Friday, July 11, 2025

South Dakota: Research Trip

 A few weeks back, we announced that the work had already begun on the South Dakota map expansion for American Truck Simulator. Now, before we are ready to share more in-game news, we would like to show you an interview with the map lead, Saimon, who will tell you more about their research trip to the Mount Rushmore State!

In August 2023, members of the South Dakota map design team set out on an exciting road trip across Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. "At the time, South Dakota was still a potential future destination for American Truck Simulator, but deep down, we had a strong feeling we'd be building it one day. So we decided to get ahead of the game and hit the road. And let me tell you, seeing the landscape with your own eyes changes everything. You start to notice subtle details that maps, photos, and videos just don't capture. The trip was absolutely worth it," says Saimon.

The road trip crew was made up of four dedicated team members from the original Nebraska map team. Since then, they've successfully finished Iowa and are now diving into South Dakota. Leading the team is Saimon, the project lead. Alongside him are Vacky, a seasoned senior with leadership ambitions; Tony, another senior who specializes in rocks and terrain formations; and Draky, whose keen eye for vegetation and terrain materials makes a significant impact in crafting believable landscapes.

"We entered South Dakota via US-385, coming up from Chadron, NE, and our first stop was the area around Black Hills. One of the first places we hit was Maverick Junction, where the gently rolling forested hills of the Black Hills welcomed us. We continued along US-18 into Hot Springs, and it took only a few minutes for us to fall in love with this charming town. With its historic buildings, public murals, sculptures, and unique atmosphere, we immediately knew it deserved a spot in the game," Saimon shares his team's first impressions.

"Driving through the Black Hills left us in awe. The region's vastness, hilly terrain, and breathtaking vistas felt almost otherworldly. Wildlife was everywhere - bison, pronghorns, prairie dogs - you name it. We stopped at several settlements, including Keystone, Three Forks, and the iconic Deadwood. Of course, we couldn't miss one of America's most famous landmarks - Mount Rushmore," says Saimon.

"What surprised us about Mount Rushmore is how much more there is beyond the famous faces of the four presidents. The approach to the memorial includes dramatic tunnels, winding roads, and scenic loops that are memorable on their own. The site itself is expansive, with a massive entrance plaza, countless parking areas, several distinct buildings, and a striking Avenue of Flags. We were genuinely impressed - and we're treating this location with great respect to ensure it's represented in the game as monumentally as it feels in real life," Saimon told us.

From the Black Hills, the team continued their journey eastward, heading toward Rapid City and neighboring towns. "Rapid City took us by surprise with its sprawling layout and how the city is embraced by tall hills. The town features some unique buildings and sculptures, along with a beautiful park and several industrial zones that we’re excited to showcase in future blog posts!"

Another place that made an impression on the team was Sturgis. Known far and wide for its legendary motorcycle rally and western saloons, the town had a distinct charm that was impossible to ignore. "At first, we weren't sure we'd be able to fit it into the game world at our scale, but after scouting the area, we found a way, and we're so glad we did," says Saimon.

"Further down I-90, we kept seeing these bold, frequent billboards for a place called Wall. Every mile or so, another sign popped up. Eventually, we couldn't resist - we had to see what all the hype was about. Wall turned out to be more than just a town - it's a gateway to Badlands National Park and home to a true roadside icon: Wall Drug. What started in the 1930s as a small drugstore offering free ice water to travelers has since grown into a massive shopping complex. With quirky attractions, souvenir shops, restaurants, and even animatronic dinosaurs, Wall Drug is the kind of place you remember forever. It perfectly captures that larger-than-life roadside Americana we love bringing into ATS."

After that, the team ventured into Badlands National Park. "The dramatic landscapes - rugged rock formations, steep canyons, and vibrant layers of sediment - are like something from another planet. Driving through the park gave us a real appreciation for the geological history and scale of South Dakota's natural beauty. The shifting light, deep colors, and sense of quiet made it one of the most awe-inspiring parts of our entire journey," Saimon shares.

"Before continuing eastward, we made a final stop in the small town of Murdo, another picturesque settlement with a unique vibe. But we'll save the stories from the rest of our trip - and the towns along the way - for future blog posts," Saimon concludes.

We hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes view of how the team behind this upcoming DLC gathers inspiration. Make sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlistRemember to follow us on TwitterFacebookInstagramBluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news from this map expansion and American Truck Simulator, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, we wish you happy travels!

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Iowa DLC Release

You don’t need the eyes of a hawk to see what’s coming, the Iowa DLC for American Truck Simulator officially releases today! Get ready to explore everything that the Hawkeye State has to offer.

