Yes. American Truck Simulator (ATS) includes built-in online multiplayer called Convoy. You can host a private or public session, invite Steam friends, and drive the same jobs and routes together. Everyone must be online through Steam and running the same current game version; modded sessions also require matching mods in the same load order.
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What multiplayer means in American Truck Simulator
ATS multiplayer is not a separate game or an unofficial add-on. Convoy is the multiplayer mode built into the game, and the Steam edition is listed as supporting online co-op. You create or join a session from ATS itself, rather than launching a separate multiplayer client.
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A convoy is a host-led session in which several players share the road. The host chooses whether the lobby is public or private and can protect a private lobby with a password. Once everyone is inside, players coordinate a job or route and drive together with their trucks and cars on the same highways.
That design makes Convoy useful for a planned drive with friends: one person opens the session, the others join through Steam, and the group starts the same activity. It is different from simply seeing another driver somewhere in the game world without joining a common session.
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What you need before anyone joins
Set up these basics before troubleshooting a missing lobby. Most failed joins come from one of these prerequisites rather than from the truck, garage, or route selected by the host.
- An ATS installation launched through Steam: Convoy uses Steam’s friend and invite system.
- Steam friendship: SCS’s Convoy guidance says players should be connected as Steam friends.
- Online status: The host and joining players should appear online in Steam, not offline or invisible.
- The same game version: Everyone should update ATS to the latest available version before opening or joining a session.
- Compatible mod setup: If the convoy uses mods, every participant needs the same mods in the same load order. A profile with no mods is the simplest compatibility baseline.
- A planned session name: Agree on the exact lobby name if the session does not appear in the normal list.
These requirements apply to the people joining the convoy, not just the host. One player on an older build or with a different mod order can prevent a join even when the other players have configured everything correctly.
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The host creates the shared driving session. Use this sequence when starting a new group drive.
- Launch ATS through Steam. Wait for the main menu and confirm that Steam is showing you as online.
- Open the multiplayer menu. Select Convoys, then choose Convoy Lobby.
- Create a session. Choose the option to host a convoy. Decide whether the lobby should be public or private.
- Add a password when appropriate. A private lobby can use a password so only people who receive it can enter.
- Give the lobby a distinctive name. If a friend cannot see it, the exact session name can be used for a global search.
- Invite your Steam friends. Use the Steam overlay invite flow documented for Convoy, or have friends locate the listed session and request to join.
- Wait for the group to connect. Confirm that each player has joined before selecting the shared activity.
- Choose the same job or route. Convoy is coordinated session play, so agree on the delivery and destination before setting off.
- Start the drive together. Leave the starting area as a group and use the convoy session as the common context for the trip.
The host controls the session context. That does not mean every driving decision is made for the group; it means the lobby itself, its access settings, and the coordinated activity originate with the host.
How to join a friend’s convoy
Joining is usually quickest through Steam, but the lobby list also provides a fallback when an invite is missed.
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- Sign in to Steam and set your status to online. A friend who appears offline may not be discoverable through the normal Convoy flow.
- Confirm the ATS version. Update the game before trying to join. Do this for every player, not only the host.
- Accept the Steam invitation. Open the Steam overlay invite associated with the friend’s Convoy session.
- Use the in-game list if needed. Open Convoys and Convoy Lobby, then look for the friend’s session.
- Search by the exact session name. If the lobby is not visible in the local results, use the global search option and enter the name exactly as the host created it.
- Enter the password if requested. Private sessions require the password supplied by the host.
- Match the host’s activity. Once inside, select the same job or route and wait for the group to depart.
If a join attempt fails immediately, leave the lobby, verify the version and mod list, and try again rather than repeatedly accepting the same invitation. A clean, unmodded profile is a useful diagnostic test.
How to make the group drive work smoothly
Agree on one job or route
Convoy works best when everyone decides on the same delivery before departure. The objective is coordinated session play, so a group that chooses unrelated jobs will not be following one shared trip even though all players are in the same lobby.
Use a private lobby for an organized group
A private session limits access to the people you invite. Add a password when the drive is intended only for your Steam friends, then send the exact password and session name to the group.
Use a public lobby when you want open participation
A public session allows other players to find the lobby through the Convoy browser. Give the session a clear name so intended participants can distinguish it from other listings.
Prepare mods before creating the lobby
Decide on the mod list before the host starts. Every player should install exactly the same mods and arrange them in the same load order. If there is any doubt, create a no-mod profile for the first test drive; that removes mod differences from the diagnosis.
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Why you cannot see a friend’s convoy
A missing lobby does not necessarily mean the host failed to create it. Check the causes in this order.
Steam friendship or online status
SCS’s guidance requires the participants to be connected through Steam and online. Confirm that the host and the joining player are Steam friends, and that neither account is appearing offline or invisible.
