American Truck Simulator

{{Short description|2016 truck simulator game developed by SCS Software}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = American Truck Simulator

| image = American Truck Simulator Steam Cover.jpg

| developer = SCS Software

| publisher = SCS Software

| series = Truck Simulator

| engine =

| platforms = {{Unbulleted list|Microsoft Windows|macOS|Linux}}

| released = 2 February 2016{{Cite web |url=https://gamerant.com/american-truck-simulator-release-date/ |title=American Truck Simulator Releases Today |date=2016-02-02 |access-date=2023-12-17 |website=GameRant |last=Jacques |first=John}}

| genre = Vehicle simulation

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer{{Cite web|last=Chalk|first=Andy|date=2021-07-14|title=Hit the open road with your friends in American Truck Simulator's new 'Convoy' mode|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/hit-the-open-road-with-your-friends-in-american-truck-simulators-new-convoy-mode/|access-date=2021-07-20|magazine=PC Gamer|language=en-US|archive-date=20 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720192442/https://www.pcgamer.com/hit-the-open-road-with-your-friends-in-american-truck-simulators-new-convoy-mode/|url-status=live}}

}}

American Truck Simulator is a truck simulator game developed and published by SCS Software. It was first announced as being in development in September 2013{{cite web|url=http://www.excalibur-publishing.com/products/american-truck-simulator|title=American Truck Simulator Details - Excalibur Publishing|publisher=Excalibur Publishing|access-date=9 June 2015|archive-date=16 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216091141/https://www.excalibur-publishing.com/products/american-truck-simulator|url-status=live}} and unveiled at the E3 2015. It was released on February 2, 2016 for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS.{{cite web|url=http://steamcommunity.com/games/americantrucksimulator/announcements/detail/988906849502891396|title=American Truck Simulator Releasing Today|date=2 February 2016|access-date=2 February 2016|archive-date=6 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206181958/http://steamcommunity.com/games/americantrucksimulator/announcements/detail/988906849502891396|url-status=live}} The game is the parallel to Euro Truck Simulator 2, the spiritual successor of 18 Wheels of Steel, and the fifth installment in the Truck Simulator series. The game is set in a condensed depiction of the United States, featuring American conventional semi-trucks and various locations across the U.S., where players pick up a variety of cargos and deliver them to their destinations.

Since its release, the game has sold over 2 million copies on Steam.

Gameplay

American Truck Simulator is a truck driving simulator with business management elements. A beginning player will be directed to found a truck driving business and select a home city from which to operate that business. Upon selection of the home city, the player will own the pre-placed truck garage located in that city, which will operate as the player's home base.

File:American Truck Simulator driver view screenshot.png 49X during gameplay]]

During gameplay, the player will select from a menu of currently available goods delivery routes to drive one of several models of class 7 and 8 and deliver the selected load to a designated location within a fixed amount of time. By making such deliveries, the player earns money for the player's company and experience points for the player themself. By delivering the selected cargo to its designation within the allotted time and with the least damage to the goods, the player will maximize the amount of money and experience points earned. Late deliveries or deliveries with damage will result in the player earning reduced cash and experience points. The amount of money and experience points earned are commensurate to the length of the delivery in distance traveled and type of goods being transported.

A beginning player will own a garage, but no trucks or trailers. The player will begin by completing "quick jobs," which are goods deliveries that utilize an in-game company's trucks and trailers. Once the player has earned enough money, they may then begin purchasing one or more trucks, but they may continue making "quick job" deliveries if desired. After purchasing a truck, the player may elect to use the purchased truck for deliveries or go back to performing quick job deliveries.

As the player completes deliveries, they will unlock skills by spending experience points to purchase particular skills upgrades. These upgrade categories include fuel efficiency, route delivery distance, carrying heavy cargo, carrying dangerous goods, carrying fragile cargoes, or making urgent deliveries. Players may take out loans in which they will pay back in daily installments. The money is also needed to pay for fuel and maintenance on any vehicles or trailers owned by the player's company. When performing quick job deliveries using an in-game company's truck, repairs and other costs are paid by that in-game company and not from the funds of the player's company. The player may also use the company's money to purchase additional trucks and trailers which are held in designated slots in the garage.

