In SCS Software’s long history of creating trucking sims, the company has never really pushed for multiplayer functionality. Even with its now long-running existing sister games American Truck Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator 2, they have remained as officially single-player only releases. That is, until now.
SCS Software has formally introduced multiplayer functionality to its engine, starting with beta tests over in American Truck Simulator. This comes via a new game mode called Convoy. Fun fact: while “convoy” is a trucking term used to refer to a team of vehicles, it’s also the tagline for the fourth entry of SCS Software’s 18 Wheels of Steel series. Nevertheless, the concept of the new Convoy Mode remains the same here in the current sims: it’s all about teaming up and delivering the same cargo to and from the same destination (or just occupy the same world).
Players are able to tag along with up to seven others in a totally synchronized session. That means the AI traffic, time of day, and weather (to a degree) will be the same for each player. As great as this is, it’ll only work if all of the players have the same set of cargo and map DLCs that the host player has. Also, World of Truck external contracts are not yet supported. These are just a few of the limitations, but overall, most things you would expect have been left intact.
Tag-teaming
With the new mode only being in beta, SCS advises that there might be some bugs and glitches present. The team already has “a long list of improvements and features already collected to consider for future major updates,” but the it’s open to feedback garnered during this experimental phase.
This testing phase is so small that SCS hasn’t even promoted it on its official blog or social media pages as it does with most other new features and content that are implemented into its two sims. Instead, the only mention of it so far has been a forum post that provides more little details.
Even so, American Truck Simulator owners are free to test it out via the Steam beta options menu.
There’s currently no definite release date for the full version of the Convoy mode or any mention of when Euro Truck Simulator 2 faithfuls can also expect multiplayer to be brought over to their side of the territory, but it will come in due time.
