ETS2 Benelux Rework: Everything We Know So Far
If you’ve been waiting for SCS Software to finally modernize one of Euro Truck Simulator 2’s oldest regions — your time is coming. Project Benelux is well underway, and based on everything revealed so far, it’s shaping up to be one of the most ambitious base-map overhauls in the game’s history.
What Is Project Benelux?
Announced in February 2025, Project Benelux covers a complete ground-up rebuild of all three Benelux countries — Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. SCS Software It follows directly from the Germany city rework completed in update 1.53. The region had remained almost completely unchanged since ETS2’s initial release back in 2012.
The project is a major team effort. Lead designer Jan H. confirmed that 10 map designers are working on the project, alongside contributors from the Research, QA, Assets, and Programming departments.
New Cities and Roads
Among the headline additions are brand-new cities like Antwerp and Eindhoven, plus major road routes including the A2 motorway, a large portion of the E40 highway, and the scenic N57 road in the Netherlands.
Here’s a breakdown of every location confirmed so far:
Brussels, Belgium — the Belgian capital’s road network has been reworked, connecting major industrial areas like Forest and Anderlecht to strategic logistics districts such as Schaerbeek.
Antwerp, Belgium — previewed in December 2025 as one of the new cities being added as part of the rework.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg — SCS promises the city will be elevated to the quality standard players expect from modern ETS2, delivering an experience that is far from small despite the country’s size.
Eindhoven + DAF Trucks Facility, Netherlands — Eindhoven is being introduced as a completely new city, with recognizable landmarks including the Lichtnaald sculpture and the iconic UFO-shaped Evoluon building. The DAF Trucks manufacturing facility in Eindhoven is also included.
Groningen, Netherlands — the city has been fully rebuilt from the ground up. A major highlight is the accurate recreation of the N7 ring road, including its real-life underground section. Industrial areas include furniture stores, logistics depots, grocery warehouses, and a large modern sugar factory. Closer to the city center, drivers will pass the Verbindingkanaal canal, the main railway station, the bus terminal, and the architecturally striking Groningen Museum.
New Gameplay Features
Players can look forward to delivering to reworked depots and entirely new industries, including a sugar beet processing factory, as well as new landmarks scattered across the region.
The team has been open about the unique challenges of the region: the Benelux countries are rich in complex highway infrastructure, waterways, canals, dams, locks, and drawbridges, with terrain ranging from flat northern plains criss-crossed by canals to the dramatic scenery of the Ardennes in Belgium and Luxembourg.
One notable first for the ETS2 base map: the Benelux rework will introduce custom depots to Europe — a feature that had previously only been available in American Truck Simulator.
When Does It Release?
No official release date has been announced. SCS head Pavel suggested during a Christmas 2025 stream that Benelux was targeting update 1.58 SCS Software, though the rework did not ship with 1.58 when it released in February 2026. Given the increasing frequency of devblogs through early 2026, a release in the first half of the year seems likely.
Project Benelux isn’t a visual touch-up — it’s a full reconstruction of one of the game’s oldest map sections. New cities, reworked capitals, hundreds of kilometers of new roads, canals, drawbridges, custom depots, and new industries, all built from scratch by a dedicated team of over 10 map designers. It’s going to be a big one.
Keep an eye on the official SCS blog at blog.scssoft.com for the latest updates.
How to Download and Setup Promods 2.81
Latest Promods 2.81 for ETS2 1.58 is currently requiring all map DLC. In the guide below as always you will find step by step instruction, but please watch carefully and don’t ask about archives on the Youtube.
Illinois gameplay
38 minutes gameplay of upcoming expansion for American Truck Simulator is available on official SCS Youtube channel. That means that new DLC is around the corner.