The player may use company funds to hire NPC drivers (and pay their associated expenses), who are placed in additional driver slots in the garage. Once the player has earned sufficient money, the player may also purchase garages in other cities and hire NPC drivers to drive from those garages, as well. The longer an NPC driver is employed by the company, the more experience points they will earn, thus increasing the amount of money that driver earns from each delivery. Much like the player's experience points, the player may direct the focus of each hired driver's experience points, thereby ensuring that particular hired drivers become experts in particular skill areas, such as hauling dangerous goods or performing long-haul deliveries. Company money may be used to upgrade garages, which will allow the garages to hold additional trucks, trailers, and NPC drivers, as well as place a reduced cost fueling station at the garage. The company money may be used to upgrade the company's trucks and trailers, specifically by upgrading their associated liveries, mechanical, and structural upgrades and changes.

While driving routes, the game will direct the player to stop at designated weigh stations to determine the weight of the cargo before being permitted to proceed (though the game may occasionally allow the driver to bypass such station). When crossing the border into the state of California, the player is similarly obliged to stop at California Border Protection Stations to have their vehicle inspected. Avoiding a weigh station or border protection station will result the player being fined. The only exception where the California Border Protection Station can be avoided entering California is through Death Valley National Park on Nevada State Route 374 and California State Route 190 between the settlements of Beatty, Nevada and Olancha, California.

Setting

The game is set in a condensed 1:20-scaled version of the United States. At launch, the game started off with the U.S. states of California and Nevada. Arizona was released in June 2016 as a free update to all players.{{cite journal |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/25/american-truck-simulator-arizona-review/ |title=American Truck Simulator's Free Arizona DLC Makes The Game The Size It Always Should Have Been |last=Meer |first=Alec |journal=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |publisher=Gamer Network |date=25 May 2016 |access-date=17 August 2020 |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926194305/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/25/american-truck-simulator-arizona-review/ |url-status=live }} A number of other states have now been added as paid downloadable content.

Combined with all downloadable map content, the game now covers the entire Western Contiguous and part of the South Central and Midwestern regions. Map expansions are available for New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas and Missouri as DLCs.{{cite web|url=http://blog.scssoft.com/2016/01/american-truck-simulator-map-dlc.html|title=American Truck Simulator Map DLC Clarifications|author=|date=15 January 2016|website=SCS Software Blog|publisher=SCS Software|access-date=21 January 2016|archive-date=17 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117184848/http://blog.scssoft.com/2016/01/american-truck-simulator-map-dlc.html|url-status=live}} Assuming the player has all the states available to them, the game features 228 visitable cities, including most state capitals and major cities, as well as many thousands of miles worth of in-game roads. Currently, the player may travel as far north as Bellingham, Washington, as far south as Brownsville, Texas, as far west as Eureka, California, and as far east as Cape Girardeau, Missouri. SCS has stated that most future map expansions, if not all, will be at additional cost.

Development

SCS Software announced the game on 6 September 2013.{{cite web |url=http://blog.scssoft.com/2013/09/change-of-topic-and-continent.html |title=Change of Topic (and Continent!) |publisher=SCS Software |date=6 September 2013 |access-date=9 June 2014 |archive-date=30 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730220615/http://blog.scssoft.com/2013/09/change-of-topic-and-continent.html |url-status=live }} It was revealed at E3 in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/17/e3-2015-american-truck-simulator-announced|title=E3 2015: American Truck Simulator Announced|last=Dyer|first=Mitch|publisher=IGN|date=16 June 2015|access-date=18 June 2015|archive-date=18 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618172600/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/17/e3-2015-american-truck-simulator-announced|url-status=live}}

On 11 April 2014, SCS Software announced that there will be 100+ cities in the game once completed (not initially), and SCS released screenshots of the game. Truck brands included on American Truck Simulator so far are Kenworth, Peterbilt, Volvo, International Trucks, Western Star, Mack and Freightliner. More will follow; the only setback remains the licensing of trucks from their manufacturers. SCS plans to eventually include the entire contiguous United States, as long as the game continues to do well. On 26 January 2015, SCS Software published a one-hour video to YouTube of footage from early alpha of the game. On 18 December 2015, SCS Software announced the official release date for American Truck Simulator, 3 February 2016, on their blog. The game was released one day earlier instead.{{cite web|title=American Truck Simulator Release Date|url=http://blog.scssoft.com/2015/12/american-truck-simulator-release-date.html|website=SCS Software's Blog|publisher=SCS Software|access-date=21 December 2015|archive-date=7 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507112124/http://blog.scssoft.com/2015/12/american-truck-simulator-release-date.html|url-status=live}}

