History of Rocket League in Timeline
Rocket League, developed by Psyonix, is a vehicular soccer video game where up to eight players in two teams use rocket-powered cars to hit a ball into their opponent's goal. A sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, it features both single-player and multiplayer modes, supporting local and online play. The game also offers cross-platform play across different versions.
2003: Dave Hagewood modifies Unreal Tournament 2003
In 2003, Dave Hagewood, Psyonix' founder, modified Unreal Tournament 2003, expanding vehicle-based gameplay into a new game mode called Onslaught.
2004: Dave Hagewood hired to incorporate Onslaught mode into Unreal Tournament 2004
In 2004, Epic Games hired Dave Hagewood to incorporate the Onslaught mode as an official part of Unreal Tournament 2004.
2008: Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars Developed
In 2008, Psyonix developed Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars for the PlayStation 3.
2011: Unsuccessful Pitch to Electronic Arts
In 2011, Psyonix unsuccessfully pitched the idea for Rocket League to Electronic Arts.
2013: Rocket League Development Began
Around 2013, Psyonix began formal development of Rocket League, refining gameplay and addressing criticism from Battle-Cars.
2013: Full Development of Rocket League Started
Around 2013, full development of Rocket League commenced, with the development taking around two years.
February 2014: Rocket League Announced
In February 2014, Rocket League was officially announced as the sequel to Battle-Cars. Psyonix planned on a different marketing approach that included early access to YouTube and Twitch streamers, and alpha and beta testing to spread the word.
November 2014: Original Release Deadline Missed
The initial plan was to release Rocket League around November 2014, but this deadline was missed to improve matchmaking, servers, frame rates and remove free-to-play elements.
July 1, 2015: Rocket League Original Soundtrack Released
On July 1, 2015, the original soundtrack for Rocket League was released both physically and digitally. It featured compositions by Mike Ault and his electronic music group, Hollywood Principle.
July 7, 2015: Rocket League Public Release
On July 7, 2015, Rocket League was publicly released for PlayStation 4 and Windows. It was also made part of the Instant Game Collection on the PlayStation 4, offering it free to PlayStation Plus subscribers.
July 11, 2015: Concurrent Players Announced
On July 11, 2015, Psyonix announced approximately 120,000 concurrent players across PlayStation 4 and Windows.
July 2015: Rocket League Initial Release
In July 2015, Rocket League was initially released on PlayStation 4 and Windows.
August 2015: One Million Copies Sold on Steam
In August 2015, Psyonix announced that over one million copies of the game had been sold on Steam.
August 2015: Supersonic Fury DLC and Utopia Coliseum Released
In August 2015, Rocket League's first DLC pack, Supersonic Fury, was released, along with the new arena Utopia Coliseum. The DLC included exclusive cosmetics, such as new cars, rocket boosts, wheels, paint finishes, and decals.
September 2015: Pro Rocket League Season 1 Announcement
In September 2015, Major League Gaming (MLG) announced the first season of the Pro Rocket League, which was held from September through early October.
September 2015: Cross-Promotion with Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
In September 2015, Psyonix held a cross-promotion with Torn Banner Studios, adding two free new flags themed after Torn Banner's Chivalry: Medieval Warfare to Rocket League.
October 2015: Revenge of the Battle-Cars DLC Released and Halloween Event
In October 2015, the Revenge of the Battle-Cars DLC was released for Rocket League, adding new cars and exclusive cosmetics. Also, players could collect Halloween-themed items from October 18 to November 2.
October 21, 2015: DeLorean Time Machine DLC Released
On October 21, 2015, the DeLorean time machine from the Back to the Future film franchise was released as a DLC for Rocket League, coinciding with Back to the Future Day.
November 2015: Free Update Adds Mutator Match Options
In November 2015, a free update for Rocket League introduced 'Mutator' options, allowing players to customize matches with presets like low gravity and a cubed ball.
