Today, we’re happy to share a closer look at Stonehenge, one of Britain’s most iconic and mysterious landmarks, which will be featured in our UK Rework for Euro Truck Simulator 2. This prehistoric circular megalithic stone structure has stood watch over the rolling countryside for thousands of years, and continues to captivate visitors from around the world with its scale, history, and mystery.


Believed to date back over 5000 years, Stonehenge remains one of the greatest mysteries of the ancient world. Was it a ceremonial site or perhaps even an astronomical calendar aligned with the movements of the sun? While historians continue to debate its true purpose, one thing is certain, it has become a symbol of Britain’s history. 


This landmark has been carefully recreated by our talented teams as part of our UK Rework project, and drivers passing by in the future will be able to catch a memorable glimpse of these ancient standing stones. However, if you wish to take a quick break and perhaps enjoy the view a little longer, you can!


Nearby, you’ll also find the modern visitor centre, which welcomes thousands of tourists each year. Built in 2013, this visitor centre houses permanent and temporary exhibitions, including nearly 300 archaeological treasures found buried at the site, from jewellery to pottery to human remains. Complete with a dedicated parking area for buses, there is plenty of room for visitors to stop and learn more! 


Set within the heart of the Wiltshire countryside, the area surrounding Stonehenge offers a peaceful glimpse into rural southern England. As you drive through this area, you may notice smaller mounds dotted across the landscape. These are not simply natural features, but Neolithic burial mounds, constructed thousands of years ago. They serve as subtle reminders of the deep history that has shaped this region over time.


We're excited to share more previews and features from the UK Rework, which will arrive as a free update for all owners of Euro Truck Simulator 2 in the future. Be sure to let us know in the comments what UK landmarks you'd love to see! Keep on truckin', cheerio! 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/227300/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2/

How well do you know Éire? Our team is hard at work creating the Isle of Ireland for Euro Truck Simulator 2, and we’ve got some early work in progress screenshots to share with you!


We know our community has a sharp eye, so we’re putting you to the test to guess where in Ireland these screenshots were taken. They are based on real life locations being recreated in detail for this DLC, so if you know the area, or have some geo-guessing skills, you might just recognise where each one is from.


We’d love to hear your guesses, so be sure to share them in the blog comments below, on our social media channels, or even on our official forum. 


Development on the Isle of Ireland DLC is still ongoing, but we hope this glimpse gives you a sense of the beauty and history that awaits you. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the latest development news and previews, and if you like what you’ve seen here today, be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist to be notified of its release. Until next time, keep on truckin'! 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3851260/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2__Isle_of_Ireland/

In today's blog, we bring you a glimpse at some of the custom depots featured in the upcoming Iceland map expansion, which is currently in development for Euro Truck Simulator 2. So let's take a look at what our map designers are working on!

The largest one is a landmark depot of a silicon metal factory, which is an accurate 1:1 copy of the real-world facility found in this location. This will be the home of a new virtual company called Kísilverksmiðja, producing silicon metal, which is used in a wide variety of applications in the chemical industry, production of silicones and silanes, or high-strength aluminium alloys for the automotive industry.

Truckers will be able to drive to nearly every corner of the complex and load or unload their truck in various locations within the complex based on the type of cargo they are hauling. The depot will also feature dynamic cargo loading of logs, which play a key role in this industry. The entire location is positioned near the coast, so in addition to the tunnel connecting the depot and the city, drivers will also get to enjoy some beautiful views of the sea.

Then, you will find three custom-made quarries located in the towns of Selfoss, Patreksfjörður, and Blönduós. Quarrying of aggregate materials, both rock and sediment, is an important industry in Iceland, since aggregates are needed for a wide range of building and road construction projects.

All of these quarries are branches of the well-established MS Stein company that truckers can already know. Set within Iceland's iconic landscapes, these unique depots offer striking surroundings: the first two lie at the foot of towering cliffs, with the second one also boasting sweeping views of the sea.

Truckers will also come across six custom farm depots, each reflecting the characteristic Icelandic rural way of life. These are usually smaller, family-owned homesteads, often situated at the foot of mountains and shaped by the surrounding landscape. Their architecture is adapted to Iceland's demanding climate, using practical materials such as concrete and corrugated metal.