The game was released for PC-DVD on 14 December 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/americantrucksimulator.scs/posts/783543008516311|title=American Truck Simulator|website=www.facebook.com|access-date=15 December 2017|archive-date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425073952/https://www.facebook.com/americantrucksimulator.scs/posts/783543008516311|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=s.r.o |first=web revolution |title=American Truck Simulator Enchanted Edition - SCS SOFTWARE |url=https://eshop.scssoft.com/american-truck-simulator-enchanted-edition#prettyPhoto |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425074007/https://eshop.scssoft.com/american-truck-simulator-enchanted-edition#prettyPhoto |archive-date=25 April 2019 |access-date=15 December 2017 |website=eshop.scssoft.com}}{{better source needed|date=August 2020}}

Since the games was launched, the developers have been working on new DLC's to expand to the games growing content. The most recent addition was the Missouri DLC, released on April 3rd, 2025. {{Cite web |title=American Truck Simulator - Missouri DLC {{!}} ATS - Missouri DLC |url=https://www.modsats.com/american-truck-simulator-missouri-dlc/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=ATS Mods {{!}} American Truck Simulator Mods |language=en-US}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 76/100

| Destruct = 85%{{Cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/review-american-truck-simulator-337137.phtml|title=Review: American Truck Simulator|date=29 January 2016|access-date=25 December 2017|archive-date=14 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214061900/https://www.destructoid.com/review-american-truck-simulator-337137.phtml|url-status=live}}

| Edge = 70%

| EuroG = 70%{{Cite news|url = http://www.eurogamer.pl/articles/2016-02-06-american-truck-simulator-recenzja|title = American Truck Simulator - Recenzja| newspaper=Eurogamer.pl |date = 6 February 2016|access-date = 25 December 2017|archive-date = 26 December 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171226130428/http://www.eurogamer.pl/articles/2016-02-06-american-truck-simulator-recenzja|url-status = live}}

| IGN = 8/10{{Cite web |url=http://nordic.ign.com/sve/american-truck-simulator/79827/review/vi-recenserar-american-truck-simulator |title=American Truck Simulator - Recension |access-date=25 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103082944/https://nordic.ign.com/sve/american-truck-simulator/79827/review/vi-recenserar-american-truck-simulator |archive-date=3 January 2020 |url-status=dead }}

| Poly = 8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/4/10906288/american-truck-simulator-review|title=American Truck Simulator Review|author=Laura Dale|work=Polygon|date=4 February 2016|access-date=21 February 2016|archive-date=18 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218040248/http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/4/10906288/american-truck-simulator-review|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = Hardcore Gamer

| rev1Score = 4/5{{cite web|url=http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/02/21/review-american-truck-simulator/193563/|title=Review: American Truck Simulator|work=Hardcore Gamer|first=James|last=Cunningham|date=21 February 2016|access-date=21 February 2016|archive-date=22 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160222092826/http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/02/21/review-american-truck-simulator/193563/|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = PC Gamer

| rev2Score = 80/100{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/american-truck-simulator-review/|last=Kelly|first=Andy|title=American Truck Simulator Review|work=PC Gamer|date=20 January 2016|access-date=30 May 2016|archive-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160603175445/http://www.pcgamer.com/american-truck-simulator-review/|url-status=live}}

}}

American Truck Simulator has received mostly positive reviews from critics, scoring 76/100 on Metacritic.{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/american-truck-simulator-starter-pack-california/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=American Truck Simulator |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=21 February 2016 |archive-date=5 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505210618/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/american-truck-simulator |url-status=live }}

James Cunningham of Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 4 out of 5 saying, "While a little more realism would make American Truck Simulator more fun, paradoxical as that may sound, there’s no escaping how fantastically playable it is." Laura Dale from Polygon rated the game a 8/10 saying, "As someone who sunk countless hours into Euro Truck Simulator 2, a fresh coat of paint, an unfamiliar set of sights and the challenge of driving on the wrong opposite side of the road left me confident that I'll be sinking just as many hours into American Truck Simulator."

Andy Kelly of PC Gamer commended the game and noted that it shared the strengths and shortcomings of its predecessor due to the two games' similarities, though advised that it was not finished on launch and urged more cautious gamers to wait until it was more completed before purchasing the game.

American Truck Simulator won Best Technological Solution at the 2016 Czech Game of the Year Awards, and was also nominated for Best Game, Best PC/Console Game, and Best Audio.{{cite web|title=Nominace - ČESKÁ HRA ROKU 2016|url=http://ceskahraroku.cz/nominace-2016/|website=ČESKÁ HRA ROKU 2016|access-date=28 January 2017|language=cs-CZ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728034657/http://www.ceskahraroku.cz/nominace-2016/|archive-date=28 July 2017|url-status=dead}}