American Truck Simulator is looking at an extremely busy 2024, with three new states on the way for the wildly popular simulation game about driving a truck around the mostly western bits of the Continental United States. Except, here in 2024, it's pushing quite far East, isn't it?
As announced last summer, Nebraska and Arkansas are on the way this year, and SCS Software has now announced they'll be joined by the Show-Me State: Missouri.
SCS Software says that Missouri will be the first state where drivers can see the Mississippi River, the United States' second-longest but definitely most-famous river. Missouri will be an interesting one to add, specifically because it has a lot of neat landscape to drive: River valleys, sprawling urban areas, farmland, and the rugged terrain of the Ozark plateau.
"The iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis stands tall, symbolizing westward expansion, while the Ozark Mountains provide a scenic backdrop for outdoor enthusiasts. From the bustling city life of Kansas City to the serene landscapes, Missouri captivates with its unique charm and promises a journey marked by historic sites, such as Mark Twain's birthplace and a taste of authentic American culture," says American Truck Simulator developer SCS Software.
They also say that Underground Warehouses await in Missouri, which I hope means that insane giant limestone mine they turned into an underground storage facility outside Kansas City is in the game—in spirit, at least, if not in precise name. Or maybe the Springfield Underground? Now that I think about it, if there are two of them... there are probably even more.
We don't know the precise release date for any of the upcoming states yet, but the assumption is that Nebraska and Arkansas are coming before Missouri—I dunno, though. The Mississippi river is in Arkansas too, and they say we're seeing it first in Missouri. We'll wait and see what SCS Software says.
You can read the announcements for Nebraska, Arkansas, and Missouri on Steam. That's also where you can gape, amazed, that a game with this much DLC has this many positive reviews.
At this rate, I'm starting to honestly believe they'll actually do a 1:20 truck simulation map of all 48 lower United States. What then? Canada? Alaska? Mexico? American Truck Simulator 2?