December 2015: Ice Hockey-Based Mutation and Holiday Event Introduced
In December 2015, Psyonix introduced an ice hockey-based mutation and a special holiday event to Rocket League. This included replacing the normal ball with a hockey puck and changing the floor to ice.
December 2015: Chaos Run DLC Released with New Wasteland Arena
In December 2015, the Chaos Run DLC was released for Rocket League, adding new cars and cosmetics. A new arena, Wasteland, was released for free alongside the DLC, notable for its non-standard size and shape inspired by the Mad Max films.
2015: Game Awards Announcement
At The Game Awards in 2015, the announcement was made that Rocket League would be ported to Xbox One.
2015: Rocket League Release
In 2015, Psyonix released Rocket League, a vehicular soccer video game and a sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. The game allows up to eight players to compete in teams using rocket-powered vehicles.
2015: Holiday Update: Snow Day
In 2015, for the holiday season, Rocket League had an update that replaced mutator matches with an ice hockey-inspired mode called Snow Day.
February 10, 2016: Snow Day Permanently Added
On February 10, 2016, the Snow Day mode, an ice hockey-inspired mode, was permanently added to the mutator settings for private matches and exhibition games in Rocket League.
February 2016: Esports Consideration
In February 2016, Psyonix observed the popularity of Rocket League matches on Twitch and other live streaming platforms and began looking to use the game more in esports.
February 2016: Rocket League Revenue Reaches $70 Million
In February 2016, Psyonix reported that Rocket League had earned $70 million in revenues with at least four million copies sold, excluding PlayStation downloads. At least 12 million unique players were tracked, including purchases and free play offers like PlayStation Plus.
February 2016: Rocket Labs Playlist Added
In February 2016, a new game playlist called Rocket Labs was added to Rocket League, offering new experimental maps to players for feedback and interest gauging before adding them to the standard map playlist.
February 2016: Collector's Edition Announced
In February 2016, a retail version of Rocket League, in the form of the game's Collector's Edition, was announced.
February 2016: D.I.C.E. Awards
In February 2016, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awarded Rocket League with Sports Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay and the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award.
February 24, 2016: Ice Hockey Mode Permanently Added to Standard Playlists
On February 24, 2016, the ice hockey mode, which was previously introduced as a holiday event, was permanently added to Rocket League's standard playlists due to its popularity.
March 2016: Davis' Opinion on Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars' Name
In March 2016, Davis commented that Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars was "the worst game name of all time".
March 2016: Microsoft Announces Cross-Play Initiative with Rocket League
In March 2016, Microsoft announced that Rocket League would be the first game in a new initiative to enable cross-play between Windows and Xbox One players with Xbox Live accounts. Microsoft offered other networks like Sony's PlayStation Network the option to integrate with Xbox Live for full cross-platform compatibility.
March 2016: Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Announcement
In March 2016, Psyonix announced the first Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS), with the finals taking place in August 2016.
April 2016: Themed Content from Goat Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator Added
In April 2016, Rocket League added themed content based on Goat Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator as part of cross-promotional deals with those games.
April 2016: Basketball Playlist Added to Standard Playlists
In April 2016, the basketball-based playlist was added to the standard playlists in Rocket League.
April 25, 2016: Hoops Game Mode Added
On April 25, 2016, Hoops, a basketball-based game mode, was added to Rocket League.
May 2016: Rocket League Update Adds Cross-Platform Play
In May 2016, an update to Rocket League added the cross-platform play feature, allowing Windows and Xbox One players with Xbox Live accounts to play together.
June 2016: Neo Tokyo Arena and Cosmetic Items Added
In June 2016, Rocket League introduced the Neo Tokyo arena, based on the Rocket Labs layout Underpass, via an update. The update also added cosmetic items awarded at the end of matches with rarity grades and the ability to trade items for higher-rarity items.
June 24, 2016: Collector's Edition Release in Europe
The retail version of Rocket League, in the form of the game's Collector's Edition, was released in Europe on June 24, 2016. It was published and distributed by 505 Games and included the first three downloadable content packs for free.
