Hardware, Technology, etc.

There are tools that make you skeptical at first. Lossless Scaling belongs exactly in that category: For under seven euros on Steam, the software is supposed to make games feel smoother, generate additional frames and help especially where older engines or missing modern technology have long reached their limits. But does it really make a difference in actual gameplay?

Many gaming genres often follow clear trend curves: a rapid rise, a peak and then slowly less attention again. A current study speaks here of an average trend upswing of around four years. But exactly at this point, an exciting question arises for simulators: does this pattern even apply here at all?

Sometimes a game key lies around unused, while someone else from the community might like to try exactly that game. That is exactly why we have created the new channel #habe-keys-übrig on our Discord: a free exchange among each other where keys can be voluntarily passed on, exchanged, or used.

Many players know exactly this moment: The trailer looks fantastic, the music fits, the camera moves perfectly through the scene, and you immediately think that this game has to become really strong. Then it finally releases, you play it yourself – and suddenly everything feels significantly less impressive. Why does exactly this keep happening again and again?

In hardly any gaming sector are details discussed as harshly as in rail and bus simulations. A wrong sound, a missing line, an illogical timetable or a too-short DLC can be enough for the mood to tip. From the outside, that quickly looks exaggerated. But psychologically, this community is not simply “difficult”, but differently attached: more personal, more specialized, more expensive and closer to reality. Why is that?

Many players know astragon primarily as the name behind Bus Simulator, Construction Simulator, Police Simulator, or Firefighting Simulator. You start the game, drive a bus, sit in an excavator, put out fires, or patrol the streets – and most of the time you do not first think about corporate structures, acquisitions, or corporate strategies. But that is exactly where it becomes exciting: Today, astragon no longer simply belongs to itself, but is part of a larger international group. What does that mean for players, for DLCs, for new projects, and for the future of well-known simulation brands?

A new simulator installment sounds like progress at first. New name, new features, new technology, new content, new attention. At the same time, many players are now asking a pretty justified question: Does it really have to happen every year, or does the new part end up feeling only like a big update you are supposed to pay for again? Exactly this debate will also be the topic of the next Community Court next week – not yet for voting, but clearly as a question that is currently occupying many simulation fans. Because economically, there are good reasons for annual versions. The real question is only: Can players understand these reasons as well?

You know this moment: There is a bus standing in front of you in the simulator that clearly looks like a Citaro. The shape fits, the doors fit, the interior reminds you of it – but in the game it is suddenly just called Citybus and the Mercedes star is missing. At first, that seems silly, but there is a pretty simple reason for it: A real name and a real logo can cost money. So what would you prefer: an official brand name on the bus or a cheaper add-on?

Simulations live from details. But exactly these details also make them expensive: real vehicles, large maps, good sounds, timetables, physics, licenses, updates, console versions, and as few bugs as possible. At the same time, the target audience often remains smaller than in major mainstream games. Is a problem emerging here that affects not only Train Sim World, but the entire simulation industry?

You may have already noticed it: the Steam Workshop suddenly looks and feels different. But this is more than just a visual update. What exactly has changed, and does it actually improve your experience?

Why are mods missing from so many console simulators—even though they’re often the most important feature of all on PC? Especially in games like Euro Truck Simulator 2 or OMSI 2, mods have long been more than just additional content—they are a central part of the game. And yet, console players repeatedly face the same situation: barely any mod support, many restrictions—and a problem that doesn’t lie with the developers, but in the system itself.

Many players know this moment: A new DLC is announced, the first screenshots appear, the excitement rises – and then you suddenly hear that development takes 12, 18, or even more months. Immediately the question comes up that almost everyone has probably asked at least once: How can this possibly take so long if it is “just” a DLC?

When it comes to truck simulations, there has hardly been any way around SCS Software for years. But how strong is the studio behind Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator really positioned economically and strategically – and has SCS perhaps now become the most stable simulation studio in Europe?

Hardly any name is currently as polarizing in the German-speaking simulation scene as Aerosoft. Between decades of market presence, strong brands such as OMSI 2 and The Bus, but also massive criticism of individual releases and current allegations surrounding marketing and communication, one central question arises: How strong is Aerosoft really in economic and strategic terms in 2026?

When it comes to train simulations, for years there has been hardly any way around one name: Dovetail Games. Hardly any other publisher is as present, as productive, and at the same time as controversial in the rail segment. Between annual Train Sim World 6 releases, a huge DLC catalog, and a community that regularly discusses prices, downloads, and upgrade cycles, one central question therefore arises: Is Dovetail Games today above all an economically strong heavyweight in the simulation sector – or is the company already living off a model that is overstretching the patience of its own community in the long term?