American Truck Simulator cruises into Illinois with a fresh expansion releasing mid-May, as SCS also tease a new truck

Your cargo's Chicago-bound

Fresh off adding a new feature that'll make my reckless driving a bit easier to recover from, SCS Software have announced a release date for American Truck Simulator's next expansion, as the game continues its trek from US west coast to East. Illinois is the latest destination and you'll be able to take to its highways on May 14th.

"Illinois showcases the best of what the USA has to offer. Hop into your rig, hit the legendary Route 66, and journey through Springfield, the state’s historic capital, to Chicago, one of the Midwest's most iconic cities," SCS wrote in the DLC's description.

"Travel alongside the mighty Mississippi River, which defines the state’s western border. Discover charming river towns, classic steamboats, and scenic vineyards dotting the landscape. In the southern part of Illinois, experience a blend of cities, lush farmland, and quaint small towns. Meanwhile, the northeastern region is a bustling hub of urban and suburban life, anchored by Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, nestled on the bank of Lake Michigan."

They add that once Illinois is out, you'll be able to drive the entirety of Route 66 in ATS, with the iconic highway running from the game's initial stomping ground of California all the way through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri before reaching Chicago. I can certainly see myself making a point of driving the length of it once the Road Trip mode SCS announced a while back brings lets me drive a regular car across its version of America.

That said, SCS are clearly still prioritising truckers at the moment, with this DLC date reveal having come alongside a teaser for a new truck set to arrive in the sim at some point soon. The latest version of Volvo's VNL rig looks to be the lorry in question, which is cool, though I do wish ATS had a few more retro-style lorries outside of the likes of the International 9900i and the Kenworth W900 if you opt to deck the latter out in such fashion.

Either way, it'll be interesting to see how big Chicago feels rendered in ATS' scale, as well as breeze through some more midwestern farmland when I fancy a break from runs through the pacific northwestern wilderness.

You can wishlist American Truck Simulator's Illinois expansion on Steam.