Fresh news from the Prairie State just got delivered! In today's blog, we would like to show you how we are progressing with the Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator by showcasing a selection of settlements you will discover in this state, so let's dive in.

Apart from the big cities where you will often deliver cargo to and from, you will also encounter these smaller towns on the road. Our map designers are putting together a total of 11 settlements for Illinois, and today, we are showing you a selection of them.

Monmouth is one of the first towns you will discover when driving from Iowa into Illinois, located near the state line in western Illinois, northwest of Peoria[blog.scssoft.com]. Established in 1831, it serves as the county seat of Warren County. The local economy is rooted in agriculture, and the town is well known for hosting annual maple and beef festivals that celebrate its rural heritage. In the game, Monmouth will be easy to recognize thanks to its beautiful historic landmarks, including the Warren County Courthouse and Monmouth City Hall.

Continuing south along Route 67, you'll arrive in Macomb, the county seat of McDonough County, established in 1829. The town is perhaps best known for "Macombopoly", the world's largest game of its kind, featuring oversized game pieces displayed around the lawn of the McDonough County Courthouse. The installation pays tribute to the classic board game and its inspiration, which was created by one of the town's residents. To reflect this unique piece of local history, a recreation of the courthouse, along with one of the statues that commemorates this connection, has been included in the map.

At the junction of Interstate 39 and Route 24 lies the small town of El Paso, home to just over 2,000 residents. In the past, El Paso served as an important railroad hub. Its local freight depot became historically significant and, following the decline of rail transport, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In later years, the depot was transformed into an archbishop center, which is now a distinctive local landmark that has also been recreated in the game.

Chenoa, located in McLean County, is one of the towns along the historic Route 66. In recognition of this iconic highway, the game features a roadside attraction inspired by its real-world counterpart in Chenoa, paying tribute to the legendary route. Farther along the road, you'll also spot a recreation of a small historic red wooden house, which today operates as a gift shop.

Continuing on Route 24 from Chenoa, you will arrive in the town of Gilman. Being located on the intersection of Interstate 57, Route 24, and Route 45, it has been nicknamed "The City of the Crossroads", which is also reflected on its welcome sign in the real world and our game as well.

In the western part of the state lies the city of Beardstown, historically known as the "Belle of the Bend" because of its prominent location on a curve of the Illinois River. The town's characteristic name comes from its founder, Thomas Beard, who settled there in 1819, when he built a log cabin at the edge of the river, from which he traded with the local native Americans and ran a ferry.

If you like this preview of the Illinois DLC, make sure to add this map expansion to your Steam wishlist! Don't forget to stay tuned for more American Truck Simulator news by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook[www.facebook.com], Instagram[www.instagram.com], Threads[www.threads.com], Bluesky[bsky.app], and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter[www.scssoft.com]. Until next time, happy haulin'!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3486960/American_Truck_Simulator__Illinois/

We’re back with a brand new episode of our SCS On The Road series! Last year, we had the privilege of visiting and taking a look around Veteráni na Truc[veteraninatruc.cz], a local Czech company specialising in importing, selling, and servicing heritage and classic cars, as well as American vehicles, in Czechia. Here, we had the opportunity to get up close to some truly iconic machines, including the legendary 1969 Dodge Charger!

The Dodge Charger is an iconic American muscle car, instantly recognisable thanks to its bold fastback design and unmistakable presence on the road. Powered by a range of legendary V8 engines, this classic car has become a symbol of raw performance, leaving a lasting mark on automotive history and popular culture alike. So, for us to have the opportunity to see one up close in our home country was something quite special! We couldn’t leave without taking the time for a walk-around of this legend and sharing it with you.

We’d like to extend a big thank you to the brothers Ondřej and Jiří Truc, Jan Lancinger and the fantastic team at Veteráni na Truc, for welcoming us, sharing their storiy, and allowing us to record it for you. What started as a family passion has grown into a well-known Czech specialist in classic, heritage, and American cars, with a strong focus on preserving automotive history, much of which you’ll hear about in this episode.

Of course, there was some important work to be done too, as we also spent time capturing valuable reference material, including video footage and authentic vehicle sounds from their collection for our upcoming American Truck Simulator Road Trip DLC!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to show some love to Veteráni na Truc and the amazing work they do! We highly recommend checking out their website here[veteraninatruc.cz], and following them on social media channels (Facebook[www.facebook.com], Instagram[www.instagram.com], YouTube), where they regularly share photos of their vehicles, restoration projects, and behind-the-scenes insights from their workshop. 

We’ve got plenty of SCS On The Road episodes planned and lined up for 2026, so be sure to subscribe to our official YouTube channel so you don’t miss any upcoming releases. Thank you for your continued support, likes, and comments and we look forward to seeing you on the road again soon!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3793190/American_Truck_Simulator__RAM__Dodge_Car_Pack/