| Rocket League | |
|---|---|
 Promotional cover art of the original release | |
| Developer | Psyonix[a] |
| Publisher | Psyonix |
| Director | Thomas Silloway |
| Producer | Sarah Hebbler |
| Designer | Corey Davis |
| Programmer | Jared Cone |
| Artist | Bobby McCoin |
| Composer | Mike Ault[b] |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 3 |
| Platforms | |
| Release | July 7, 2015
|
| Genre | Sports |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Rocket League is a 2015 vehicularsoccervideo game developed and published byPsyonix. A sequel to 2008'sSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars,Rocket League features up to eight players assigned to each of the two teams, using "rocket-powered" vehicles to hit a ball into their opponent's goal and score points over the course of a match. The game includes single-player and multiplayer modes that can be played both locally and online, includingcross-platform play between all versions.
Psyonix began formal development ofRocket League around 2013, refining the gameplay fromBattle-Cars to address criticism and fan input. Psyonix also recognized their lack of marketing fromBattle-Cars and engaged in both social media and promotions to market the game.Rocket League was first released on thePlayStation 4 andWindows respectively in July 2015, with ports forXbox One andNintendo Switch being released later on. Physical retail versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were distributed starting in 2016 by505 Games and later byWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Versions formacOS andLinux were also released in 2016, but support for their online services was dropped in 2020.Rocket League is developed under thegames as a service model; later updates for the game enabled the ability to modify core rules and added new game modes, including ones based onice hockey,gridiron football andbasketball. It has been offered asfree-to-play since 2020 whenEpic Games acquired Psyonix.
Rocket League was praised for its gameplay improvements overSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle-Cars, as well as its graphics and overall presentation, although some criticism was directed towards the game'sphysics engine. It has since been considered one of thegreatest video games ever made. The game earned many industry awards and saw over 10 million sales and 40 million players by the beginning of 2018.Rocket League has also been adopted as anesport, with professional players participating throughESL andMajor League Gaming along with Psyonix's ownRocket League Championship Series (RLCS).
Rocket League's gameplay is largely the same as that of its predecessor,Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. Players control a rocket-powered car and use it to hit a ball that is much larger than the cars towards the other team's goal area to score goals, in a way that resemblesindoor soccer, with elements reminiscent of ademolition derby.[1][2] Players' cars have the ability to jump to hit the ball while in mid-air. Updates in 2024 introduced new features that allow players to view the remaining boost amount of their teammates, and how much time was remaining on the game clock when specific comments were made in the chat.[3]
Matches are usually five minutes long, with asudden death overtime if the game is tied at that point.[4] Matches can be played from between one-on-one up to four-on-four players, as well as in casual and ranked playlists.[5] The latter serves asRocket League's competitive online mode, where players compete in various tiered ranks within game seasons, with victories or losses raising or lowering a player's rank, respectively.[6] The game includes a single-player Season mode, with the player competing with computer-controlled players. An update in December 2016 introduced Custom Training sequences that can be created by players and shared with others on the same platform. Players are able to specify the ball's path and the presence and skill of opponents on the field, which enables them to practice specific shots or maneuvers.[7]
A few months after it was released, Psyonix released an update that added game modes known as mutators, modifying some aspects of gameplay, such as increased or decreased gravity, ball size, ball speed and bounciness.[8] For the 2015 holiday season, another update replaced mutator matches with anice hockey-inspired mode (called Snow Day), played on an ice rink and the ball replaced with ahockey puck with different physics.[9] Positive reception to the ice hockey mode led to it being extended for a few weeks after the holiday season. Snow Day was permanently added to the mutator settings for private matches and exhibition games on February 10, 2016.[10][11] Hoops, a game mode based onbasketball,[12][13][14] was added on April 25, 2016.[15] A separate Rumble mode, which incorporates unusual power-ups, such as the ability to freeze the ball in place or cause a single opponent to have difficulty controlling their car, was added on September 8, 2016.[16] An update in December 2016, known as Starbase ARC and based on Psyonix' mobile gameARC Squadron,[17] added support for custom arenas for Windows players supported throughSteam Workshop, along with other new content.[18]
A new game mode, Dropshot, was added in a March 2017 update. It takes place in an arena without any goals and a field made of hexagonal tiles, and uses a ball that becomes increasingly electrified after successful strikes or passes. The more the ball is struck by players without touching the ground the more electrified it becomes, and the more tiles it damages once it finally does hit the ground. The goal of the mode is to damage the opponent's floor enough to break a hole into it, allowing the ball to drop through and score. When a team scores, the floor on the opponent's side of the field resets to normal, while the floor on the scoring team's side retains any existing damage.[19][20]
