booth throughout the event. We hope this will make it even easier for everyone to ask questions, chat with us, and enjoy their time at our exhibit.
If you're planning to attend Tokyo Game Show 2026, we'd love to see you there! Be sure to stop by Hall 09, Booth E86, try out our latest projects, meet the team, and share your passion for trucking with us. We look forward to welcoming you to our very first Tokyo Game Show!
Today, we're excited to share a brand-new gameplay preview from our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator! Get a closer look at some of the beautiful roads, landmarks, and industries our map team has been recreating.
In the gameplay preview below, you'll follow a journey that begins in the Black Hills before passing by the scenic Pactola Lake and crossing the Spring Creek Memorial Bridge. Along the way, we'll drive through several settlements, including the beautiful city of Hot Springs and part of the historic town of Deadwood, before completing our delivery at a wood processing depot.
This route is just a small preview of what South Dakota has to offer, featuring winding mountain roads, charming communities, and diverse scenery. Whether you're taking in the views or making deliveries across the state, there's plenty to discover behind the wheel.
We hope you enjoy this gameplay preview and the stunning scenery South Dakota has to offer. As always, please keep in mind that everything you see is still a work in progress and subject to change during development.
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