Why Euro Truck Simulator 2 is Good for the Mind
I HAVE already waxed lyrical on here about my enthusiasm for PC and console games. Whilst some guys my age are content to chill out in front of the TV (and there’s nothing wrong with that), I prefer to star in my own dramas. For me, taking charge and running a show has to be way preferable to simply watching one.
For example, in ‘Becoming Arthur Morgan‘ [July ’25] I explained how I found comfort by adopting the role of a craggy wild west outlaw; a troubled man with a battered soul who begins to make choices grounded in kindness, dignity, and love.
The September post ‘I am an All-Action Hero‘ was all about the amazing ‘Uncharted‘ gaming franchise. I explain how I spent untold hours as Nate Drake, wisecracking treasure hunter with a knack for trouble.
And then, in October’s ‘Frostpunk‘ I explored the peculiar attraction of this unique city-builder/survival strategy game.
So now, I’d like to examine the extraordinary yet undeniable satisfaction that can be found in driving a virtual truck down the highways and byways of Europe.
AT FIRST glance, Euro Truck Simulator 2 looks almost absurd in its simplicity. You drive a truck. You obey traffic laws. You deliver cargo. And once that’s accomplished, you pick up another load and repeat.
And yet, for millions of players worldwide — many of whom return night after night, week on week — the experience is deeply absorbing, calming, and oddly meaningful.
To understand what to some may appear irregular, we need to look beyond ‘fun’ and toward something more philosophical: how the game gives people what their minds are quietly craving.
A World That Doesn’t Demand Performance
Much of modern life is built around performance. Productivity, accountability, efficiency, streamlining — even leisure is increasingly gamified and judged. Many PC and console games mirror this pressure, rewarding constant intensity and punishing mistakes.
ETS2 does the opposite.
It asks very little of you beyond attention and care. You are not required to impress anyone. There is no audience. No expectation to be exceptional. You simply have a task, and time enough to complete it.
From a mental health perspective, this is significant. The game provides purpose without evaluation — a rare combination. You can engage fully without feeling assessed, compared, or measured. In short, there’s ‘no pressure.’
The Philosophy of ‘Enough’
HERE’S WHERE it gets a tad mystical. Philosophers from Aristotle to the Stoics have written about telos — the idea that things flourish when they fulfil their proper function. A knife cuts. A tree grows. A human being, ideally, acts with reason and balance.
In ETS2, everything is aligned with its purpose. The truck drives. The road guides. The destination awaits. There’s a tranquil reassurance in inhabiting a system that works as intended. That’s telos. Or, to put it another way: fulfilment.
Progress is incremental and tangible. It’s also optional:
- A better truck
- A smoother gearbox
- A fancy paint spec
There’s no obligation to pursue any of these things. ‘Enough’ really is enough― and crucially, it’s subjective. If you’re content to stick with a low budget truck, for example, no problem. It still gets the job done.
For players whose real lives may feel chaotic, overwhelming, or unsettled, this clarity can be grounding.
Rhythm, Routine, and Regulation
Mental wellbeing is closely tied to rhythm — sleep-wake cycles, breathing patterns, predictable routines. On the flipside, its polar opposite, anxiety, often thrives on uncertainty and hypervigilance.
ETS2 offers what may be termed as ‘regulated engagement‘. The steady speed of the truck, the predictable flow of traffic, the repeated actions of indicating, braking, steering, following a route — all create a stabilising tempo. It is one the nervous system recognises as safe.
This is not escapism in the dramatic sense. Players of ETS 2 are not just playing a game, they’re giving their minds something structured and non-threatening to rest inside.
Of course, most players don’t articulate this consciously. They simply know that after half an hour on the road, they feel calmer than before.
Presence Without Pressure
Mindfulness is often presented as something you must actively practise — sitting still, focusing on the breath, emptying the mind. For some people, that feels unnatural ― it can even feel stressful.
ETS2 provides incidental mindfulness. Here, attention is gently anchored:
- To the road ahead
- To your mirrors
- To upcoming junctions
You are present, but not scrutinising yourself. The mind has no space to spiral because it is lightly, continuously occupied. Philosophically, this aligns with Eastern ideas of right action — awareness arising naturally from engaged activity rather than forced introspection.
No Rush
IN MOST modern games — and much of modern life — time is an enemy. You race against it, optimise it, fear wasting it.
In ETS2, time is malleable. Journeys encourage patience. There’s room to think, or not think at all. This reframes time not as a resource to conquer, but as a medium through which to travel. For players experiencing anxiety, burnout, or recovery from stress, this shift can be profoundly soothing.
Perhaps the most philosophical aspect of ETS2, however, is its respect for the ordinary.
You are not a hero. You don’t save the world. You do however keep it running. ‘If you’ve got it, a truck brought it‘ is a phrase that emerged sometime between the 40s and 60s, reflecting the simple truth of our modern industrial society.
It’s a reminder that the world is held together by modest, unseen labour. Euro Truck Simulator honours this, offering a steady sense of purpose in simply keeping things moving.
A Caveat
Finally, I guess I ought to say this clearly: Euro Truck Simulator 2 is not therapy. It doesn’t fix trauma, cure anxiety, or replace human connection.
What it does offer is something supportive and valuable: a psychologically safe space where effort makes sense, systems are fair, and attention is rewarded with calm rather than stress.
Sometimes what we need isn’t excitement — it can simply be a road, a steady, reliable engine, and permission to take our time.
RAVEN MOON 