Illinois: Community Spotlight

Since the release of the Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator, we’ve loved seeing all of your screenshots, videos, reviews, and trucking adventures from across the Prairie State. Watching you explore everything Illinois has to offer has been incredibly rewarding for our team, which is why we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our favourite community content, as shared by you!

For those of you who may not have had the chance to hit the road in Illinois just yet, we wanted to highlight a few YouTube videos we enjoyed, to give you a glimpse of what awaits in this newest map expansion for ATS. We hope these inspire you to start your own journey through the Land of Lincoln! A big shoutout to everyone featured below, be sure to give them a subscribe and a like!







We’ve also been seeing plenty of amazing screenshots and videos shared across social media on X, BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more. Thank you to everyone who has tagged us, shared their adventures, and shown off their favourite areas of Illinois. Our teams genuinely enjoy scrolling through your photos and seeing your unique trucking setups and routes. Here are just a few that we liked!

@Xavior9 - X

u/AmtrakFan3450 - /r/TruckSim

@TruckerJohn302 - X

@Scoutalt - X

@Cobacoba9 - X

@Chibisuke9900 - X

We also want to thank everyone who has taken the time to leave reviews and feedback on Steam. Reading your comments and impressions means a lot to our developers, map designers, artists, and the entire team behind American Truck Simulator. Your support, suggestions, and enthusiasm continue to help shape the future of the game and motivate us every day. 

If you’ve been enjoying your time in Illinois, we’d really appreciate it if you considered leaving a review on the Illinois DLC Steam page. If you want to, you can still write a review for the Illinois DLC on its Steam page. We would really appreciate it! You can find the review section if you scroll to the bottom of the Illinois Steam page.

We have also reached out to a few content creators who got the opportunity to try out this DLC in early access to give us their opinion on the Illinois map expansion. It's safe to say they enjoyed it too! We also recommend checking out their channels for more content!

BadMae

"The Illinois DLC absolutely blew us away! Chicago is unlike anything we have experienced in American Truck Simulator so far; the scale, skyline, Lower Wacker Drive, Navy Pier, the L train, the Bears stadium, and even the International Trucks headquarters all made the city feel alive and incredibly immersive. What impressed us just as much was how smoothly the map transitions from the busy energy of Chicago into the farmlands, countryside, quarries, and smaller towns that give Illinois so much character. Thornton Quarry is a massive standout, and players who love exploring may want to do some extra hunting around Marion, too! Overall, Illinois easily ranks as one of our favorite ATS states. SCS truly knocked it out of the park, and we cannot wait to see what comes next with South Dakota!" - Christian and Monique, BadMae

RunawayLobster

"Illinois has now become my favorite American Truck Simulator DLC. The hidden beauty spots, the changing environments, and the pure detail and beauty of Illinois blew me away. With a couple of hidden roads I have discovered already, I had not realised how different the scenery would be. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Illinois and the beauty it had to offer. Hats off to the developers and artists working on this game who, at every opportunity, absolutely blow us away with the attention to detail. Thank you for this great addition to the already incredible American Truck Simulator game!" - RunawayLobster

Prime Simulations

"The Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator is simply fantastic! To no surprise, SCS Software has once again raised the bar for map DLCs with Illinois - recreating cities, landmarks, industries, and more to an impressive level of accuracy. I had the absolute privilege of exploring the Illinois DLC during its early access phase - exploring every corner of the state! From Chicago to Marion, Quincy to Champaign, and every location in between - I can confidently say that the Illinois DLC is a "must have" for all ATS players - especially those who want to complete the Route 66 corridor! I look forward to exploring the Illinois DLC further and for the future of ATS!" - Prime Simulation

DaSimSimma

"The Illinois DLC already feels like a major step forward for American Truck Simulator, especially with Chicago. The city feels explorable and believable, and honestly, this might be the most detailed urban environment ATS has received yet. There’s a real sense of scale and atmosphere here that reminds me of actually visiting Chicago in real life, and I think that familiarity is part of what makes these newer DLCs feel so immersive. As ATS continues moving closer toward my home region around the Great Lakes, I honestly find myself getting more personally invested in every new state release." - DaSimSimma

Project Sim Racing

"SCS Software delivers yet another masterpiece with the Illinois DLC! The attention to detail and the sheer level of immersion make it an absolute joy to drive through. It’s always an honor to showcase your incredible work to my community." - Project Sim Racing

We would like to thank you all for your continued support! Keep on sharing your journeys through the Illinois DLC with us on our social media channels. Until next time, keep on truckin'! 

Illinois DLC Release

It's so exciting when something you've been working on for quite some time is finally done. Today is the day, as the long-awaited Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator is ready to welcome its first truckers!