On these farms, you will often see livestock typical of the region, particularly Icelandic sheep and cattle. Some, like those in Þórshöfn and near Reykjavík, are tucked into the landscape, while others are located right beside the road.

With these farms, our map designers tried to convey the narrow Icelandic roads, deep valleys, charcoal-colored rocks and soil, and farmsteads appearing as clusters of modest farm buildings nestled against the base of rugged mountains. Beyond them, you will see just vast stretches of land that extend far into the rocky highlands, with roaming sheep.

And that's all for today! If we got you excited about this map expansion, don't forget to support us by adding the Iceland DLC to your Steam wishlist. Remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed! Until next time, keep on trucking.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3796990/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2__Iceland/

We are excited that the 1.59 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now officially released and available on Steam! We hope you will enjoy all the new features, which you can read about in more detail below.

As always, we would like to thank everyone who took part in the open beta phase and reported possible issues or any kind of feedback on our forum, as it helped us fine-tune everything for a smooth transition to the full update!

We are happy to reveal that the long-awaited Benelux Rework project is released with this update! Our assets and map designers have completely rebuilt the whole original map of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg from scratch, delivering a richer, more detailed experience.

Truckers can explore a wide range of revamped major cities and their surroundings, including Amsterdam, Groningen, Rotterdam, Brussels, Liège, and Luxembourg City. Each location has been carefully redesigned to highlight its unique character with plenty of landmarks and details!

You can also look forward to hauling cargo through entirely new locations. These include Antwerp, home to one of Europe's largest container ports; the DAF Trucks facility in Eindhoven, which has been recreated with remarkable detail in close cooperation with our partners at DAF Trucks; as well as key transport corridors - the busy E40 and A2 motorway.

You'll be able to drive from the beautiful hilly landscapes of the Belgian Ardennes to the flat polders and picturesque coastal roads in the northern Netherlands - the reworked Benelux offers a diverse and varied environment that truly reflects the region's look and feel.

Whether you're cruising through dense city centers, navigating busy highways, or discovering scenic country routes, the Benelux region now offers a far more immersive and authentic journey. You can see more from what is coming in our already released blogs on this topic.

In partnership with our friends at Volvo Trucks, we are adding the renowned Volvo Trucks Experience Center, situated in Gothenburg, Sweden, to the map, where you can test your trucking skills.

The center's standout feature is its dedicated driving circuit, which incorporates sweeping bends, tighter technical corners, elevation changes, downhill stretches, and varied road layouts. This allows drivers to assess vehicle behaviour in a controlled environment, highlighting stability, braking precision, handling characteristics, and overall driving comfort in ways that go beyond everyday road conditions.

The Volvo Trucks Experience Center has been recreated almost entirely on a 1:1 scale in our map with a strong attention to detail. You can drive the full circuit and explore the surrounding areas of the facility.

To find this amazing facility, you need to venture around the roads near Gothenburg to discover an entrance that will initially not be shown on your GPS. And remember, since it is located in Sweden, you need the Scandinavia DLC to be able to visit it. You can read more about this addition here.

Thermo King, a global leader in transport temperature control, is coming to Euro Truck Simulator 2 with their trailer refrigeration units! These replace all the unbranded units we had on our base game and DLC reefer trailers so far. This adds an extra touch of realism when you are hauling temperature-sensitive cargo and spot a famous real-world brand on your trailer.

With this update, you can see the Thermo King A-360, A-400, A-500, SLXi-300, and SLXi-400 refrigeration units on the front of your single trailers, which deliver a range of trailer refrigeration performance to suit different transport needs. On top of that, we also added the UT-1400R unit, designed for double-trailer configurations and mounted beneath the trailer. Find out more about this update here.

We've been closely listening to feedback from our community, and one of the most common points raised in the new route advisor was that many players missed having quick access to information on vehicle damage and finances. While our teams are actively working on the next steps in our broader vision for a redesigned UI in this area, we didn't want to make you wait until that work is complete. Instead, we've prioritized implementing some of the most frequently requested improvements as soon as possible.

Based on that, we've implemented the Damage and Finances widgets. These widgets are designed to restore easy access to information about truck damage, plus trailer and cargo damage, if you are currently driving with a trailer and cargo, as well as your current bank balance, with an average profit over the last seven days displayed too.

These widgets can be turned on and off in the Widget Settings Menu, and if enabled, they will be displayed in the bottom right corner above your GPS.