I also collected available footages from developers with new expansion teasers:
American Truck Simulator: Everything We Know About the Upcoming Illinois DLC
Hidden Roads Study – March, 13 2026
Since the last update we have numerous new secret roads in ATS 1 .58 I was thinking about updating the guide for America – I found already 18 new hidden roads and still in progress (mostly checking the correctness of them than discovery). But I believe soon we will see also new Illinois DLC so can expect new secrets on that new state. Unfortunately youtube rank and promote older videos first and below guides have a very bad discoverability and low views. So I don’t want to spent a lot of time for guide with 700 views.
Below you find all hidden roads in ATS and ETS2 found in version 1.57.
You can see the complete list of cities with hidden paths here: https://trucksim.top/y9t6. It is probably won’t help you with exact secrets locations but you can check if you missed any.
I’m sharing found hidden secret roads in both American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2 periodically since 2022 when this feature been released on ETS2 and ATS 1.44. But maybe right now it is time to freeze the series and let others do this job.
ETS2 (updated 01.24.2026, actual on 1.58 with Scandinavia Refresh and Nordic Horizon DLC, 110 roads so far)
ATS (updated 12.26.2025, actual on 1.57 with Louisiana DLC, 245 roads so far)
New hidden roads with footages on Route 66 (collection of videos)
American Truck Simulator: Everything We Know About the Upcoming Illinois DLC
American Truck Simulator continues its expansion into the American Midwest, and one of the most anticipated upcoming map expansions is the Illinois DLC. This new state will bring players to the heart of the U.S. transportation network, featuring major cities, iconic highways, and a diverse economy centered around agriculture, industry, and logistics.
Based on official developer posts from SCS Software and available previews, here is everything currently known about the upcoming Illinois map expansion.
Welcome to the Prairie State
The Illinois DLC was officially announced in February 2025. The state is often called the Prairie State, known for its vast farmland, historic towns, and one of the most important transportation hubs in the United States.
In ATS, Illinois will allow players to:
- Drive along historic routes such as Route 66
- Explore the state capital Springfield
- Visit the massive metropolitan area of Chicago
- Travel through agricultural regions and industrial corridors
The state sits in a key geographic position connecting the Midwest with the rest of the country, which makes it an important logistics hub both in real life and in the game.
Cities Expected in the Illinois DLC
According to teasers and previews, Illinois will include a mix of major cities and smaller towns. The currently known or expected cities include:
- Chicago
- Springfield
- Peoria
- Champaign
- Bloomington
- Rockford
- Quincy
- Effingham
- Marion
- East St. Louis
- Moline
These locations will allow players to experience a mix of large metropolitan areas, mid-sized industrial cities, and smaller agricultural communities.
Detailed City Previews
Peoria
One of the cities already showcased by SCS is Peoria, located along the Illinois River.
In ATS, the city will include:
- Industrial depots related to heavy equipment manufacturing
- A custom river port depot
- Scenic riverfront driving routes
- Connections via Interstate 74 and US Route 24
Peoria’s strong manufacturing heritage and river logistics will play an important role in the cargo economy of the region.
Champaign
Another previewed city is Champaign, part of the Champaign-Urbana metropolitan area.
Highlights expected in ATS include:
- University-inspired landmarks and buildings
- A recognizable downtown skyline
- Agricultural industries such as corn and soybean farming
- Depots like food processing plants, warehouses, and retail stores
The region will represent the agricultural heart of Illinois, providing a variety of cargo opportunities for players.
Smaller Towns and Settlements
In addition to the main cities, the Illinois DLC will feature at least 11 smaller settlements. These towns help make the map feel more realistic and provide additional road connections and scenery.
One example shown by the developers is Monmouth, a historic agricultural town in western Illinois near the Iowa border.
These settlements will likely include:
- Small agricultural communities
- Scenic rural roads
- Truck stops and service areas
Industries and Cargo
Illinois is one of the most economically diverse states in the U.S., and the DLC will reflect that with a wide range of industries.
Expected cargo sectors include:
- Agriculture (corn, soybeans, farm supplies)
- Food processing
- Manufacturing and heavy equipment
- Logistics and warehousing
- River and rail transportation
The state is also known for its role in national exports and manufacturing, making it a natural fit for ATS freight operations.
