IMHO.

American Truck Simulator vs Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator

American Truck Simulator and Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator both land in Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Simulation games on Steam. American Truck Simulator (2016) is 8 years older than Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator (2024). American Truck Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (97.3% positive) than Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator (36.7% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.

Which should you pick?

Choose American Truck Simulator

Choose American Truck Simulator if you want an Indie game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 91,834 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator

Choose Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator if it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator launched in 2024.

Both American Truck Simulator and Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator sit in Simulation on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Save Anytime, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.

Side-by-side comparison

American Truck Simulator vs Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator — Steam metadata comparison
American Truck Simulator — Steam game coverAmerican Truck SimulatorHeavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator — Steam game coverHeavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator
Released20162024
GenresIndie, SimulationSimulation
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows
Steam DeckDeck VerifiedDeck Playable
Price19.99 USD14.99 USD
Steam reviews97.3% positive (91,834 reviews)36.7% positive (49 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-opSingle-player only
DevelopersSCS Softwaretox² interactive GmbH

Side by side

American Truck Simulator vs Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator — FAQ

Should I play American Truck Simulator or Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator first?
If you want chronology, American Truck Simulator (2016) came out before Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator (2024). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
Are American Truck Simulator and Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator similar?
They overlap on Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
Does Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator have multiplayer like American Truck Simulator?
No. American Truck Simulator supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator is listed as single-player only.
American Truck Simulator vs Heavy Cargo - The Truck Simulator · imho.run