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Euro Truck Simulator 2: Heart of Russia is an upcoming map expansion DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2.
The DLC will feature the continuation of Russia, initially introduced in the Beyond the Baltic Sea map expansion.
“
Visit Russia, home to a rich cultural heritage and history. As the world's largest country by total area, Russia showcases a wide diversity of landforms, climate, and, well, everything.
Expand your travels to the east, stretching from the already explored Saint Petersburg in the Beyond the Baltic Sea DLC, further into the south and east. Visit the heart of Russia and admire its beauty full of breathtaking and sometimes even wild nature, just as well cities, where you can expect seeing stunning historic buildings from the recent and bygone times.
”
~ Euro Truck Simulator 2 - Heart of Russia Steam Store page[1]
Current postponement
The development of the Heart of Russia DLC at this moment is currently delayed and is under standstill of development due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There has been no single announcement of the development of Heart of Russia coming to a complete end, canceling the DLC. As of May 30, 2022, it is exactly unknown when the DLC will release.
History of its postponement
“
In the early days we were like, "maybe it will be over quickly". ... But it was definitely clear that we couldn't follow the planned track: To communicate further about the beauty of the territory of Russia. ... We had basically been in like a testing process; We were just tuning it, and now we've got this DLC in the drawer that we can't release at the moment. I can't find any excuse now, even if we donate all the income to Ukraine.
”
~ Pavel Šebor in an interview with Vortex
In an interview for the Czech gaming website Vortex on March 14, 2022, SCS Software PR and Marketing Manager Daniel Němec and CEO Pavel Šebor announced the indefinite postponement of the DLC due to Russia's invasion against Ukraine. Daniel explained in the interview that one group is telling the community the logics that SCS should release the DLC because the "trees, roads and the hills are not to be blamed", and then Pavel stated that the name 'Heart of Russia' was like an "emotionally charged name", which would sound like SCS is "provoking or hurting people" due to the current situation. Development of the DLC was a "sensitive thing" at that moment, although Pavel said that the team will "complete it, close it, finish testing and have it ready," but not release it.
“
We strongly believe that there is hope for the proud people of Ukraine to prevail and for the suffering to end for all. Injustice cannot and must not win. And, when the time comes for Ukraine to rebuild and heal, then we will endeavour to find a way for our Heart of Russia DLC to play whatever part it can in that healing process, for everyone.
In a blog post about the statement of the DLC on May 30, development of Heart of Russia was refrained until the situation ends and heal, however there was no announcement of the "cancelation" of the DLC. The team also stated that the DLC was 6-8 weeks before completion, which means April 2022 would have been the release month of the DLC.
DLC Features
Explore the heart of Russia, Moscow, and beyond
Drive along and see amazing sights of the Volga and Oka rivers
Feel the spirit of Russian history driving through centuries-old cities and picking up cargo at modern depots
Get lost in the deep forests and in the open landscape of the European Plain
19 new industries were revealed on the game files of update 1.44 Open Beta:
The Steam header of Heart of Russia between January 17, 2022 and February 25, 2022.
On January 17, 2022, the Steam header for the Heart of Russia Steam Store page was updated, which included a truck, the MAN TGX EfficientLine 3, and the background was changed from the countryside to Moscow. On February 25, 2022, the Steam header for the Heart of Russia Steam Store page was downgraded back to its first appearance, the Russian countryside.
If and when the DLC is released, it will contain the game's new northernmost city (Petrozavodsk) and easternmost city (Saransk).
Release History
SCS Software first hinted about the DLC in blog post about celebrating the 8th Anniversary of Euro Truck Simulator 2 posted on 19 October 2020. After that, SCS released information about the DLC in their blog:
19 October 2020: SCS makes a blog post celebrating and thanking the community for the 8th Anniversary of Euro Truck Simulator 2 and as a reward, SCS teases the first screenshots in pre-alpha stages of the next map expansion after Iberia.[9] Members of the community identify the screenshots' locations as being near the Russian town of Poshekhonye.[10]
21 December 2020: In the SCS Christmas Stream, the team reveals more screenshots of the next map expansion after Iberia.[11] Members of the community identify one of the screenshots, a intersection which is part of the Moscow ring road.[12]
5 March 2021: First official blog post revealing the name of the expansion with more new screenshots[3] and added to Steam Store.[13]
12 November 2021: The 1.43 Open Beta for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is released.[16] During the subsequent days, members of the community examine the game files and discover mileage_targets.sii, which contains names of many cities in the game, including 35 new cities in Russia.[17][18]
2 December 2021: First blog post about industrial areas.[19]
16 December 2021: In the SCS Christmas Stream, the team reveals new screenshots of Heart of Russia, including several screenshots making reference to the Slavic folklore figure Baba Yaga.[20]
17 December 2021: Blog post about forests and logging.[21]
22 December 2021: Second blog post about industrial areas.[22]
29 December 2021: Blog post about the city of Ryazan.[23]
15 January 2022: Blog post about wagon factory.[25]
17 January 2022: The Steam header for the Heart of Russia Steam Store page is updated, which now includes a truck, the MAN TGX EfficientLine 3, and the background has been changed from the countryside to Moscow.
26 January 2022: Blog post about entrance monuments and region signs.[26]
8 February 2022: First blog post about gameplay video.[27]
25 February 2022: The header for "Heart of Russia" Steam Store page has downgraded back to its first appearance, the Russian countryside.
14 March 2022: In an interview for the Czech gaming website Vortex, SCS Software PR and Marketing Manager Daniel Němec and the CEO Pavel Šebor announces the indefinite postponement of the DLC due to the Russo-Ukrainian War.[28][29]
20 April 2022: The 1.44 Open Beta is released, revealing some off-limits roads of the DLC.
30 May 2022: SCS posts a blog post about Heart of Russia's current situation with the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.[30]
29 June 2022: The 1.45 Open Beta is released, which updated the europe_bgn.dds file that includes the cities and roads of the DLC.
This article (or the part below) is about a current (or future) project.
