American Truck Simulator breaks Steam player record after adding car gameplay

American Truck Simulator has set a new all-time concurrent-player record on Steam following the release of its Road Trip: Ford DLC. SteamDB recorded a peak of 21,318 players on September 29, the highest figure since SCS Software launched the game in 2016.

The milestone arrived on the same day as Road Trip: Ford, which expands the simulator beyond its usual trucking career by letting players drive regular cars. SCS celebrated after the concurrent count passed 20,000, although the player data alone cannot show how much of the increase came specifically from the new DLC.

Road Trip: Ford unlocks a new Car Mode with its own gameplay and progression. Instead of hauling large trailers across the U.S., players can explore the map in four licensed Ford vehicles.

The initial lineup includes the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, 2023 Ford F-150, 2023 Ford Bronco and the Crown Victoria produced between 1998 and 2012. Players can customize the vehicles with paint options and accessories before taking them onto the same road network used by trucks.

Car Mode does not remove delivery work completely. Smaller packages can be transported through Quick Jobs and the Dispatch Market, with players building a separate courier reputation as they complete jobs.

The DLC also supports players who simply want to drive around the game's recreation of the United States. Its Atlas system introduces Tourist Boards that reveal nearby landmarks and other locations to visit.

Finding those locations can reward collectible postcards while giving players more reasons to explore areas away from normal freight routes. At launch, the system covers California along with Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota for players who own the relevant map expansions.

SCS plans to add Atlas support to more states through future updates. Players who still prefer trucks can also use the feature without switching into Car Mode once Road Trip: Ford is installed.

Cars and trucks can share the road in Convoy multiplayer as well. This allows groups to mix the new Road Trip gameplay with the traditional trucking experience during the same session.

Before September 29, American Truck Simulator's Steam concurrent-player record had stood at roughly 19,100 players since its February 2016 launch. The Road Trip release pushed the game beyond 20,000 simultaneous players for the first time more than a decade later.

The spike also came shortly after SCS released its South Dakota map expansion on September 24, adding 13 cities and 21 smaller settlements. That update may also have contributed to renewed activity around the game.

Road Trip: Ford costs $7.99 and requires the base version of American Truck Simulator. SCS describes it as the first release under the wider Road Trip project, meaning the new car-focused side of the simulator is expected to expand beyond the four Ford vehicles introduced at launch.