The Tow to Road feature was designed to improve the overall quality of life for players by reducing frustrating situations during gameplay. It allows drivers to quickly recover if their truck overturns or gets stuck in a ditch or uneven terrain. It also helps prevent disruptions in multiplayer sessions, enabling players to continue with their convoy when they find themselves stuck, without the need to be towed to a service location, which could cause unnecessary delays.

So when you are in a difficult situation, you can simply find the new "Tow to Road" button under the Service menu (set to F7 by default). After paying a small fee for the towing service, you will be transported to your last safe location on the road. You can read more about this feature here.

The Skill Screen has received a visual rework while remaining in its original place within the interface. This update focuses on improving clarity and overall user experience without changing its core functionality.

You can now view both your current skill level and the next step in its progression. Tooltips also allow you to explore other ranks within each skill. Selecting a skill provides improved readability and clearer visual feedback, including a better indication of how many steps remain in that skill's progression path.

Each skill is represented as a clickable button, making it easy to access more detailed information. The redesign also improves navigation when using a controller.

We're continuing to refine the overall user experience with updates focused on readability, clarity, and smoother controller navigation.

The in-game news banner has received a visual refresh to better align with our newer UI style while improving readability. When hovering over a news item, a tooltip will now display a longer excerpt along with a clear call to action. Deactivated news items now feature a clearer status indicator, which also doubles as an activation button.

We're making navigation on the world map more intuitive for controller users. A new "undo last pin" feature has been added, along with remapped controls for adding, removing, setting avoid areas, and resetting pins.

Save handling has also been improved, with new saves now using the standard save icon instead of a black screenshot and overwriting clearly labeled as "Overwrite". Garage upgrade cutscenes can now be skipped more consistently using the (B) button, and the controller navigation has been further refined with improved D-pad accessibility across UI.

We've also made some adjustments to traffic audio as part of this update. Sounds have been softened and rebalanced to better match real-world perception, with less emphasis on distant engine noise and more on the subtle "road hiss" of tires. Honking behavior has also been slightly randomized to reduce repetition. Overall, traffic should now feel less intrusive and better integrated into the ambient soundscape.

We've also made a few improvements to the Height Blend feature. Derived normal maps can now be enabled to help conserve GPU memory, and we've also addressed several graphical issues to ensure more consistent, visually accurate results.

We've decided to temporarily disable the detour feature to focus on maintenance and further development. We've received numerous reports of Detours not functioning as intended, and the current system no longer meets our needs.

As a result, we'll be shutting down detours while we work on improving and upgrading the feature in the background to make it more stable and reliable. Please note that this change only affects detours - random road events will continue to be available in the game.

Map

• Benelux Rework Release

• Volvo Trucks Experience Center

Vehicles

• Thermo King Update

Gameplay

• Tow to Road Feature

UI/UX

• Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets

• Skills UX Redesign

• QoL UI/UX Changes

  • Improved News Banner Readability

  • World Map Pin Enhancements

  • Save Icon Update

  • Garage Cutscene Skipping

  • D-pad Accessibility Improvements

Visuals

• Height Blend Improvements

Sounds

• Traffic Sound Rework

Other

• Detour Feature Maintenance

Don't forget to also give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube a follow, as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed! Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Safe travels!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/227300/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2/

As the work on the Isle of Ireland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 continues, we thought about taking you behind the scenes of our work and showing you more about what a job as a researcher in SCS Software looks like. So today, we bring you an interview with our colleague Adam, who will tell you more about his work on the Isle of Ireland!

Adam joined SCS in 2022, and since then, his primary focus has been on map DLCs for Euro Truck Simulator 2.

"I've conducted research for the West Balkans, Greece, Nordic Horizons, and the reworks of Switzerland and the Benelux. The UK rework and the Isle of Ireland are the first two projects I've been tasked with overseeing for the Research & Game Development department. The Isle of Ireland is special to me for personal reasons as well, since this is the first time I have the opportunity to collaborate with my brother, who is the map lead for this DLC."

Adam is responsible for ensuring that the department prepares high-quality materials for the Isle of Ireland DLC in a timely manner for the other departments. "These aren't just references for map designers; other specialized departments — such as the vehicle, vegetation, and road design teams — also rely on our work. But I don't do this alone. Our team has experts for all of these various areas. I work alongside many talented and enthusiastic people," Adam explains.