Different ATS versions
Out-of-date installations can keep players from joining the same Convoy session. Everyone should update to the current game version, restart ATS after the update, and then have the host create the lobby again.
Region filtering
Convoy listings can be filtered by region. A friend’s session may therefore be absent from the default results even though it exists. Search globally using the exact session name supplied by the host.
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Session names must be searched accurately. Recheck capitalization, spaces, and punctuation, then confirm that the password is the one currently configured by the host.
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Mod mismatch
Compare the complete mod list and its load order, not only the number of installed files. The joining guidance for Convoy requires the same mods in the same order. Temporarily removing every mod and testing a clean profile identifies whether the mod setup is responsible.
Invite path problems
If the Steam overlay invitation does not open the session, close and relaunch the overlay, then use the Convoy browser’s exact-name search. The in-game search is a practical fallback to a failed or missed invite.
Convoy mods: the compatibility rule
Modded multiplayer is possible only when the participants’ setups match. The relevant match includes both the installed mods and their load order. A player who has an extra mod, lacks one of the host’s mods, or has the same files arranged differently may be unable to join.
For a first convoy, use a profile with no mods. This gives the group a known baseline and separates ordinary Steam, version, and visibility problems from mod compatibility problems. After a clean session works, add the agreed mods to every player’s profile in the same order and test again.
- Write down the final mod list before the host opens the lobby.
- Have every participant compare the order, not just the names.
- Update or remove a mod consistently for everyone.
- Return to the no-mod profile whenever a new change causes joining failures.
Do not assume that two players are compatible merely because they both use a mod with the same name. The complete setup must match for the convoy test to be meaningful.
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Private, public, and password-protected sessions
| Session choice | How access works | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Invite selected Steam friends; a password can be added. | A planned drive for a known group. |
| Public | The lobby is available for other players to find in the Convoy browser. | An open session where additional truckers may participate. |
Both choices use the same built-in Convoy mode. The setting changes who can enter, not the basic process of hosting, joining through Steam, and coordinating a route.
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How many players can join?
SCS’s original Convoy announcement for the 1.41 release in 2021 described private sessions supporting up to eight players. That number is a historical launch figure, not a confirmed limit for the current game. Because the live capacity can change with later updates, check the player count shown by the current in-game Convoy interface rather than treating the 2021 announcement as a guaranteed 2026 cap.
The important practical point is that Convoy supports a group rather than only a two-player link. The exact current maximum should be established in the version being played, especially if you are organizing a large event.
What Convoy is—and is not
It is a built-in online co-op mode
The Steam listing identifies ATS as supporting online co-op, and SCS describes Convoy as the multiplayer mode for driving with friends. No separate multiplayer purchase is required for the Convoy feature itself beyond owning and running the game through Steam.
It is a host-led session
A player creates the lobby, sets its visibility, and brings others into that session. The host’s lobby is the shared context for the route and job.
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SCS’s description emphasizes trucks and cars sharing the highways. The mode is designed for traveling together, not merely exchanging messages while each player drives an unrelated route.
It is not documented here as a permanent world
The available official description establishes player-hosted sessions, private or public access, and coordinated drives. It does not establish that a convoy remains running as a persistent world after the host leaves, so plan your trip around the active session rather than assuming an always-on server.
A practical pre-drive checklist
- All participants own ATS on Steam and have launched it recently.
- Everyone is Steam friends with the host.
- Every Steam account involved is set to online.
- Every copy of ATS is updated to the same current version.
- The group has chosen either a no-mod profile or an identical mod list and load order.
- The host has selected public or private visibility.
- The host has written down the exact session name and, if needed, the password.
- Everyone knows the same job or route to select after joining.
- The group knows to use a global exact-name search if regional results hide the lobby.
Fast diagnosis by symptom
| Symptom | First check | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The friend is not listed | Steam friendship and online status | Set both accounts online, then reopen the Convoy menu. |
| The lobby is absent from the browser | Region filtering | Search globally using the exact session name. |
| An invitation does not work | Steam overlay and game version | Reopen the overlay, update ATS, and try the in-game search. |
| A player cannot enter a modded session | Mod files and load order | Match the complete setup or test with a no-mod profile. |
| Players enter different activities | Job or route selection | Leave the menu together and select the same job before departure. |
Bottom line for ATS players
American Truck Simulator is multiplayer through its built-in Convoy mode. Host from Convoys > Convoy Lobby, choose public or private access, invite Steam friends, and start the same job or route. Keep Steam accounts online, update every copy to the same version, and match mods and load order exactly. If a friend cannot see the lobby, check region filtering and search globally by the exact session name. The eight-player capacity often quoted online comes from the 2021 launch announcement and should not be assumed to be the current limit.
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