The Iowa DLC for American Truck Simulator is now released!



It’s been quite the journey since we first revealed that Iowa was in development, and today, we're thrilled to finally share it with our #BestCommunityEver. With expansive road networks, charming towns, and plenty of jobs across the heart of the Midwest, there’s a lot to look forward to behind the wheel. We're also updating the Farm Machinery DLC and launching a new World of Trucks event, so be sure to read the full blog to catch all the details surrounding this release.


Make the most of your visit to the Hawkeye State and enjoy every moment as you:
  • Truck through 12 cities including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Burlington, Iowa City, and more!
  • Discover beautifully recreated landmarks like the Iowa State Capitol, Historic Cedar Covered Bridge, Tree in the Middle of the Road, or the world’s largest grain bins.
  • Deliver cargo to or from new depots – the agricultural factory and agricultural dealer.
  • Visit the biggest truck stop we have ever built in ATS on Interstate 80!
  • Become a vital part in transporting farm produce from the Hawkeye State all over the USA.
  • Explore more than 15 scenic towns (settlements) on your travels such as Spencer, Clear Lake, Dyersville, Oskaloosa, or Traer!
  • Pick up and deliver equipment and goods to the Aluminum Factory, a brand-new prefab depot featuring custom-designed assets.
  • Admire the state’s stunning expansive hills with terraced fields and picturesque farms.
  • Keep goods flowing in and out of Iowa’s huge ethanol plant depots, supporting its lead in U.S. ethanol production.
  • Uncover Iowa’s hidden gems, find hidden roads, viewpoints, and more!


Cruise through lively river cities and quiet farming communities as you discover the diverse scenery of Iowa, from elevated prairie hills to expansive fields lined with silos and wind turbines. This map expansion brings detailed landmarks like the Iowa State Capitol and iconic bridges spanning the Mississippi. With a road network featuring major interstates, rural highways, and small-town streets, Iowa offers a unique and immersive journey for any driver!


Farm Machinery DLC Update


With the 1.55 update, we introduced a new cargo addition to the Farm Machinery DLC, the Windrower! This essential piece of agricultural equipment is used to gather and align crops into neat rows for drying and harvesting, and now it’s your job to haul it where it’s needed most.


The Windrower will be available on the job market in two color variants: a classic green and a yellow version branded with OWL, one of our in-game farming equipment manufacturers. Designed for lowboy trailers, it’s a wide and impressive load that brings more variety to your agricultural deliveries.

You can find the full details about this update here.



Iowa Freight & Fields Bundle


Get ready to haul big cargo in style with the Iowa Freight & Fields Bundle for American Truck Simulator! Celebrate the release of the Iowa map expansion, the heart of America's agricultural industry - with this special bundle which includes four DLCs: Iowa, Special Transport, Farm Machinery, and the Retrowave Paint Jobs Pack.

Haul farming equipment across Iowa with the Farm Machinery DLC, from the iconic I-80 to the capital city of Des Moines, and through charming towns along the Mississippi River, and put your driving skills to the test with oversized cargo from the Special Transport DLC.

Top it all off with bold, retro flair drive in vibrant ‘80s style with the Retrowave Paint Jobs Pack as you cruise through the Hawkeye State.

Cruising Iowa World of Trucks Event


Right with the release of this map expansion, we are also introducing the #CruisingIowa World of Trucks Event for you to enjoy! We challenge our #BestCommunityEver to achieve a collective goal of driving 125,000,000 miles while delivering cargo to or from any city in Iowa. The personal goal is to deliver cargo to or from all 12 cities in the Hawkeye State, with each job being 100 miles or more. You can read more about the event here.

Unique rewards await those who complete the challenge! Truckers who achieve their personal goal will earn the Golden Flight ATS truck paint job and a World of Trucks Achievement.


When the community goal is met, and if you’ve also completed your personal goal, you’ll receive the beautifully crafted Porcelain Wild Rose hanging ornament for your cabin.


But that’s not all, truckers who complete a job using External Contracts or the External Market TO or FROM Iowa City will be rewarded with the Happy Hog cabin plush! Soft, snuggly, and full of Midwestern charm, this cheerful piglet pays tribute to Iowa’s proud farming heritage and is sure to keep you company on your travels! 


We can’t wait for you to start trucking through the Hawkeye State. Don’t forget to tag us in your photos and videos using the hashtag #CruisingIowa on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,and Bluesky. If you’re enjoying your time #CruisingIowa, we’d really appreciate it if you left a review on the Iowa DLC Steam store page. We thank you for all your support and until next time, keep on truckin'! 

