Beloved, 13-year-old simulator game hits a new Steam peak as stunning DLC lets you cruise beneath the Northern Lights

Viral clips of role-playing streamers. Bespoke gaming setups costing thousands of dollars to enhance immersion. Countless DLC expansions. I even learned today that there are competitive community tournaments going on. This probably doesn't sound like I'm talking about one of the best simulation games, but I am - it's Euro Truck Simulator 2. Despite it being 13 years since players first got their hands on it, the mania around the ETS2 has continued to swell, and in the wake of it getting a double dose of DLC and a hefty discount, it's just hit its biggest Steam peak ever.

In the arena of 'games that are basically a second job that you play from the comfort of your gaming chair,' Euro Truck Simulator 2 is one of the main superpowers. Its relaxing yet intricate road trips, plethora of content through both official and modded means, and potential for viral moments (largely of livestreamers driving much faster than a 20-ton truck ever should) have resulted in impressive longevity. It's so well-supported, it's even started looking beyond just trucks, with driveable coaches arriving in the future.

At the tail end of last week, two more DLC packs joined the already huge offering of add-ons. Nordic Horizons is a major expansion, adding a huge network of roads connecting 40 brand new, Scandinavian cities. From the west coast of Norway, to the Swedish wilderness, to Santa Claus Village in the Lapland region of Finland, it's a massive DLC. You can even now truck your way to the northernmost driveable point in Europe, the A route all the way to the iconic Nordkapp globe at the very top of Norway. To top off the gorgeous scenery, you might even encounter the Northern Lights.

Alongside Nordic Horizons is the Forest Machinery pack, a smaller DLC inspired by one found in ETS2's cousin, American Truck Simulator. This adds some massive forestry equipment as new cargo for you to haul, such as wood chippers, log harvesters, and mulchers.

This double hit of DLC, plus the fact that Euro Truck Simulator 2 is very cheap at the moment (more on that in a moment) has led to a surge in players, taking things to new heights on Steam. ETS2 has tickled the 70,000 peak a few times, but on Sunday, November 30, it hit a new concurrent player record of 72,686. Impressive stuff for a 13-year-old game.

As mentioned, the barrier to entry is very low at the moment - Euro Truck Simulator 2 is currently 75% off, making the base game just $4.99 / £4.22 until Thursday, December 11. There are chunky discounts on bundles too, which throw in various DLC packs and expansions. You can check those offers out on its Steam page here.

However, if you think a massive discount is the number one reason why ETS2 has broken its own record, you're looking in the wrong place - it's regularly discounted and has been even cheaper than this at points. This is all to do with community support and that huge Scandinavian expansion, and with no signs of that letting up, this might not be the last time I write about Euro Truck Simulator 2 reaching new heights.