Roads and Truck Stops
Developers have already teased several truck stops and highway facilities located across the state, including rest areas near:
- Peoria
- Rockford
- Effingham
- Rend Lake
These locations will provide realistic rest areas for long-distance trucking routes through the Midwest.
Illinois is expected to feature major interstate connections, including corridors linking the state with neighboring DLC regions.
Expected Release Window
While no official release date has been announced yet, community expectations suggest the Illinois DLC may arrive sometime in 2026, possibly as one of the next ATS map expansions after the current development pipeline.
Final Thoughts
The Illinois DLC represents an important step in the eastward expansion of American Truck Simulator. With major logistics hubs like Chicago, historic highways like Route 66, and a mix of industry and agriculture, the Prairie State has the potential to become one of the most interesting regions in the game.
As development continues, we can expect more previews showcasing new cities, industries, landmarks, and highways from this upcoming expansion.
For now, Illinois already looks like a promising addition to the growing ATS map.
ATS 1.58 Secret Roads of Route 66 Rework
I continue to discover reworked map of Route 66 in ATS 1.58 and found already 15 hidden markable roads. Not sure that I will update Big guide until Illinois DLC this spring. Latest videos attract less attention and have very low views.
Below you can see couple videos with hidden paths in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
And overall 1.58 changes and Route 66 teasers
Promods 2.81 Released – Guide How to Download and Setup
New Promods 2.81 has just been released. You can enjoy new version on the ETS2 1.58 but note that all map DLC are required. In the guide below as always you will find step by step instruction, but please watch carefully and don’t ask about archives on the Youtube.
Hidden Roads Study – February, 18 2025
Since the last update we have numerous new secret roads in ATS 1 .58 I was thinking about updating the guide for America – I found already 10 new hidden roads and still in progress. But I believe soon we will see also new Illinois DLC so can expect new secrets on that new state. Unfortunately youtube rank and promote older videos first and below guides have a very bad discoverability and low views. So I don’t want to spent a lot of time for guide with 700 views.
Below you find all hidden roads in ATS and ETS2 found in version 1.57.
You can see the complete list of cities with hidden paths here: https://trucksim.top/y9t6. It is probably won’t help you with exact secrets locations but you can check if you missed any.
I’m sharing found hidden secret roads in both American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2 periodically since 2022 when this feature been released on ETS2 and ATS 1.44. But maybe right now it is time to freeze the series and let others do this job.
ETS2 (updated 01.24.2026, actual on 1.57 with Scandinavia Refresh and Nordic Horizon DLC, 110 roads so far)
ATS (updated 12.26.2025, actual on 1.57 with Louisiana DLC, 245 roads so far)
ATS 1.58 Secret Roads of Route 66 Rework
I continue to discover reworked map of Route 66 in ATS 1.58 and found already 10 hidden markable roads. Not sure that I will update Big guide until Illinois DLC this spring. Latest videos attract less attention and have very low views.
Below you can see couple videos with hidden paths in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
And overall 1.58 changes and Route 66 teasers
Euro Truck Simulator 2: 1.58 Released
A day after America new version 1.58 released for Europe. It is also major update with significant changes in the game including UX/UI, physics and new Route advisor. Good news for fans of Driving Academy as well. Also in ETS2 here we have refresh for several trucks. But not dramatic impact on map – no new roads but enhancements for bus stations.
Changelog
Gameplay
- Driving Academy – Double Trailer Handling
Vehicles
- Renault Trucks T Update
- Scania R & S Update
- IVECO S-Way 6×2 Update
- Vehicle Behaviour, Physics & Collisions Update
Map
- Map Changes in Preparations for Coaches
UI
- Tutorial Redesign & Contextual Hints
- Route Advisor Redesign
- Quick Info Feature
- Truck Configurator Improvements
- Management Screen Improvements