Psyonix also released a number of limited-time modes for the game. Spike Rush, released as part of theRadical Summer event in 2019, resemblesrugby. The spikes power-up will attach the ball to a player's vehicle once it is touched. Players must avoid contacting any opposing player as it results in instant demolition.[21] In celebration ofSuper Bowl LV in February 2021, Psyonix released a limited time gamemode called Gridiron, which functions similar togridiron football with the normal soccer ball being replaced by a football.[22] A new game mode was added called Knockout was added in 2022. It is played Free-For-All, without teams, in a set of newly added arenas that have no goals. The object of the mode is to knock opponents into Hazards, features that destroy the player on contact, in order to take away one of three lives. This can be achieved using the three actions the player can take, Attack, Block, and Grab, operating similarly to Rock, Paper, and Scissors respectively inRock Paper Scissors. After a 6 minutes, if a winner has not yet been decided by being the only remaining player with one or more lives, the match enters Sudden KO mode, where all actions are much more powerful and exiting a safe zone around the map removes a life.[23]
As part of a means to monetize the game beyond downloadable content, Psyonix has tried a few different approaches. In September 2016, it introduced aloot box system known as Crates, where players could purchase them with a random selection of in-game customization items, opened through the purchase of Keys using real-world funds.[16] Due to increasing governmental concern over loot boxes, Psyonix replaced the Crates system with Blueprints in December 2019, which offer a known specific item with potential modifiers as potential end-of-match drops.[24] These Blueprints can then be crafted using the game's new premium currency (Credits),[25] or purchased with real-world funds, if the player so chooses.[26][27] A new rotating Item Shop was introduced in December 2019 as well, with Featured items available on a 48-hour timer and Daily items on a 24-hour timer. The Item Shop includes all types of in-game items, such as Painted Cars, Exotic Wheels, Goal Explosions, and many more. Each item has a listed Credit value that will show the item's cost, allowing players to purchase the exact item they want, instead of relying onRNG to attain a specific item previously available through loot boxes.[28] Separately, Psyonix added abattle pass feature to the game in September 2018, known as the Rocket Pass. Each pass, which lasts a few months, has challenges and other opportunities through playingRocket League that allow players to increase the tier of the Pass, from which new unique customization options tied to that pass can be unlocked. While the Rocket Pass is free to all players, a flat-cost premium option that accelerates the level up rate and unlocks additional items at certain tier levels can be purchased.[29][30]
Psyonix had previously developedSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars in 2008 for thePlayStation 3. That game itself bore out from previousmodifications that Psyonix' founder, Dave Hagewood, had done forUnreal Tournament 2003 by expanding out vehicle-based gameplay thatEpic Games had already set in place in the engine into a new game mode called Onslaught.[31] For this, Hagewood was hired as a contractor by Epic forUnreal Tournament 2004 specifically for incorporating the Onslaught mode as an official part of the game.[32] Hagewood used his experience at Epic to found Psyonix. Among other contract projects, Psyonix worked to try to find a way to make racing theUnreal vehicles in a physics-based engine enjoyable. They had toyed with several options such as race modes or mazes, but found that when they added a ball to the arena to be pushed by the vehicles, they had hit upon the right formula, which would becomeBattle-Cars.[32] Further to the success was the addition of the rocket-powered cars; this originally was to be a simple speed boost, but with the physics engine, they were able to have the vehicles fly off and around the arena, furthering the possibilities for gameplay.[32][33]
As Psyonix finished development ofBattle-Cars, the studio had tried to gain access to a publisher by selling their game as "soccer, but with rocket-powered cars"; none of the publishers seemed interested.[32] Ultimately, they opted to self-publish the game on thePlayStation Network with almost no marketing.[34] Though it was downloaded more than two million times, it was not considered very successful even after the studio cut the price.[31][34] The studio continued on to other projects, though kept the idea of building onBattle-Cars as an option, recognizing the game had a small but dedicated fan-base that provided them with ideas for expansion.[31][32] These other projects, which including contract work forAAA games, includingMass Effect 3, helped to fund the development ofRocket League.[35]
Full development ofRocket League started around 2013 and took around two years and under $2 million to develop, though they had tested various prototypes of aBattle-Cars sequel in the years prior, including an unsuccessful attempt at pitching the game's idea toElectronic Arts in 2011.[34][36][37] Psyonix used some of the feedback fromBattle-Cars to fine-tune the gameplay inRocket League. A key requirement for Psyonix was to increase the game'sframe rate from 30 to 60 frames-per-second, a known criticism fromBattle-Cars and essential for newer hardware, according to Corey Davis, the design director at Psyonix.[38] Hagewood recognized thatBattle-Cars was considered "too hardcore" with the game becoming too inaccessible to novice players against skilled ones.[39] They eased up on some aspects to make it more approachable, such as by slowing the pace of the game and allowing players of all skill levels to reasonably compete against each other while promoting team-based gameplay.[32][39] Though they tried to add elements likepower-ups, they found these to be too distracting to gameplay.[31] They also explored other changes such as making the game more gritty, akin toMonday Night Combat, developing severalmini-games related to handling of the car, working on making the graphics give a sense ofscale to the players to give the impression they were controlling full-sized vehicles rather thanradio-controlled cars, and creating anopen world structure where the player would drive between stadium and stadium to participate in matches.[36][38][40] Instead, the team opted to strip the game to its core, focusing on more visual elements to enhance the title.[31] FromBattle-Cars, Psyonix recognized very few players actually went online, and developedRocket League's single-player season mode to encourage players to try online matches once they completed it.[40]