The Illinois DLC is now released and available on Steam!

We announced Illinois in February 2025, and since then, our asset and map designers have done some amazing work on bringing it to life for our #BestCommunityEver. As we brought you updates on this DLC in the past year, we have seen your amazing feedback and excitement about this map expansion. We are so happy that today, we are finally able to explore it! And believe us, there's so much to discover.

Make the most of your visit to the wonderful Prairie State and enjoy every moment as you:

• Explore 11 faithfully recreated cities, such as Chicago, Springfield, Rockford, and Peoria!
• See iconic landmarks like Chicago’s Buckingham Memorial Fountain, the Springfield State Capitol, or the Rock Valley College, and a meticulously recreated downtown in Rockford.
• Deliver cargo to brand-new industries, including a construction equipment factory and dealer, marinas on Lake Michigan and Rend Lake, and Chicago's famous international airport.
• Discover 7 scenic towns (settlements) like Macomb or Chenoa.
• Drive from the starting point of the legendary Route 66 in Chicago!
• Explore stunning natural locations including Rend Lake, the Mississippi River, Shawnee National Forest, and Lake Michigan.
• Become the vital link in Illinois’ national rail network, picking up cargo from Chicago’s Intermodal hub and delivering it by truck across the state.
• Enjoy varied driving conditions, from wide-open plains, hilly and forested areas to bustling urban streets in big cities.
• Uncover hidden gems across Illinois, from hidden roads and viewpoints to easter eggs and more!

From vibrant cities like Chicago, one of the Midwest's most iconic cities, to breathtaking landscapes shaped by the Mississippi River, winding past picturesque towns, there will be no shortage of new and beautiful locations to explore and haul some cargo. If you own some of our already released DLCs, you will also be able to travel the full length of the legendary Route 66 with the release of Illinois!

Release Live Stream

Don't forget about our special Release Live Stream, which is going to start today at 3 pm CEST. We will introduce some special guests, including the CEO of SCS Software, Pavel Šebor, who will tell you more about this new map expansion while we drive through Illinois. Towards the end of the live stream, we will officially release the Illinois DLC together, so make sure to be there!

We are eager for you to start trucking in the Prairie State. Remember to tag us in your photos and videos from this map expansion using the hashtag #CruisingIllinois on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. If you'll enjoy your time in Illinois, we'd really appreciate it if you left a review on its DLC Steam store page. We thank you for all your support, and until next time, happy haulin'!

Illinois: Chicago + BIG in Illinois

Chicago, the city that never stops moving, best known for its iconic skyline, hot dogs, and historic architecture. Today, we’re excited to give you a closer look at the Windy City, its unique road network, and the new Special Transport routes coming with our upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator which releases on May 14th. Ready to take a look? Let’s head downtown!

As you can imagine, recreating a city of this size and scale in ATS is no easy task. With so much detail to capture, industries to represent, and road networks to connect, there have been many challenges. We spoke with Lukas, one of our Senior Map Designers who has worked on recreating the Windy City for more than a year, to learn more about our in-game version of Chicago and what players can expect.

"Chicago is a unique city" Lukas shares. "Many people know it from movies and games, even if they’ve never been there. My personal goal was to create a believable version that we could all be proud of, not just for our players, but for locals too."

One of the most visually striking features players will notice is Chicago’s skyline. It's the largest we’ve created to date. Lukas shares more "We tried to make the skyline as accurate as possible in terms of scale, space and optimisation... the fact that you can actually drive right into it is crazy, and I'm really glad we managed to make that possible."

When it comes to trucking through the city itself, players will be able to drive through key downtown areas, including the famous Chicago Loop, parts of Streeterville, and the Near South Side. These districts have been recreated with attention to detail. While certain areas such as Navy Pier are represented creatively within the game’s scale, they remain recognisable and true to their real-world inspiration. Alongside this, iconic routes such as Lake Shore Drive offer stunning views of Lake Michigan and the city panorama. 

As you can imagine, for many living in the city, driving isn’t the fastest or most affordable way to get around. For many, the Chicago ‘L’, the city’s rapid transit system, is part of the daily commute, and something we couldn’t miss including in our recreation. Complete with a brand-new train model created by our vehicle team, this iconic mode of public transport weaves through the city with elevated, subway, and surface-level lines. Its distinctive steel elevated structures, dating back to 1892, are a defining feature of Chicago’s streets.

However, there’s more than meets the eye than just what’s on the surface. Our team has also recreated Lower Wacker Drive, an iconic three level underground roadway system in Chicago, running beneath the Loop to help alleviate congestion. Completed in 1926, it serves as a fast-moving, often confusing through-route and key shipping artery for the city. We look forward to you experiencing these unique road networks rarely seen in American Truck Simulator.

