Bus Simulator 21
stillalive studios
Developer
astragon Entertainment
Publisher
Genre
simulation
Platform
PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One
Status
live
Role
Lead Designer
Bus Simulator 21 is a public transit simulation set in two open-world cities: Angel Shores, inspired by the San Francisco Bay Area, and a redesigned Seaside Valley from Bus Simulator 18.
Blending realistic driving mechanics with light management gameplay, it lets players operate a a diverse fleet of 30 officially licensed buses, including city buses, articulated, electric e-buses, and double-deckers from brands like Mercedes‑Benz, Volvo, Scania, BYD, and Alexander Dennis, while navigating dynamic traffic systems, day-night cycles, weather conditions, and passenger interactions.
In addition to route planning and scheduling, the game offers sandbox-style exploration, economic management, and both single-player and online co-op modes. Advanced peripherals, such as steering wheels, gamepads, eye-tracking, and convenience functions like fast-travel, time acceleration, and seamless takeover of AI buses, aim to further improve the user experience.
Design emphasis is placed on user accessibility and realism, supported by features such as in-cab interaction and scalable gameplay, ranging from casual driving to full transit network management. Regular post-release updates and content expansions further extended gameplay depth and variety.
When I joined the project, I was unexpectedly given the title of Lead, a surprise that quickly turned into a rewarding challenge. I'm proud to have adapted swiftly to the added responsibilities and embraced the opportunity to lead.
In addition to managing team workflows and supporting cross-disciplinary collaboration, my hands-on responsibilities included progression, tutorial, and quest design, economy balancing, tweaking controls, and writing in-game quest dialogue. I also oversaw voice-over recording sessions and led the design of major features, including the timetable and route assignment systems.
As part of the team’s weekly speed 3D modeling sessions, I contributed several models to the game, most notably a statue of the company’s mascot, Sam, which was included in the final release.
