180+ Machines, 35+ Brands: Construction Simulator: Evolution Promises the Biggest Fleet in Series History

Construction Simulator: Evolution does not merely intend to place a few new excavators beside its familiar models. On the official Steam page, Weltenbauer and Astragon announce more than 180 licensed construction machines and attachments from over 35 globally recognised manufacturers. The publisher explicitly describes this as the most varied and extensive fleet in the entire history of the series.

Those two figures are the strongest evidence of Evolution’s scale so far. For comparison, the Construction Simulator released in 2022 launched with more than 80 licensed vehicles and pieces of equipment according to the official FAQ. The later Gold Edition combined the base game, the first season pass and additional content into a package containing more than 100 vehicles, machines and pieces of equipment from 28 brands. Evolution now raises the advertised thresholds to 180+ and 35+ – and is intended to offer that scale as a new standalone game.

An exact percentage increase cannot be calculated because Astragon uses “more than” for each figure and does not fully break down the respective categories. The difference in scale is nevertheless clear: The officially advertised thresholds for the Gold Edition and Evolution are separated by 80 units and at least seven additional manufacturers. Compared with the original fleet of the previous game, the leap is considerably larger still.

However, “180 machines” does not automatically mean 180 completely independent vehicles. In its official feature list, Astragon more precisely refers to machines and attachments. A hydraulic hammer, bucket or another interchangeable work tool can therefore contribute to the total just like a complete excavator, crane or truck. That does not make the figure incorrect, but the distinction matters to us as players: 180 selectable items do not necessarily mean 180 different cabs.

The range we can expect is already becoming visible. Excavators, wheel loaders, cranes, dumper trucks, asphalt compactors and specialised demolition machines have all been officially named. They are joined by the attachments required for different phases of work. The new demolition system in particular should justify additional specialist equipment, while road construction, earthmoving, material transport and structural construction will continue to account for large parts of the fleet.

Several major names return among the familiar licensing partners. Astragon explicitly lists Caterpillar, CIFA, JCB, Kenworth, Liebherr and SANY as examples. Familiar excavators, cranes, concrete machines and transport vehicles will therefore remain an important part of the game. Evolution is not reducing the existing brands to make room for new logos; it is expanding the licensing pool further.

The newly confirmed manufacturers Ammann, Epiroc, Sennebogen and Volvo Construction Equipment are particularly notable. Volvo is likely to be the most prominent addition for many long-term players. In its announcement, the official Construction Simulator team even notes that experienced players probably spotted the new brand immediately. However, complete model lists for the four new additions are not yet available. We consequently do not know how many machines each manufacturer is contributing or which product ranges will actually be playable.

This is precisely where an impressive licensing list differs from a genuinely varied fleet. Thirty-five brand names alone do not guarantee that every machine will handle differently or be required for a distinct contract. Different size classes, control concepts, applications, sounds and driving characteristics will be decisive. Five visually different excavators performing almost the same task create less gameplay variety than small, medium and heavy excavators that confront us with different decisions on site.

The contracts also need to grow alongside the fleet. Evolution contains two new maps, each with its own campaign: Maienstein is inspired by German landscapes, while Amber Falls is based on a city in the American Midwest. Demolition and manual work are joining traditional structural, civil and road construction for the first time. More than 180 machines and attachments will be particularly valuable if both campaigns provide enough sites on which we genuinely need their individual strengths.

The new Quick Play mode could be especially useful in that respect. Instead of working through campaign progress, finances and unlocks first, we select a prepared construction activity with suitable machines and begin immediately. That is a major practical advantage for equipment enthusiasts: New vehicles could be tested and compared more quickly. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the entire fleet will be freely available in Quick Play from the beginning or whether it will offer a rotating or restricted selection.

The first practical test is already approaching. The closed playtest will take place on PC from August 13 to 17, 2026. Applications were open until August 10, while selected participants are due to be informed by email on August 12. The test explicitly features an unfinished development build whose content, visuals and performance may differ from the eventual game.

The playtest will therefore provide the first genuine player feedback on controls and construction-site workflows – but it is not yet a public inventory of all 180 machines. Astragon has neither published a list of the test vehicles nor promised that the complete final fleet will already be accessible. Participants are also subject to confidentiality requirements. Even if selected players try part of the fleet, we should consequently not assume that videos, complete vehicle lists or public impressions will follow.

This precise breakdown will be crucial for the company’s future communication. Which 180 machines and attachments are included? How are they distributed across the more than 35 brands? How many are complete vehicles and how many are interchangeable tools? Which models are genuinely new, and which return from the previous game? Only those details will reveal how much gameplay substance sits behind the record.

The starting position is nevertheless strong. Construction Simulator: Evolution combines a considerably larger advertised fleet with new types of work, two campaigns, demolition physics, manual labor and cooperative multiplayer for up to four players with crossplay. The game is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Astragon has not yet announced an exact release date.

One hundred and eighty machines and 35 brands are more than an attractive figure for a trailer. They represent a promise: There should be a suitable licensed piece of equipment for almost every task on our construction sites. Whether Evolution fulfils that promise will not be decided by the longest sequence of brand logos, but by a much simpler question: How many of those machines will we actually want to drive again after trying them for the first time?