Bus Simulator 27 Release Date
8 September 2026 full launch, 3 September Advance Access for Year 1 Edition, and a Steam demo that is already playable.
Bus Simulator 27 has two September dates, not one. The full launch is 8 September 2026 on every announced platform. Players who buy the Year 1 Edition receive Advance Access on 3 September 2026, five days earlier. Until 8 September, treat the complete Felicia Bay game as upcoming. The Steam demo is a separate product that has been playable since 15 June 2026; it does not move the full launch forward.
Simteract is the developer and astragon Entertainment is the publisher. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5. Platforms are Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store on PC, plus PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. There is no Switch SKU in the current announcements, and this wiki does not add one.
Platforms and crossplay
PC buyers pick a storefront first. Steam is app 2397320 for the full game and app 4311090 for the demo. Epic and the Microsoft Store carry the same PC build family without a public demo of their own. Consoles are PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Xbox listings also mention Play Anywhere between Xbox and supported PC, which is a storefront capability, not a replacement for the Steam or Epic catalogs.
Four-player online co-op with crossplay is part of the full game pitch. A Steam host should be able to share a route with friends on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S when that mode opens. Console store pages still apply their usual online rules: PlayStation listings call out PlayStation Plus for online play, and Xbox console online play follows Xbox network subscription rules. Crossplay does not remove those storefront policies.
Roles in co-op are driver, inspector, or passenger, which is why the multiplayer guide belongs next to this calendar page. You do not need four people to start a company; solo play remains the default, and co-op is an optional layer on the same Felicia Bay map.
Full launch versus Advance Access
8 September 2026 is the date that Standard owners, late buyers, and review coverage will treat as day one. That is when the complete map, the 45-plus licensed buses from 13 manufacturers, Story, Career, and Sandbox, and the first-time coach layer are scheduled to open together.
3 September 2026 is not a second full launch. It is Advance Access for the Year 1 Edition only. If you hold Standard, you wait. If you hold Year 1, you can enter five days early and keep that save into the 8 September window. The pre-order editions page explains why Year 1 costs $49.99 instead of $29.99; the extra money is the Season Pass bundle plus that head start, not a different map.
Do not describe Advance Access as the moment the series “goes gold” for everyone. Friends on Standard will still be locked out until the 8th. If your group wants to play together on day one of Advance Access, every seat in the lobby needs Year 1. Mixed editions should plan around 8 September.
The Steam demo sits beside the calendar
The demo has been playable since 15 June 2026, when Steam Next Fest put a beta-based slice of Felicia Bay on app 4311090. That slice is how most PC players have already judged steering, upscalers, and the first city and intercity loops. It is not the full game, it does not include the complete 20-district map, and it is not a console demo.
A day-three hotfix on 18 June 2026 added NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR, reduced repeated story voice lines in City and Intercity missions, improved Logitech G923 Xbox wheel support, and fixed inconsistent speed-limit changes. Remaining work the team has already named includes performance, Traffic AI, physics, more wheel configurations, and eye tracking as later work. Those notes live on demo patches so this page can stay a calendar.
Closed beta signups have already closed. There is no public form to join, and this wiki will not invent a closing date that Simteract did not publish. If you missed the beta, the demo is the playable path until September.
How the announcement year unfolded
Astragon first showed Bus Simulator 27 in July 2025 with a teaser that moved the series off Stillalive’s previous entries and onto Simteract. The exact September date arrived in June 2026 alongside the coach-and-intercity trailer. Steam Next Fest then put a controller in your hands on 15 June. That sequence is why “2026” on older interviews is not a contradiction; the year was always the window, and 8 September is the locked full-launch day.
Felicia Bay is a southern-European fiction inspired by Spain and Portugal, with twin cities Alcaztelar and Mequina and about 20 districts. Coaches appear in the series for the first time, so the coach routes guide and the Felicia Bay overview matter as much as the date itself. Launch coaches already named in coverage include the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, Scania Irizar i8, and MAN Lion’s Coach. Extra coaches such as the Mercedes-Benz Intouro sit on the Year 1 Season Pass, not on the 8 September base list.
What to do before 3 and 8 September
PC players should verify the system requirements against the demo rather than against a screenshot. If the Next Fest build already stutters, read graphics settings and test DLSS or FSR before buying a new GPU on rumor. Wheel users should check steering wheel support because the 18 June note improved the Logitech G923 Xbox model specifically; other rims are still on a polish list.
New drivers can run the Getting Started checklist, then the demo walkthrough, controls, and how to drive so Advance Access week is not spent in menus. Company-minded players should skim company management before Career opens. Fleet comparisons live on the Tier List Hub.
Official storefronts and social channels are collected on the Links Hub. For edition math, go back to pre-order editions. For DLC timing after launch week, stay on the Season Pass article. This page will change if astragon posts a delay; until then, 3 September and 8 September 2026 are the two dates to put on a calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about Bus Simulator 27.
What is the Bus Simulator 27 full launch date?
The full launch is 8 September 2026 on Steam, the Epic Games Store, the Microsoft Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The complete game is still upcoming until that day.
When does Year 1 Edition Advance Access start?
Advance Access starts 3 September 2026, five days before the full launch. Only the Year 1 Edition includes that head start. Standard owners wait until 8 September.
Can I play before September?
On PC, yes: the Steam demo has been playable since 15 June 2026. It is a beta-based preview, not the full Felicia Bay game. Consoles do not have that demo.
Does Bus Simulator 27 have crossplay?
The full game is pitched with four-player online co-op and crossplay across the announced platforms. Console online play still follows PlayStation Plus or Xbox network rules. See the multiplayer guide.
Is the closed beta still open?
No. Closed beta signups have already closed. The public path until full launch is the Steam demo plus the two September dates above.
Where should I pre-order?
Pre-orders are open on all announced platforms. Compare SKUs on pre-order editions and use the Links Hub for official storefronts.