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Psyonix's team were aware of past difficulties that they had withBattle-Cars and other racing games with online play andclient-side prediction, and the issues that would arise from that withRocket League's fast-paced play style. To solve this, the physics in the game are based on using theBullet physics engine within theUnreal Engine 3'sPhysX engine, which tracks the movement of all the cars and actors, allowing them to periodically re-synchronize the game state across players based on the stored physics states, which enabled players to have quick reactions from their client.[40] At the time ofBattle-Cars, Psyonix could not afford a dedicated server network and were forced to rely on individual hosts, which could lead to poor performance with slow Internet connections. WithRocket League, Psyonix was able to put a dedicated server network in place, writing their own service protocols to interface with Sony's and Valve's online services so as to enable cross-platform play, as well as improving matchmaking capabilities.[32][38] Psyonix's previous experience in contract work for AAA games had exposed them to the larger developers' approach to release and quality control, and they were able to apply those principles and aim for the same level of quality requirements in the final release ofRocket League.[39]
Psyonix had at one point considered havingRocket League as afree-to-play game withmicrotransactions, inspired byTeam Fortress 2 andDota 2's models.[36] Though they had put in efforts to establish a free-to-play model, Psyonix decided instead to switch to a traditional sale method, and offer only cosmetic elements asdownloadable content, assuring that no players would have any additional advantage beyond their own skill.[38] The nameRocket League was selected in part to reduce the size of the game's title in order to appear fully in digital storefronts, and also served to be an easier to remember name as well as a more mature-sounding title thanBattle-Cars, according to Hagewood;[31] speaking onRocket League's development in March 2016, Davis opined thatSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars was "the worst game name of all time".[38]
Rocket League has been one of the leading games in supportingcross-platform play between personal computers and consoles. Jeremy Dunham, Psyonix's vice president of publishing, says cross-platform play helps establish a stable player base and avoid the snowball effect that can cause isolated player bases on individual platforms to wane, particularly in the transition from one console generation to the next.[41][42] Though the Xbox One version lacked this feature at launch,[43] Microsoft in March 2016 announced thatRocket League would be the first game in a new initiative they were taking to enable cross-play between Windows and Xbox One players who have Xbox Live accounts;[44] this cross-platform play feature was added in an update in May 2016.[44][45] Microsoft has stated that they offer other networks, such as Sony's PlayStation Network, the ability to integrate with Xbox Live to allow full cross-platform compatibility for games likeRocket League. Dunham noted that this cross-platform idea had been something they asked Microsoft about whenRocket League was set for an Xbox One release, but he stated that Microsoft did not seem to be on board with it. Only after they had neared the release date would Microsoft take the initiative to offer it as one for their new cross-play efforts and started working towards this possibility in the game.[46]
Psyonix determined the required technical steps needed to enable cross-platform play and have tested it in closed environments, and were only waiting for the legalities of cross-connecting players between different networks before proceeding.[47][42] this work also includes how they would be able to distribute updated content patches in a unified and more frequent manner to enable them to continue to expand the game for at least another 9 months.[41] In a July 2016 interview withIGN, Dunham stated they had done all the technical work and could enable cross-platform play between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions "within a few hours" of Sony's approval.[48] As of March 2017, the company is ready to enable this feature, but was still waiting for the console manufacturers to come to the required agreements to allow it.[49]
With the announcement of the Switch version, Psyonix affirmed that it would support cross-platform play with PC and Xbox users. Sony still opted not to participate in this; PlayStation global marketing head Jim Ryan said that while they are "open to conversations with any developer or publisher who wants to talk about it", their decision was "a commercial discussion between ourselves and other stakeholders".[50] Dunham says that in contrast toMicrosoft orNintendo, who agreed to allow cross-platform play within a month and with the day of Psyonix' request, respectively, Sony has been asked on a nearly daily basis about this support and have yet to receive any definitive answer.[42] The cross-platform party feature is planned for an update in early 2019.[51] This will allow players to create in-game friend lists across platforms and play in matches with them. This is limited by the current cross-platform limitations: while Windows players can add friends from other Windows users and Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch users, PlayStation 4 users are limited to Windows and PlayStation 4 users.[29]
In September 2018, Sony had altered its position on cross-platform play following the release ofFortnite Battle Royale for the Nintendo Switch, where the lack of cross-platform play had been a point of significant criticism. Sony allowedFortnite to be cross-platform play compatible with all platforms and stated they would review other games on a case-by-case basis.[52] By January 2019, Psyonix announced that Sony had granted the same forRocket League, allowing cross-platform play between the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC versions in February 2019.[53][54]