A city this big couldn’t run without its truck drivers, and Chicago brings a wide range of industries and delivery opportunities. One notable location is O’Hare International Airport, the sixth busiest airport in the world, handling more than 850,000 aircraft movements each year. Here, players can take on deliveries within the airport and its cargo operations, including transporting goods to and from a cargo warehouse, unloading at a custom fuel depot, and even delivering directly to a specialised large cargo aircraft on the apron. 

Beyond the airport, Chicago features a variety of other depots, including a large intermodal yard, and locations such as a car factory and a custom car export depot. Players can also deliver to a construction site located next to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge along Lake Shore Drive. Other delivery locations include the marina, a food processing facility, a heavy machinery service, and a chem oil industry. Some of the most unique deliveries can even take players underground, with the custom-built Undercity storage depo on Lower Wacker Drive, and the Wallbert warehouse situated even deeper below the city.

One industry we could not miss is the iconic Thornton Quarry, one of the largest and most recognisable quarries in the region. This vast, custom-built depot is a standout location for players looking for work, and a landmark in its own right. With its real-life counterpart spanning an immense area, our team has worked hard to bring that same sense of scale and depth into its virtual recreation. Whether you're hauling heavy materials and equipment in or out of the site, or simply passing by, be sure to take a moment to admire this impressive operation located south of Chicago.

Of course, no city would be complete without its landmarks. From towering skyscrapers and historic buildings to well-known attractions such as Buckingham Fountain, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, and Soldier Field, there’s plenty to see. Navy Pier is also represented, complete with the Chicago Children’s Museum and Centennial Wheel. Love bridges? Be sure to check out the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge and the William P. Fahey Bridge, both of which are dynamic. And that’s just scratching the surface!

So as you can tell, there's plenty to see, deliver and explore in Chicago, but we will leave the rest to you! However, the city is not the only thing that is BIG in Illinois... 

BIG in Illinois - Special Transport Routes 

If you're looking for a challenge in Illinois, then maybe our new Special Transport routes are for you! Truckers who are ready to take on these mighty loads will find several new Special Transport job contracts.

Whilst these routes have been carefully pre-planned by our dispatchers, you can expect there to be some challenging manoeuvres and scenic views on the road to your final destination. As always, trained escort teams and local police will assist in guiding you along the correct route, and where necessary, help block traffic to allow safe passage.

Think you've got what it takes? Special Transport DLC owners will find contracts on offer between the following cities: 

Peoria to Chicago
Moline to Quincy 
Springfield to Marion 

So whether you're taking on Special Transport routes or hauling cargo through the busy streets of Chicago, we truly hope you enjoy all that the Illinois DLC has to offer in American Truck Simulator when it releases on May 14th! If you like what you see, be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist, and until next time, keep on truckin'!

Illinois: Release Date + Video Trailer Reveal

Truckers, start your engines and get ready to roll through The Prairie State! From the towering skyline of Chicago to the highways that carry freight across the Midwest and beyond, we’re excited to announce that the..

Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator 
will be released on May 14th 2026

We’re just as excited as you are! To keep the wheels turning, we’ve released the official Illinois DLC trailer on our YouTube channel. Put together by our talented video team, it offers a glimpse into the diverse landscapes, iconic landmarks, industries and cities waiting for you on the road. Be sure to check it out, and if you enjoy it, drop a like and let us know what you think!

As we approach the release, our teams are putting the final touches on Illinois to ensure everything is ready for the journey ahead. We can’t wait to see you hit the road for the very first time! From navigating the busy streets of Chicago, with its skyscrapers and intricate road network, to cruising through the state’s vast agricultural heartlands, Illinois offers a rich and varied trucking experience. 

Along the way, you’ll encounter detailed landmarks, unique infrastructure, and locations inspired by real-world industries, all carefully crafted by our teams to bring an authentic and immersive trucking experience to every mile of the journey. We think you'll love what they've been able to bring to this DLC!

With the release of Illinois, we’re also proud to mark a major milestone in American Truck Simulator, as the iconic Route 66 is now fully driveable across the map. From its western beginnings all the way to its eastern reaches, drivers can experience this legendary highway in its entirety, taking in the sights, history, and atmosphere that have made it a symbol of the open road.

Ready to roll through Illinois? Don’t forget to add the Illinois DLC to your Steam Wishlist to be notified as soon as it goes live. Your support truly means a lot to us and helps drive our future projects forward. We look forward to welcoming you to the roads of Illinois with you very soon. Until then, keep on truckin’!