So, how exactly does the process of research for map expansions look? The department's involvement begins long before any actual map building starts, laying the groundwork that shapes everything that follows.

"In the first phase, it was necessary to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with the history, culture, natural environment, relevant laws, and traffic regulations. In collaboration with the map lead, we selected the cities we wanted to include in the DLC, and I proposed which highways and roads would connect them. An important part of our work is also figuring out the placement of depots across the map so that the economy works for us. We have a specialist on our team dedicated to this very issue. With her help, and in collaboration with the map lead, we also prepared completely new economy depots for the DLC. We then researched exactly how they work and designed the best way to implement them in our game," Adam says.

Once the planning phase is complete, the team moves on to gathering detailed real-world references, capturing both the big picture and the subtle differences that make each location unique.

"The next step was collecting photographic data, during which our team "scanned" all the roads and towns, shot by shot, trying to capture what is typical for the island. We tried to capture the most important elements, but we also focused on the small details. I also emphasized that different parts of the island vary significantly, and it was necessary to take this into account. As an example, I can mention road markings, which are completely different between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland," he told us.

"The result of this phase of the project is a shortlist of the most important assets, which the asset department creates based on the source materials, so that map designers can subsequently use them to assemble the map. In the same way, and in collaboration with our vegetation specialist, specifications for the vegetation department are then developed," Adam explained to us.

The work of the department goes far beyond general research - it often requires diving deep into highly specific and technical details to ensure authenticity.

"We also need to understand the local culture, customs, and context. As an example, I can mention directional signs, where it was necessary to study manuals, and together with the road department, figure out how to approach the fact that specific dimensions vary from sign to sign - requiring a solution that respects reality while remaining technically feasible. In reality, all dimensions are based on the size of the lowercase letter "x," and once this value is determined, we divide it by 4 to get the so-called "Stroke Width," and all other elements - spacing, arrow size, borders, and the size of the sign itself - are calculated as multiples of this unit. And the size of "x" itself is influenced by the permitted speed and the type of sign."

But their work is far from over, and it won't be finished until the Isle of Ireland DLC is actually released. "We're continuing to prepare materials for the creation of new vehicles, assets, 3D character models, vegetation, and branding. We're also conducting quality checks directly in the editor and gathering all sorts of additional information," Adam told us.

The biggest challenge regarding research for the Isle of Ireland is that it is a vibrant and rapidly developing region, as new developments are constantly being built and the landscape is literally changing in front of your eyes.

"For example, the port of Rosslare underwent a major modernization last year, completely transforming its transportation layout. Waterford, meanwhile, is currently undergoing one of the largest urban transformations in its modern history. As for the architecture, perhaps the biggest challenge was to accurately capture the differences between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as to convey the character of the smaller, charming towns with their picturesque, colorful houses. It's satisfying when I manage to solve a problem and track down information or a reference that’s hard to find," he says.

To bring all that research and planning to life, the map team will carefully translate Ireland's unique character into the in-game world, giving players a lot to explore as they uncover the map filled with plenty of landmarks to discover.

"The Irish island has a rich and complex history and a strong cultural identity, all of which will be reflected in the map's design. The entire island is a landmark in its own right, thanks to its unique scenery, but players can look forward to downtown Dublin on the banks of the River Liffey, the Samson & Goliath cranes in Belfast Harbor, the peat bogs in central Ireland, the wild landscapes of Connemara and the Killarney area, and much more," Adam hints.

And with that, Adam and the whole team would like to send a final message to our #BestCommunityEver as they continue to work hard on bringing you another quality map.

"I hope we'll be able to capture the magical atmosphere of this landscape with its cozy, colorful towns. I hope players will appreciate the attention to detail, discover all sorts of easter eggs, and that we'll be able to convey to them the enthusiasm with which we've approached the Isle of Ireland DLC from the very beginning. I myself am looking forward to getting behind the wheel and driving along the winding roads that twist through the green hills."

We look forward to sharing more news from the Isle of Ireland in the future, so be sure to keep an eye on our blog for upcoming updates. Don't forget to add the expansion to your Steam Wishlist and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Bluesky, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until then, happy hauling!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3851260/Euro_Truck_Simulator_2__Isle_of_Ireland/