Psyonix planned to continue to supportRocket League withdownloadable content (DLC), intending to keep all gameplay updates free and only charging for cosmetic items.[55] In November 2015, a free update added the ability to Mutate a match, allowing for a number of different custom presets and match settings, including a low gravity mode and a cubed ball, among other improvements and additions.[8] Through this, Psyonix is able to offer custom game playlists to test out new modes or for holiday-themed events. For example, during the latter part of December 2015, Psyonix introduced anice hockey-based mutation alongside a special event featuring holiday-themed decorative items, replacing the normal ball with ahockey puck, and changing the floor to ice.[8][9][56] This mode proved very popular and was permanently added to the standard playlists on February 24, 2016.[57] In February 2016, a new game playlist called Rocket Labs was added to offer new experimental maps to players as a means to gauge feedback and interest in a map before adding it to the game's standard map playlist.[58] In April 2016, the developers added thebasketball-based playlist to the standard playlists.[14] A new Rumble mode, which adds uniquepower-ups on various maps, was released in September 2016.[39][59]
The game's first DLC pack, titledSupersonic Fury, was released in August 2015, along with new arena Utopia Coliseum.[60] It contains exclusive cosmetics, including two new cars, rocket boosts, wheels, five paint finishes, and twelve decals for both new cars. The same month, it was announced thatRocket League would be ported tomacOS andLinux later that year, in order to run natively withSteamOS hardware;Rocket League andPortal 2 were part of incentives for those that pre-ordered aSteam Link, aSteam Controller, or aSteam Machine.[61][62] The game's second DLC pack, titledRevenge of the Battle-Cars, was released in October 2015.[63] The DLC adds two more cars fromSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, along with exclusive cosmetics for both. In another event, players had a chance to collect sixHalloween-themed items from October 18 to November 2.[64] The game's third DLC pack, titledChaos Run, was released in December 2015. The DLC added two more cars, along with more cosmetics. A new arena, called "Wasteland", was released for free alongside the DLC. The map is notable for being the first non-standard arena to be released, having a different size and shape than the others and inspired by theMad Max films, the first of which Psyonix plans to release over time.[65][66]
In June 2016, a new arena, Neo Tokyo, based on the Rocket Labs layout Underpass, was added to the game via an update. The update also introduced cosmetic items awarded at the end of matches with various rarity grades, and gave players the ability to trade multiple items of the same type and rarity grade to obtain an item of a better rarity grade. Also included in the patch are a number of painted and certified items, the latter of which are cosmetic items with statistics-recording tags, and eight new achievements.[67][68] Psyonix added the ability for players to trade items with other players within the "Rumble" update, including item and crate drop systems comparable toTeam Fortress 2 andCounter-Strike: Global Offensive, in which players have the chance to gain locked crates from playing in competitive matches. Players are able to purchase keys to open these crates throughmicrotransactions, revealing special decorative items for their cars.[59] Players can opt-out of this feature to disable crate drops. Though items received in crates are tradable within the game, these items cannot be sold on the platform's respective marketplaces so as to prevent issues in the same vein as theCounter-Strike skin gambling controversy.[59][69] The funds from microtransactions would be used to support the esports tournaments organized by Psyonix.[59] In October 2016, a major update titled "Aquadome" launched, featuring a new arena placed under the sea, along with two new premium water-themed cars, and a new crate containing new items and seven new achievements.[70]
Psyonix was able to make licensing agreements to include vehicles and decorative items from other franchises within the game. On launch, the PlayStation 4 version includedSweet Tooth's car from theTwisted Metal series.[71] As a separate DLC, theDeLorean time machine from theBack to the Future film franchise, was released on October 21, 2015, corresponding withBack to the Future Day.[72] The Xbox One release includes platform-exclusiveGears of War andHalo-themed vehicles.[73] TheNintendo Switch version, meanwhile, received platform-exclusive cars inspired by Nintendo'sSuper Mario andMetroid series.[74] TheBatmobile, as seen in the 2016 filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was offered as a playable vehicle in March 2016,[75] whileDominic Toretto'sDodge Charger from the filmThe Fate of the Furious was added to tie in with the film's release in April 2017.[76] An update released in July 2017 introduced a new arena celebrating the one-year anniversary of the game, along with cosmetic items based on the American animated showRick and Morty.[77] Alongside the theatrical release ofJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Psyonix releasedJurassic Park andJurassic World-themed content, including aJurassic Park-themedJeep Wrangler car model.[78] The game had collaborated with numerous franchise, includingThe Goonies,Karate Kid,E.T., andStar Wars.[79]
In September 2015, Psyonix held a cross-promotion withTorn Banner Studios, adding two free new flags themed after Torn Banner'sChivalry: Medieval Warfare.[80] At the same time the "Chaos Run" DLC was released, Psyonix added free cosmetics and accessories from thePortal series byValve.[66][81] Themed content based onGoat Simulator andEuro Truck Simulator were added to the game in April 2016 as part of cross-promotional deals with those games.[82] Other themed promotional content includes decorative items based onThe Witcher andWorms W.M.D.[83] With the release of the basketball game mode in 2016, Psyonix partnered with theNational Basketball Association (NBA), offering flags with all 30 NBA team logos as car customization items.[14] In February 2017, two iconicHot Wheels cars were added to the game, along with other cosmetic items based on the brand.[84][85][86]
