Drago Entertainment has announced that their 2021 surprise hit, Gas Station Simulator, will be receiving a whopping four DLC packs for 2024. They’ve even outlined what to expect in each pack.
You might wonder what significant additions can even be added to a game about running a gas station. To Drago’s credit, they’ve got some decent ideas for it. The first expansion they have planned is Tidal Wave, which transplants your gas station out of the barren Dust Bowl and onto a tropical island. Rather than just being an aesthetic change, they tout that the new location will be “governed by its own unique rules” and then specifically mention “God appeasement.” I guess don’t dump your used motor oil into the volcano’s crater.
The second planned DLC for Gas Station Simulator is Shady Deals, which allows you to partake in illegal behavior. Your uncle shows up to build a “pub” which hosts “unsavory characters.” Drago suggests that the expansion will allow you to buy and sell goods of questionable legality and allows you to partake in “avoiding taxes, brawls, or new interactions with the police.” The developer has also decided your gas station is sitting on an oil reservoir, so there will be illegal drilling.
While the next two expansions haven’t been announced, Drago says the one after Shady Deals will be announced in 4-6 weeks and will be similar to the Tidal Wave DLC. The last one will apparently be more “in-line” than their currently available Airstrip DLC and will focus on expanding your gas station.
Gasoline fumes
When I reviewed Gas Station Simulator after it released in 2021, I looked at it rather favorably, saying that it had the jank that you normally expect from “simulator” games but also had a decent amount of mechanical chew. I’m still rather fond of the game, even though Food Truck Simulator by the same developer was a disastrous disappointment. I kind of wish that game was getting more focus in terms of fixes and updates.
Meanwhile, the developer is still working on Motel Simulator and Road Diner Simulator. The Airstrip DLC for Gas Station Simulator that was released this past April currently has mixed reviews on Steam with low engagement. The reviews that are there suggest that the pack’s features are unnecessary and create additional nuisances in the base game. Drago has always struck me as a developer who has plenty of ambition but needs to focus more on the execution.
Gas Station Simulator is currently available for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and Switch. None of the four planned expansions have set release windows.
