American Truck Simulator Approaches a Milestone with New DLC: The Legendary Route 66

I was not quite prepared for the emotional shock I experienced upon discovering that SCS Software released a video titled “American Truck Simulator – Reaching The End.” But take heart, friends – American Truck Simulator has not been discontinued. Instead, the developers are simply nearing the conclusion of Route 66.

The brief teaser video depicts a truck cruising along a dusty roadside stop set beside what seems to be a cornfield. Behind the truck, a sign for US Route 66 is visible. The notable suggestion here is that Illinois, which encompasses the final stretch of Route 66 not yet included in the game, could likely be the upcoming DLC destination, following the releases of the previously confirmed Missouri, Iowa, and Louisiana expansions.

As a symbol of the American highway system, Route 66 holds great importance for American Truck Simulator. The game initially debuted in 2016 with the states of Nevada and California, the latter marking the eastern end of Route 66. Over time, more segments of the highway have been added along with additional state DLC packs – starting with the complimentary Arizona DLC later in 2016, followed by New Mexico in 2017, Texas in 2022, and Oklahoma and Kansas in 2023.

Route 66 will continue with the Missouri DLC shortly in the hopefully near future before concluding in Chicago. We are now nine years from the game’s current release, and Illinois will likely become its 18th state DLC, at which point the total cost of these DLC packs is sure to exceed $200.

That will be a staggering amount for anyone newly curious about ATS in 2025, but for those of us who have gradually gathered it over the last decade, this marks yet another significant milestone in the game’s ongoing expansion to the east, certainly a major one.

Currently, the game covers nearly two-thirds of the continental United States. While it once seemed unlikely that this small simulation from a modest Czech studio would genuinely achieve the goal of encompassing all 48 contiguous states, it now feels almost inevitable.

I’ve waited 8 years for American Truck Simulator to recreate my hometown, and I wasn’t prepared to see the 200-year-old tree my entire university mourned brought back to life.