For the 2019Radical Summer event, Psyonix released two new car packs; theEcto-1 from theGhostbusters film franchise in June, and theKITT from the 1980s television seriesKnight Rider in July.[87][88] Psyonix had hoped to include KITT as early as 2016.[89] For the 2019 Halloween event, cars and other cosmetics based on the television seriesStranger Things were added.[90] In May 2020, Psyonix introduced theModes of May event, which included a number of limited-time game modes for every weekend of the month.[91] The modes include Dropshot Rumble, Beach Ball, Boomer Ball, and Heatseeker, which features a curving ball that magnetizes toward both ends of the field, drawing comparisons to the 1972 table tennis sports gamePong.[92]
The original soundtrack forRocket League was released both physically and digitally on July 1, 2015.[93] It contains original compositions by Psyonix sound designerMike Ault, as well as contributions by Ault'selectronic music group, Hollywood Principle.[94] New songs were added to the game with post-release updates, including "Chaos Run Theme" byKevin Riepl, "Escape from LA (Instrumental)" by Abandoned Carnival and Ault, and a remix of Hollywood Principle's "Breathing Underwater" by Ether. These songs were later compiled in the second volume of the soundtrack, which was released on July 7, 2016.[95]iam8bit published a three-disc vinyl version of the soundtrack, consisting of the above two volumes, in late 2016.[96] The game's 2nd anniversary update included a musical content pack featuring releases from theEDM labelMonstercat.[97] The label have also released a series of standalone albums featuring the music, titledRocket League x Monstercat.[98][99][100]
Rocket League Sideswipe is a freemobile gamespin-off by Psyonix released onAndroid andiOS in late 2021. The game was announced in March 2021 and replicates the gameplay of the original game, but in atwo-dimensional space. Players compete in short 1-on-1 or 2-on-2 matches that are played online. They can also play volleyball, heatseeker, basketball or 3-on-3 matches.[101]
On December 2, 2023, Psyonix teasedRocket Racing during theFortnite Big Bang event as a spin-off title and was released as a game mode inFortnite on December 8. It supports cross-game inventory for use in theBattle Royale modes with cosmetics related to cars.[102]
Rocket League was officially announced as the sequel toBattle-Cars in February 2014.[103] Building on the effects from the lack of marketing withBattle-Cars, Psyonix developed a different marketing approach toRocket League. This included engaging withYouTube andTwitch video game streamers with early release copies to help spread the word, recognizing that clips from the game would be readily shared through social media.[34][38] They also opened the game to earlyalpha and beta testing for several months following the game's announcement.[104][105] Davis noted that they otherwise did not spend any money on traditional marketing approaches.[38]
They had originally planned to release the game around November 2014, but had missed this deadline to implement better matchmaking and servers, high frame rates, and removing the free-to-play elements.[36] The game was released publicly on July 7, 2015, for the PlayStation 4 and Windows.[106] Davis considered this serendipitous, as this moved the game out from a busy period of many major releases during the holiday season to the relatively quiet mid-year period, reducing the amount of competition from other titles.[38] Further, the game on release was made part ofInstant Game Collection on the PlayStation 4 and free toPlayStation Plus subscribers; within the week, Psyonix had seen more than 183,000 unique players, exceeding their server capacity and requiring them to improve on their network code to handle the influx of players.[31][107] Davis estimated there were six million downloads of the game from this promotion, and considered this the "best decision" they had ever made.[38]
AtThe Game Awards 2015, it was announced that the game would be ported toXbox One,[73] where it was released on February 17, including most of the previous DLC packs for free.[108] Ports formacOS andLinux were released on September 8, 2016.[61] A retail version ofRocket League, in form of the game'sCollector's Edition, was announced in February 2016, and was released in Europe on June 24, 2016, and in North America on July 5, 2016.[109][110][111] The Collector's Edition is published and distributed by505 Games, and includes the first three downloadable content packs for free, as well as four additional cars to be available as digital download on July 18: Aftershock and Marauder (both fromSupersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars), as well as Esper and Masamune.[109][112] In October 2017, Psyonix announced thatWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment would begin to publish an updated version of the game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles by the end of that year, which includes additional content for both versions.[113]
The PlayStation 4 version was patched in February 2017 to offerPlayStation 4 Pro support, allowing for4K resolution and constant 60 frames-per-second rendering at1080p for one and two-player split-screen players; three and four-player split screen will render up to 60 frames-per-second when possible. Similar rendering improvements were also made to the standard PlayStation 4 to approach constant 60 frames-per-second for most arenas and modes.[114][86]
After reviewing the feasibility of doing so, Psyonix announced thatRocket League would also be released for theNintendo Switch, as revealed duringNintendo's press conference duringE3 2017.[115][116] It was released later that year on November 14, and includes customization options based on Nintendo properties, includingMario,Luigi, andMetroid-inspired car designs, and supports cross-platform play with the PC and Xbox One versions.[117][118][119] Due to the Switch's lack of natural support forUnreal Engine 3, some compromises had to be made in the porting process, such as by reducing the graphical quality to720p. Despite having to do custom work to make the game run smoothly on the Switch, Dunham was impressed with the work that had been done before release.[120]
