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The truck simulation genre is about to get significantly more competitive. Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive have announced Road Kings, a next-generation truck simulator that’s setting its sights squarely on the established dominance of American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2. With a closed beta coming in the coming months and a full release planned for 2026, this new contender promises to shake up the trucking game landscape.

What is Road Kings?

Road Kings is an ambitious new truck simulation game that puts players behind the wheel of a 40-ton semi, hauling cargo across the coastal plains of the American South. Starting from Jacksonville to the historic streets of Savannah, players will navigate through a story-driven experience that goes beyond the traditional point-A-to-point-B delivery model.

Developed by Saber Interactive Porto—the studio behind SnowRunner—and published by Focus Entertainment, Road Kings is being marketed as a “next-gen truck simulation” designed specifically for modern hardware including PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Closed Beta Registration Now Open

Eager truckers can already sign up for the closed beta test at Focus Entertainment’s TestZone website (https://testzone.focus-entmt.com/). While registration doesn’t guarantee access, it’s your best shot at getting an early look at what could be the genre’s next big thing. The beta is expected to launch within the coming months, giving players their first hands-on experience before the 2026 release.

How Does Road Kings Compare to ATS and ETS2?

The most significant departure from the SCS Software formula is Road Kings’ emphasis on storytelling. While ATS and ETS2 excel at providing a zen-like, meditative driving experience where you’re free to build your trucking empire at your own pace, Road Kings introduces a story-driven campaign. You’ll encounter rivals, allies, dangerous weather, and treacherous road conditions as you build your reputation from rookie driver to veteran owner-operator.

This narrative focus could appeal to players who found ATS and ETS2 too open-ended or lacking in structured progression. However, it remains to be seen whether traditional sim-trucking fans will embrace this more game-like approach or prefer the pure simulation experience they’ve come to love.

Regional Focus vs. Continental Scale

ATS and ETS2 have spent years building massive, continent-spanning road networks. Euro Truck Simulator 2, launched in 2012, now covers most of Europe through its base game and numerous map expansions. American Truck Simulator, since its 2016 launch, has been steadily expanding across the United States with detailed state recreations.

Road Kings is taking a different approach by focusing initially on the American South, specifically the coastal plains between Jacksonville and Savannah. This narrower geographic scope could allow for greater detail and more handcrafted environments, but it also means less variety at launch compared to the sprawling maps ATS and ETS2 players have come to expect.

Next-Gen Technology

Being built from the ground up for current-generation hardware, Road Kings promises graphical fidelity and technical features that older engines simply can’t match. SCS Software has done admirable work updating their engine over the years—adding features like ray-traced reflections and improved lighting—but they’re fundamentally working with a framework that dates back over a decade.

Saber Interactive’s experience with demanding titles like SnowRunner suggests Road Kings could deliver impressive physics simulation, weather effects, and environmental detail. The question is whether this visual and technical leap will be enough to overcome the deep gameplay systems and massive content libraries that ATS and ETS2 have built over nearly a decade of continuous development.

The Business Model Question

One advantage SCS Software has cultivated is player trust through their DLC model. Regular map expansions, truck packs, and cosmetic items have kept ATS and ETS2 fresh without feeling exploitative. How Focus Entertainment and Saber approach post-launch content for Road Kings will be crucial to its long-term success.

Can Road Kings Compete?

The truck simulation market has proven surprisingly robust, with both ATS and ETS2 maintaining active player bases years after launch. There’s clearly room for multiple games in this space, especially if they offer different experiences. Road Kings isn’t trying to be a direct clone of the SCS formula—it’s attempting to blend truck simulation with narrative adventure and modern production values.

Road Kings’ Competitive Advantages:

• Fresh start with modern technology: Built for current-gen hardware without legacy engine limitations
• Story-driven experience: Appeals to players who want more structure and narrative in their trucking
• Saber’s simulation expertise: The SnowRunner team knows how to make vehicles feel authentic
• Console focus: True next-gen console versions from day one, not ports of older PC games

Challenges Facing Road Kings:

• Competing with a decade of content: ATS and ETS2 have hundreds of hours of content and thousands of miles of roads
• Established community: SCS Software has built a massive, loyal fanbase with extensive mod support
• Simulation depth: Matching the nuanced truck handling, realistic traffic AI, and authentic trucking experience will be difficult
• Map size at launch: Starting with just the American South means less variety than established competitors
• Unproven formula: The story-driven approach might alienate sim-trucking purists

The Verdict: A Welcome Addition to the Genre

Rather than viewing Road Kings as a direct threat to ATS and ETS2, it’s better understood as an expansion of the truck simulation genre. Just as racing games range from hardcore sims like iRacing to arcade experiences like Forza Horizon, there’s room for different approaches to trucking games.

For players who love the pure, meditative experience of ATS and ETS2, Road Kings probably won’t replace their favorite games. But for those interested in a more structured, story-driven trucking adventure with cutting-edge graphics, it could be exactly what they’ve been waiting for.

The closed beta will be crucial in determining whether Saber Interactive has successfully balanced simulation authenticity with narrative engagement. If they can deliver the physics and vehicle handling that sim fans expect while wrapping it in an compelling story, Road Kings could carve out its own successful niche.

The best-case scenario for truck simulation fans? Road Kings succeeds and pushes SCS Software to continue innovating, creating healthy competition that benefits everyone. The worst case? Even if Road Kings doesn’t quite hit the mark, it will have shown there’s enough interest in the genre to support new AAA entries, which bodes well for future truck sims.

One thing is certain: 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for virtual truckers. Whether you’re team SCS or ready to try something new, the road ahead looks promising.

Stay tuned to trucksim.top for more updates on Road Kings, including our hands-on impressions once the closed beta launches.