It started quite some time ago now. Back in 2013 the small Czech-based independent game developer SCS Software released the successor game to their previous Euro Truck Simulator and it is safe to say that they probably didn’t even dared to dream of it becoming such a successful enterprise as it developed into.
The game idea is simple – the player acts as a truck driver and drives either as a contracted driver or with a truck cab of his own ownership goods from a pick-up point to a delivery point. The base game gives the player the opportunity to drive commercial lorries (or trucks, depending on what English dialect you prefer) across parts of western Europe and the United Kingdom. Good enough in itself, but why stop there? The game provides for what could only be seen as the most natural way of using DLCs ever – by expanding the driveable map.
At the 2013 premiere, players were given the opportunity to drive their truck through parts of Western and Central Europe. In terms of graphics, the game was not in the top class by the standards of the time, but there was nothing wrong with the gaming experience. Many players – including yours truly – discovered that there was a certain beauty and relaxation in simply driving their truck through Europe.
New parts of Europe have since been opened up with the releases of a series of map DLCs. The first in the line, Going East, added the remaining parts of Central Europe and then new pieces of the European map followed twice a year. Scandinavia adds Denmark and the southern parts of Sweden and Norway. Vive La France France, and Italia expands the map with Italy. Road to the Black Sea includes Romania, Bulgaria and the European part of Turkey, while Beyond the Baltic Sea expands the drivable area with the three Baltic countries as well as southern Finland, Königsberg/Kaliningrad, and the Saint Petersburg area. Then it was time for Iberia with Spain and Portugal.
After that, external circumstances made for a longer break in the DLC release than usual. The original plan was to add a bigger chunk of Russia to the map with the DLC Heart of Russia, but due to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, SCS decided that particular DLC will be shelved until further notice. Instead the development shifted to the West Balkans DLC which will be released in October 2023 and then adds the remaining Balkan countries.
Graphically, the game gives a somewhat mixed impression. You can’t get away from the fact that the oldest parts are now perceived as slightly outdated. This applies in particular to Great Britain but also parts of the Benelux, the Czech Republic and Switzerland as well as the map parts from the first DLC Going East. Even the Scandinavia DLC has the older “style”. The Vive La France DLC was the first to be constructed according to SCS’s updated method and level of detail and the difference is noticeable. In order to remedy those differences, SCS has for some years now begun to go back and gradually update the older landscapes, starting in Germany. Now in 2023, all of Germany has received the graphic update and Austria has been completely redesigned from the ground up. The ongoing update project is currently Switzerland, after which it will most likely be time for the remaining countries included in the base game.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a game made for relaxation first and foremost. The system of map expansions in the form of DLCs is experienced logically and naturally and even if the total price of the game if you want to be able to experience the largest possible road network becomes relatively high, it feels acceptable because you do not need the DLCs to be able to experience the feeling of gliding along a truck across Europe. The base game is good enough as a first taste and has all the features, just not as big a map. For those who want to acquire DLCs, it should also be mentioned that they are sold at a discounted price during all sales periods on e.g. Steam and the older the DLC the bigger the discount.
