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American Truck Simulator News

Star Nation Experience 2025

We are excited to announce that after our collaboration last year, we are once again teaming up with our good friends at Western Star to offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to two lucky members of the American Truck Simulator community. This includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Oregon, USA, to take part in the Star Nation Experience 2025. Ready to learn more? Let’s take a closer look at what the Star Nation Experience is all about!


Last year, our lucky 2024 Star Nation winners gathered in Bend, Oregon, for a unique four-day event unlike any other in the trucking industry. This unique experience included a behind-the-scenes tour of Daimler Truck North America's facilities, the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the Western Star X-Series line up at Daimler Truck's High Desert Proving Grounds in Madras, and even a chance to meet Starsquatch!


They also got to experience the natural beauty of Oregon and take part in exciting outdoor activities, including fly-fishing, off-roading in ATVs, and more. Though they arrived as strangers, their shared love for trucking quickly turned them into friends and even led one of our winners to pursue a trucking career. You can watch a recap of the 2024 Star Nation experience at our YouTube channel below with Nemiro and Mark who also were in attendance!

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So what can you expect for Star Nation 2025? Two lucky winners will be treated to an all-expenses-paid, four-day adventure, hosted in Bend, Oregon between the 6th-9th of June 2025 by the Western Star team. If you win, you’ll be treated to top dining options and adventures, including activities like whitewater rafting, the X-Series Ride & Drive Challenge at the Madras Proving Grounds, a Star Nation photo shoot in the mountains and so much more!


You will also have the chance to help shape future Western Star innovation by sharing your insights with Western Star engineers, marketers, researchers, and product development leadership. It's the ultimate prize for any American Truck Enthusiast!


In addition to the fantastic activities awaiting participants at the event, we're happy to reveal that Oscar and Nemiro from our team will also be attending. They'll not only meet with the participants and winners but will also be on hand to capture all the moments and memories throughout the Star Nation Experience 2025!


So how can you enter? Before entering, we strongly advise you to review Western Star's Terms and Conditions, read the FAQ, and thoroughly examine the application form as there are specific limitations for applicants. For instance, this opportunity is exclusively available to individuals from the USA or Canada who are 21 years of age or older. Also, while not required for entry, a Commercial Driver's License will be required to participate in all Grand Prize trip activities. Western Star Trucks will then select two winners from applicants who meet all requirements. We wish everyone the best of luck!

Ready to apply? First you'll need to sign up to the Western Star newsletter before continuing the Entry form, which you can all find on the Star Nation page here.

We look forward to spending a fun-filled few days at Star Nation 2025, and we will be sure to keep you along for the ride with social media updates, videos and more from our journey. Be sure to keep a close eye on Western Star's Facebook, Instagram and Newsletter for the latest Star Nation news, and our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and BlueSky too. Until then, keep on truckin'!

SCS On The Road: Mark's Trucking Trip

We're back with another SCS On The Road episode, and this time, we've got something a bit different for you! Join Mark, our Vehicle Production Coordinator at SCS Software, as he returns to his trucking roots in Canada and takes you behind the wheel to experience what it takes to be a real trucker hauling across Canada and the USA!


Starting off in Whitby, Ontario, Mark will take you along for the ride on a one-week journey to Fort Worth, Texas. You'll experience the highs and lows of trucking and discover what makes it such a unique yet challenging job. So, it's time to hit the road, grab a drink and some snacks as you take the passenger seat on this long haul! We're sure you'll be comfortable in the beautiful Peterbilt 389 truck, which was kindfully provided by Mark's father, and which has been a reliable workhorse in his company for many years.


A huge thank you, of course, goes out to Mark, who put a lot of work into recording this journey, and to everyone who made this trip possible for him to share with you, our #BestCommunityEver. We hope you learn something new about the trucking world, and who knows, it might even inspire a few of you to pursue a CDL! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave a comment, like, and subscribe, Mark would love to hear your thoughts! Until next time, keep on truckin’!

Driving Academy - Truck Driving Proficiency

Today, we have an update regarding Driving Academy. Our teams are currently working on a new set of scenarios for Driving Academy for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator which are really going to test your trucker skills when it arrives in the future!


We released Driving Academy as a free update in October last year where we introduced sets of scenarios in 5 chapters from truck driving basics to more advanced challenges. We were inspired by many of our players who have used our games to get a sense of handling a truck and trailer, and learning how to maneuver and reverse. Now, after a few months, we wanted to take it a step further with a set of much more challenging scenarios which will be a part of the upcoming module called Truck Driving Proficiency and will test even the most skilled drivers to the limit. Please keep in mind that everything you see in this blog can change as the Truck Driving Proficiency for Driving Academy is still a work in progress.


For this new module and set of scenarios, we will also introduce a new reward system. The most important thing is still to precisely complete a scenario by driving along the designated path and avoiding any collision. For proficiency level, there may be additional conditions you will have to meet to successfully pass the scenario.


New in this upcoming module, players will be able to achieve up to 3 collectable stars, which can be earned by meeting additional conditions such as only using the interior camera, limiting gear shifts between drive and reverse, or completing the scenario in the set time.



Our goal is to test the players' skills and let them prove themselves as top-tier drivers, solving each scenario on their own without step-by-step guidance. That's why in this module you won't find any pre-recorded video tutorials, and you will have to use all the knowledge we taught you in our first module of Driving Academy.


But there is more. As we already mentioned in the 1.54 Open Beta blog, Driving Academy will also get new content in the upcoming 1.54 update. Everyone who has completed or will complete the entire first module of Driving Academy will receive special rewards to use in the base game - a hanging blue traffic cone cabin accessory and a customizable Driving Academy paint job for your truck. And that's not all - more rewards will be available for completing the upcoming Truck Driving Proficiency!

Make sure to follow us on social media (X/Twitter, Instagram, FacebookBluesky, and YouTube). We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials. Until next time, drive safe!

Louisiana: Truck Stops

As you journey through our upcoming Louisiana DLC for American Truck Simulator, you'll encounter a variety of truck stops designed to support truckers and travelers making their way through the Deep South. Let’s check out what they have to offer!


Whether you're filling up the tank, making some adjustments to your rig, or simply taking a well-deserved break, these truck stops provide all the essentials for life on the road. Keeping both yourself and your truck happy and healthy is crucial whilst on the road.


Truck stops come in all shapes and sizes! From large complexes offering generous parking and multiple fuel pumps to small town roadside stops, drivers will never be too far away from an area they can pull into for a gas'n'go or a well deserved rest stop.


They also make a great place to meet fellow truckers on the road, especially if you're playing in convoy mode! Be sure to take advantage of all the dedicated spots to make some great photos for your album.


We look forward to meeting you at a Louisiana truck stop in the future. Until then, stay tuned by following us on social media (X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, BlueSky) for the latest updates on the development of this DLC and more. Until next time, drive safe and keep on truckin’!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3012580/American_Truck_Simulator__Louisiana/

Missouri - Gameplay Preview

The first video preview of the upcoming Missouri DLC for American Truck Simulator is here! In today's blog, we bring you the first gameplay video from this map expansion, so don't wait up, and let's watch it.


In this video, we take you on a beautiful ride from the city of Kirksville located in the northern part of Missouri along Route 63 through the Show Me State capital Jefferson City, and then further south to our destination in the underground warehouse in Springfield.

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We can't wait to explore Missouri once it is released for ATS! Want to show us that you are also looking forward to trucking in this map expansion? Then add it to your Steam Wishlist! Remember to follow us on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials. Safe travels!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2730870/American_Truck_Simulator__Missouri/