Nestled right in the heart of the Prairie State, Champaign offers a warm welcome to every trucker passing through. In our upcoming Illinois map expansion for American Truck Simulator, you'll get the chance to experience its unique spirit firsthand - let's take a look at what awaits you.
Lying about 135 miles southwest of Chicago, Champaign forms a vibrant twin-city area with neighboring Urbana, often collectively called Champaign-Urbana. With its combination of small-town comfort, college-town energy, and Midwestern heritage, the city has a stand-out character. It is perhaps best known for the local university, a nationally recognized public institution with roots dating back to 1867.
The university campus is one of Champaign's main highlights, and we wanted to capture its atmosphere in this upcoming DLC. Our asset and map designers have carefully recreated several campus-inspired buildings as landmarks, including a modern instructional facility, an electrical and computer engineering building, and a large research institute, along with a small sign paying homage to the university itself.
Champaign's in-game cityscape features several other recognizable buildings, such as the city hall, hospital, church, a few higher-story buildings, and even a local park, all faithfully recreated to reflect their real-world counterparts, so if you are familiar with the town, you'll recognize some of these locations as you drive through.
While the university may be the city's most famous landmark, there's much more to discover in Champaign. The city takes pride in its vibrant cultural scene and growing agritourism, with many local farms offering tours where visitors can learn more about the region's rich agricultural traditions.
Agriculture, centered mainly on corn and soybeans, remains a vital part of the local economy, alongside food processing and other industries. To reflect this in the game, we've included a food processing depot where players can deliver and pick up cargo tied to this important industry. Besides that, if you're in the area and looking for work, be sure to stop by the local car dealer, furniture store, or warehouse depot to pick up another load!
If you are eager to visit Champaign in the upcoming Illinois DLC, make sure to add this map expansion to your Steam wishlist! Remember to stay tuned for more American Truck Simulator news by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. We will see you on the road!