Austin, Texas-based studioPanic Button assisted Psyonix with the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch ports,[121][122] and graphical updates to support thePlayStation 4 Pro.[123][124] In April 2017, Psyonix announced that they had partnered withTencent to bring afree-to-play version ofRocket League to the Chinese gaming market, with users able to purchase cosmetic items through microtransactions.[125] It was successfully licensed through China's approval process in July 2019.[126] Because of the continued growth of the game's player base, Psyonix's Dunham said they do not anticipate creating any sequel to the game,[127] and instead are expecting to continue to add new features to the game over several years' time, calling this an "infinite support window".[115] A small team within Psyonix was set up to explore new features and gameplay ideas to continue to expandRocket League.[49]
In May 2019,Epic Games announced that it had acquired Psyonix for an undisclosed amount. Psyonix has had a long-standing relationship with the studio (its original North Carolina headquarters were only 12 miles (19 km) away from those of Epic), having worked with it on development tools for the Unreal Engine. As a result of the purchase, the game was planned to be added to theEpic Games Store by late-2019, but Psyonix was unclear over whether the game would become exclusive to the store.[128] The game became subject toreview bombing onSteam due to this sale, triggering Steam's "off-topic review activity" system, which hides reviews that do not correlate with the game itself.[129][130]
Psyonix announced in January 2020 that as part of a major upgrade to the base game systems, they would be dropping support for macOS and Linux from the game by March 2020.[131] After March 2020, these versions will no longer be able to connect and use the online parts of the game, but can still be played in single player or local multiplayer.[132] Psyonix said in a followup message that macOS and Linux players represented less than 0.3% of the total player base and could not justify keeping these as supported platforms as they advanced the other platforms to newer technology, such as moving the Windows version fromDirectX 9 to 11. The developer offered full refunds to the game for macOS and Linux owners regardless of how long they had the game.[133]
Psyonix teamed withInternal Drive to provideRocket League as part of the latter's iD Tech summer educational camps for children, using the game for both recreation and for teaching elements of game design.[134] In 2017, the game served as a sponsor ofWWE pay-per-view events, such asBacklash,Great Balls of Fire, andSummerSlam.[135][136] The following year, the companies announced a further partnership, withWWE cosmetic items introduced to the game in April.[137][138]
Psyonix partnered with Zag Toys to produce a series ofpullback toy cars based on theRocket League vehicles, which released in June 2017. Some of these included a redeemable code that can be used within the game for unique customization items.[139][140] The developers also filmed television advertisements forRocket League that started airing the same month. Alongside these ads, Psyonix offered free copies ofRocket League alongside purchase of selectedNvidiagraphics cards.[141] In December 2018, toy car brandHot Wheels released aradio-controlled car (RC car) game set based on the game that features two RC cars that are controlled throughBluetooth devices, a play field, a ball containinginfrared sensors for scoring purposes, and charging devices.[142]
In February 2022, there was announced a partnership between7-Eleven and Psyonix, withSlurpee themedRocket League cosmetics able to be purchased by players in-game, andRocket League themed items being sold inside 7-Eleven stores and some subsidiaries.[143] 7-Eleven was also an official sponsor of the RLCS, and an event was named after the brand, the "7‑Eleven Slurpee Cup."[144] A sweepstakes was offered by 7-Eleven to win a real life vehicle, the "Model 711."[145]
Psyonix transitionedRocket League to afree-to-play model on all platforms on September 23, 2020.[146] Associated with the transition, the game added cross-platform progression that covers the cosmetic items players have earned, new competitive tournaments at each rank to earn rewards, new challenges, and other features.[147][148] The free-to-play version eliminated the need for players to have console subscription services likePlayStation Plus orNintendo Switch Online to be able to play.[149] Some changes were also made to the game's tournaments and challenge systems to help with monetization. Players that had purchased the game prior to the transition were given "Legacy" status and some related cosmetic items.[150] One day after the game became free-to-play, it reached a peak concurrent player count on more than 1 million players.[151]
As part of this transition, the Windows version of the game was moved offSteam onto theEpic Games Store. Players that had already owned the Steam version prior to the change were still able to download, update the game and play it with cross-play with other platforms, and would continue to receive updates.[147]
In December 2023, Psyonix removed player-to-player trading. This change was made to alignRocket League's cosmetic and item shop policies with Epic's standards, and to enable the possibility of cross-game ownership ofRocket League vehicles in other Epic Games titles.[152]
Psyonix had observed the popularity ofRocket League matches onTwitch and other live streaming platforms, and in February 2016, were looking to use the game more inesports.[153] In March 2016, Psyonix announced the first Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS); the finals took place in August 2016 with a $55,000 prize pool.[154][155] More than $1 million in revenues from the sale of in-game crates and cosmetic items were used to fund additional competitive events throughout the year, including smaller competitions at major gaming conventions and support for community-run competitive events.[156]