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Coaches: Meet the Team

A few weeks back, we officially announced that our teams are already working on the Coaches expansion for Euro Truck Simulator 2. Before we are ready to share more with you from this upcoming DLC, we would like you to meet the team behind it!

The team consists of eight people, with some other members of our company contributing from time to time as well, from programmers, game designers, and 3D graphic designers, to testers. Let's meet them!

Dominik - Producer

"You may know me from Nordic Horizons - Meet The Team, where I wrote about my history in SCS and my current role. While working on Nordic Horizons, I started dedicating one day a week to the Coaches side-project, which had been running for a long time but had no production coverage. Gradually, I managed to build a team, collaborated to get licenses, and the small side-project became almost a full-time job. Even though it doesn't seem like it, the knowledge from running a map DLC is very useful now, because even in the Coaches project, there is a lot of map work; modified bus stations, bus stops, and border crossings. I'm very happy that an excellent, dedicated team has been assembled and that this project is moving forward at the speed it deserves."

Petr - Senior Tester

"When I started out as a bus driver, I never imagined that one day I would be testing buses for a computer game. As someone who has spent years behind the wheel of real buses, I know how an automatic transmission should behave, what a vehicle does under hard braking, or what a hill start looks like with a fully loaded machine. And it's this experience that I try to bring into testing to make the bus driving in ETS2 as close to reality as possible. But testing is also about checking all the functional details. Whether it's the behaviour of the vehicles, the controls, the sounds, or the graphical details. This connects my real world with the virtual one and gives me the opportunity to contribute to making the bus experience as authentic as possible for players around the world."

Josef - Junior Researcher for Game Development

"I have been working in the Research & Game Development department at SCS for a year and a quarter, and from the very beginning, I started participating in the Coaches project. For my colleagues, I prepare materials and references, for example, for building real-life bus terminals in our game, and I have also worked on redesigning those we already have in the game. Since I spent a lot of time playing our studio’s older game, "Bus Driver," I am really looking forward to the coaches in ETS2."

Marek - Senior Programmer

"I've been working as a programmer at SCS Software for nearly 12 years. My journey began with developing our map editor and various internal tools, supporting the core of our game development process. Over time, I transitioned into working on gameplay features, which allowed me to directly contribute to what players experience behind the wheel. Now, I'm excited to be part of something entirely new - bringing coaches into the game. This addition opens up fresh possibilities for gameplay, and I'm really happy to have the opportunity to help shape this new direction. Looking forward to seeing how players enjoy the new challenges coaches will bring."

Vitalii - Senior 3D Graphic Designer - Vehicles

"I started working at SCS almost 6 years ago, joining the Road Department as a 3D Artist. After two years, I transferred to the Vehicle team. I began by modeling AI vehicles, then worked on cargo, and gradually moved on to helping with trucks. Currently, I'm a Senior Vehicle Artist focusing on coaches. This is the first project where I'm not just helping out, but actually planning and executing both the exterior and interior myself, from start to finish. It's been a great challenge, and I'm working alongside an amazing team of specialists. I really hope you'll enjoy our upcoming DLC once it's ready."

Vladimír - 3D Graphic Designer - Vehicles

"I started working at SCS as a 3D graphic designer almost three years ago, in the outsourcing department, where I was responsible for the quality of 3D assets for map DLCs. About a year ago, I fulfilled my dream and joined the vehicles department. The first project within my new position was the MAN Lion's Coach model. I am very excited about this new direction of our game and the actual model I am working on. I hope the players will enjoy this DLC, and I am already looking forward to their first reactions."

Vojta - Game Designer

"My career started by teaching how to make games. Then, I began trying to create them in the evenings. After many evenings spent this way and several broken teams, I came to terms with the fact that I'd be working on someone else's games. I never expected to find such a wonderful company culture at SCS, nor a company so open to finding the best possible place for its talents. My suggestions were heard. So, I came up with new game features for the map, proposed innovations for our map editor, designed new gameplay features, significantly contributed to Driving Academy, and created UX and UI design features. Now, I have the opportunity to contribute to a "game within the game" - I'm designing game mechanics, UX, and UI for the coaches. We have great freedom, limited only by the constraints of our game itself, and once again, it's all very fresh and exciting."

We hope you liked the insight view of the team that is currently working on this expansion for ETS2. Don't forget to add the Coaches DLC to your Steam wishlist to show this team your excitement! If you want to keep track of future updates, make sure to follow us on TwitterFacebookInstagramBluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, we wish you safe travels!