20 years of GPORTAL: History of the Farming Simulator

The first version and further developments

Back in 2008, the first Farming Simulator was released and at that time, probably few could have expected that just a few years later, the game would be at the top of the list of simulation games. The graphics of the first games of the series were of course not what we are used to nowadays, and the game features were rather meager, but the first part of the game was a direct hit with the advocates of the simulator genre, and its success did not diminish with the following parts.

In the beginning, there were not even animals in the game and the functions consisted only of simple tasks such as plowing fields, planting seeds and then harvesting them. With further titles, more and more functions, vehicles, animals and also maps were added and the graphics were improved more and more. The community around Farming Simulator grew very quickly and developed extremely fast.

The complete breakthrough

Even though the popularity of Farming Simulator already achieved great success, the real breakthrough came with Farming Simulator 13, which offered improved graphics right from the start thanks to a new graphics engine and above all shone with a large fleet of vehicles - not to mention the new large and above all open world that you could explore on your own. In addition to a further selection of animals, from this point on you could also use mods created by the community, which increased the success and popularity of the game even more.

Small fact on the side: with the Titanium Edition of Farming Simulator 2013, another map was brought into the game for the first time. At that time, it was called "Westbridge Hills".

Farming Simulator 2015 and 2017

After major improvements in the 2013 part of the game series, the developers managed to incorporate further optimizations into the game with Farming Simulator 2015. First and foremost, the graphics were improved again, which made the game more realistic. However, the most important point was the timber industry, which took up a large part of the 2015 title, because from now on you can cut down trees, process them and also use them for your profit.

The next part, FS 2017, built on the expansions and also added dynamic soil and more animals like sheep and cattle. So, from this point on, it was also necessary to pay attention to how the soil behaves and what qualities it has, so that the appropriate seeds can be planted. Thus, in addition to the point of economy, the game also introduced its users to the world of strategic planning, and more and more things had to be taken into account to really set up your farm in a profitable and optimal way.

More creativity and realism

Farming Simulator 2019 could not be beaten when it comes to realism, thanks to once again revised graphics and even more choice of licensed vehicles and equipment. In addition to two maps, Ravenport and Felsbrunn, the 2019 installment of the simulation game series also featured a brand new animal: the horse. Horses could be kept and cared for in the game's stables or were used to enrich one's farm. Speaking of the farm, from now on it is possible to design and change your own farm, according to your wishes and imagination. So the economy, strategic planning and reality of Farming Simulator now also met creativity, offering a really very immersive gameplay experience in the world of simulation games.

FS 22 and the expansions in the Season Pass

The current part of the game series, Farming Simulator 22, of course, continues to ride the wave of further development. The graphics of the current part are truly remarkable and offer a thoroughly realistic gaming experience. With new partnerships with real-world agricultural brands, it is possible that more well-known vehicles and equipment have found their way into the popular simulator, including Fendt, John Deere, Claas or Krone, for example.

With the Season Pass, you can secure a number of benefits for Farming Simulator, including several expansion packs, for example. The current Year 2 Season Pass for FS 22 includes these four packs: Göweil Pack, Hay & Forage Pack, Horsch AgroVation Pack and a fourth pack, which will be released at the end of this year. In addition, you will get the Premium Expansion, which will launch on November 14 and will not only include a new map called Zielonka, but also over 35 new vehicles and equipment and even new fruit varieties like carrots or beet will gain access to the game through the Premium Expansion.

Note: Probably noticed when reading the blog so far, that some parts of the Farming Simulator parts are missing a few years and do not appear. This is due to the fact that individual parts of the game series such as Farming Simulator 16, 18, 20 and 23 are or were only available for mobile devices.

FarmCon and Farming Simulator League (FSL)

Since 2016, the developers of Giants Software and the players and community of Farming Simulator meet annually at FarmCon. FarmCon offers the opportunity to get in touch with the developers and meet all kinds of fans and friends of the simulation game. At FarmCon you can get a deeper insight into current developments and with a bit of luck you can watch exclusive announcements live. During FarmCon, all kinds of activities and events will take place, including speeches and presentations by the game's developers, workshops, discussion panels, and the chance to get up close and personal with the game's development.

Just like FarmCon, it's hard to imagine the Farming Simulator League (FSL) apart when it comes to the popular simulation game. In 2018, Giants Software had the idea to include Farming Simulator in the world of eSports and thus the FSL was created. Since 2019, the FSL has been held on a regular basis, where the main goal is to compete in competitions that are, of course, based on the game. The skills of each team must be demonstrated during the competition, no matter in which area, whether animal breeding, harvesting or management and planning. Just like in competitions of shooters and strategy games, FSL is held live in front of spectators and a large audience, and in the end a proper prize money awaits the winners.

Farming Simulator server from GPORTAL

So you can see, no matter if it's a comfortable round of farming alone or with friends after work or school or a visit to the FarmCon with exciting events like the FSL - the Farming Simulator really has a lot to offer and has developed a lot from the beginning until now. Do you also want to dive into the farming pleasure now? Then rent your own powerful Farming Simulator server now at GPORTAL.