Soon after release,Rocket League became an officially sponsored esport, joiningESL.[157] In September 2015,Major League Gaming (MLG) announced the first season of the ProRocket League, which was held in September through early October.[158] A $75,000Rocket League tournament was held outsideU.S. Bank Stadium at theSummer X Games in July 2017,[159] with the finals streamed live onESPN3.[160]NRG Esports claimed their first liveRocket League championship by winning the tournament, defeating Gale Force eSports in the final.[159][161] As NBC's first foray into esports,NBC Sports Group, in conjunction withFaceit, ran its own $100,000-prize pool tournament which was broadcast across its eight worldwide regions in July–August 2017.[162] Starting in September 2017, Psyonix andTespa, a collegiate esports organizer, held the first collegiate tournament for teams to win a share of $50,000 in scholarships.[163] In December 2017,Turner Sports organized aUS$150,000ELEAGUE Cup event for eight teams was broadcast live on streaming media, with a three-part series of shows detailing some of the teams' path to the Cup and some of the match results, which aired onTBS later in the month.[164][165]
The 2020s brought significant changes to Rocket League esports. RLCS Season X would bring the addition of a new competitive format which featured 3 separate regional splits, each one having their own international Majors, followed by the season-ending World Championship. Teams were awarded points based on how they placed in the regional events which qualified them for the World Championship[166] While the Season X World Championship was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, this format stayed the same for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons. For 2024, this would change to two regional splits, each one having their own international Major at the end, followed by the World Championship.[167] This would be kept for the 2025 season, but Last Chance Qualifiers for the World Championship for the 4 best regions, Play-ins for the World Championship and a 1v1 series were added. Also in 2024, theFIFAe World Cup, organized byFIFA and previously utilizing theFIFA soccer series, would feature a national team focused Rocket League tournament.[168] This was due toEA Sports, who had developed theFIFA games, ending their decades-long ties with soccer's governing body.[169]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (XONE) 87/100[170] (PS4) 85/100[171] (PC) 86/100[172] (NS) 86/100[173] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| GameSpot | 9/10[174] |
| IGN | 9.3/10[175] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 87/100[176] |
| Polygon | 9/10[177] |
| VideoGamer.com | 7/10[178] |
| Shacknews | 8/10[2] |
Rocket League has received "generally favorable" reviews on all platforms, according toreview aggregator websiteMetacritic.[170][171][172][173] Positive feedback was aimed towards the game's multiplayer gameplay,[179] and its graphics and visuals,[2] especially in comparison toBattle-Cars;[177] later reviews praised the player experience in the game.[180] Criticism was mostly aimed at the game's physics engine,[178][181] though a consensus on the topic has been mostly unclear, with some defending the engine.[176]
In a review ofRocket League's beta preview, Ozzie Mejia ofShacknews praised Psyonix's approach to updatingBattle-Cars using the PlayStation 4's hardware, describing the graphics as "brilliantly detailed" and "crisp", and citing its consistentframe rates throughout.[2] Robert Summa ofDestructoid shared Mejia's view that the game was "fun option for anyone looking to mix their racing and sports games together", himself describing that the game was "addictive and fun as hell."[2][179] Reviewers fromPolygon,PlayStation Universe, andVideogamer.com shared positive views towards multiplayer gameplay inRocket League.[177][178][181] Ben Kuchera ofPolygon wrote that the game "introduces a well-known concept and then adds a complication." Kuchera asserted that the game's physics were "internally consistent", and summarized his experience with the game as "joyful" and rewarding in its progression.[177] The game's physics engine continued to be a point of contention in later reviews, including Steven Burns' review forVideogamer.com, in which he shared his opinion that the speed of the ball should have been increased in certain modes to compensate for the "floaty" physics.[178] Neil Bolt ofPlayStation Universe shared a similar view, writing that the physics "causes frustration in 4v4 bouts where everyone ends up huddling under the slow-descending ball for long periods."[181]
"... the physics, floaty as they are, not really suited to seeing the ball constantly being punted about: it can often feel like chasing a balloon around a children's party, but the children are in high-powered rocket cars and are taking no shit. ... you feel Psyonix would be better off making the ball move just a tad faster: often you'll crash into it at speed only to see your car move quicker than it after collision."[178]
— Steven Burns
In a review forPC Gamer, Matt Elliott defended the physics engine, citing the "[nice] contrast" between the fast player-controlled cars and the slower-moving ball, colorfully describing that the ball "gormlessly invites impact like a punchable cousin."[176] Elliott also wrote positively of the multiplayer gameplay, comparing the "destruction" mechanic to theBurnout series, and praising the overall player experience.[176] In complimenting the game's points system, Elliott recounted, "the most valuable players I encountered were workmanlike wingers who selflessly chugged along the flanks, crossing the ball for greedy goalhunters like me. It stops players from clustering in the same spots and reinforces the concept thatRocket League is a team game."[176] In a retrospective review written two years after its release, Alec Meer ofRock Paper Shotgun shared similar feelings about the player experience inRocket League. Meer stated that the game remained "very open, friendly, and accessible to new players across all ages, in contrast to other games with online longevity that tend to be dominated by expert players and difficult to breach by new ones."[180]
Following the Blueprint update in December 2019, players expressed concern that the costs of completing blueprints was more expensive than the cost to open loot boxes, that players got more items for opening a loot box, and that in general, the loot box system felt more rewarding.[182][183] Within a week of the update, Psyonix reduced the prices of completing blueprints by half and refunded credits for those that had spent them already.[184]
Subsequent games like the Football mode onNintendo Switch Sports[185][186] andDrag x Drive[187][188] have been compared toRocket League.
On July 11, 2015, Psyonix announced that there were around 120,000 concurrent players across both PlayStation 4 and Windows.[189][190] By the end of July, the game had been downloaded over 5 million times,[191] and had 179,000 concurrent players.[192][193] Psyonix stated thatRocket League's quick paced success far exceeded their expectations.[194]
Psyonix announced that over one million copies of the game had been sold onSteam by August 2015.[195] By the end of 2015, the game had been downloaded over eight million times, and grossed over $50 million.[196][197] In February 2016, Psyonix statedRocket League has earned $70 million in revenues with at least four million copies sold, not including downloads on the PlayStation system;[198] they have tracked at least 12 million unique players of the game, including both purchases and during free play offers such as its availability on thePlayStation Plus membership program.[89] Within three weeks of its release for the Xbox One, Psyonix observed at least one million unique players for that system.[199] By July 2016, a year after its release, Psyonix reported more than 6.2 million sales of the game across all platforms, including 5.5 million purchases of DLC, with more than $110 million in revenue; 40% of these sales have been for the PlayStation 4 version with the remaining split roughly equally between PC and Xbox One.[200] Psyonix has tracked more than 25 million unique players by January 2017,[201] averaging 1.1 million players a day, and reaching 220,000 concurrent players at one point.[55][82][202] Sony stated thatRocket League was the most-downloaded title from the PlayStation Store in 2016.[203] By the beginning of 2018, the number of players had risen to over 40 million,[204] and subsequently reached 50 million by September 2018.[205]
By March 2017, Psyonix reported thatRocket League had sold more than 10.5 million copies across all platforms, and had 29 million registered players, with about a fourth of that having played during February 2017.[127] Dunham estimated that 70% of the game's players had purchased some of the DLC offered for the game by March 2017.[49] In April 2017, Psyonix reported that in addition to 9.5 million digital sales, the game had also sold over a million physical copies at retail.[206]
After theE3 2015 event,Rocket League received multiple nominations and won several awards, includingPlayStation Universe's "Best Sports Game of E3",[207] as well asGaming Trend's "Best Multiplayer Game of E3".[208] AtThe Game Awards 2015 in December,Rocket League won the award for Best Independent Game and Best Sports/Racing Game, and was nominated for Best Multiplayer.[209]
At the19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards in February 2016, theAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awardedRocket League withSports Game of the Year,Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay and theD.I.C.E. Sprite Award.[210]Rocket League was awarded the Best Design at the 2016Game Developers Choice Awards.[211] At the 2016SXSW Gaming Awards,Rocket League was awarded the "Excellence in Multiplayer" prize.[212]Rocket League won threeBAFTA Games Awards for Multiplayer, Sports, and Family,[213] and was nominated for two others, Best Game and Game Design.[214] It also won the following year for theBAFTA's Evolving Game award.[215][216] In 2017, the game was nominated for "e-Sports Game of the Year" and "Still Playing" at theGolden Joystick Awards,[217] and for "Best Spectator Game" inIGN's Best of 2017 Awards.[218] It won the award for "Best Post-Launch Support" inGame Informer' 2017 Sports Game of the Year Awards.[219]
In 2018, the game was nominated for "eSports Game of the Year" at the Golden Joystick Awards.[220][221] The game won the award for "Fan Favorite Sports/Racing Game" at theGamers' Choice Awards,[222] whereas its other nomination was for "Fan Favorite eSports Game".[223] It was also nominated for "eSports Title of the Year" at the Australian Games Awards.[224] In 2019, the game was nominated for the "Still Playing" award at the Golden Joystick Awards.[225]
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