July 5, 2016: Collector's Edition Release in North America
On July 5, 2016, the retail version of Rocket League, in the form of the game's Collector's Edition, was released in North America. It was published and distributed by 505 Games and included the first three downloadable content packs for free.
July 7, 2016: Second Volume of Rocket League Soundtrack Released
On July 7, 2016, the second volume of the Rocket League soundtrack was released, containing new songs added to the game with post-release updates.
July 2016: Sales Exceed 6.2 Million Copies
By July 2016, a year after its release, Psyonix reported over 6.2 million sales of Rocket League 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.
July 2016: Psyonix Ready for Cross-Platform Play, Awaiting Legal Agreements
In July 2016, Psyonix stated that they had completed the technical work to enable cross-platform play between Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and could implement it within hours of Sony's approval. They were only waiting for the legal agreements between networks to proceed.
August 2016: First RLCS Finals
The finals for the first Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) took place in August 2016 with a $55,000 prize pool.
September 8, 2016: Rumble Mode Added
On September 8, 2016, Rumble mode, featuring unusual power-ups, was added to Rocket League.
September 2016: Introduction of Crates
In September 2016, Psyonix introduced Crates, a loot box system for Rocket League, where players could purchase them with a random selection of in-game customization items.
September 2016: Rumble Mode Released
In September 2016, Rocket League's Rumble mode, which adds unique power-ups on various maps, was released.
October 2016: Aquadome Update Launches
In October 2016, the "Aquadome" update launched for Rocket League, featuring a new underwater arena, two new water-themed cars, a new crate with items, and seven new achievements.
December 2016: Custom Training Sequences Introduced
In December 2016, an update to Rocket League introduced custom training sequences, enabling players to create and share training scenarios with specific ball paths and opponent skills.
December 2016: Starbase ARC Update
In December 2016, the Starbase ARC update for Rocket League introduced support for custom arenas for Windows players via Steam Workshop, along with new content.
2016: Psyonix Planned to Include KITT Car
In 2016, Psyonix had hoped to include KITT as a car for Rocket League.
2016: Ports for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS and Linux released.
In 2016, Rocket League was released for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS, and Linux. Physical retail versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were distributed.
January 2017: 25 Million Unique Players Tracked
By January 2017, Psyonix had tracked more than 25 million unique players for Rocket League, averaging 1.1 million players a day, and reaching 220,000 concurrent players at one point.
February 2017: PlayStation 4 Pro Support Patch
In February 2017, the PlayStation 4 version of Rocket League received a patch to offer PlayStation 4 Pro support, enabling 4K resolution and constant 60 frames-per-second rendering.
February 2017: Hot Wheels Cars Added to Rocket League
In February 2017, two iconic Hot Wheels cars were added to Rocket League, along with other cosmetic items based on the brand.
February 2017: Player Activity in February 2017
In March 2017, it was reported that of the 29 million registered players, about a fourth played during February 2017.
March 2017: Psyonix Still Awaiting Console Manufacturer Agreements for Cross-Platform Play
As of March 2017, Psyonix was ready to enable cross-platform play but was still waiting for the console manufacturers to reach the necessary agreements to allow it.
March 2017: Rocket League Sales Exceed 10.5 Million Copies
By March 2017, Psyonix reported that Rocket League had sold more than 10.5 million copies across all platforms, with 29 million registered players, and approximately 70% of the game's players had purchased some of the DLC offered for the game.
March 2017: Dropshot Game Mode Added
In March 2017, the Dropshot game mode was added to Rocket League. It is played in an arena without goals and a field made of hexagonal tiles.
April 2017: Dominic Toretto's Dodge Charger DLC Added
In April 2017, Dominic Toretto's Dodge Charger from the film The Fate of the Furious was added to Rocket League as DLC, tying in with the film's release.
April 2017: Partnership with Tencent for Chinese Market
In April 2017, Psyonix announced a partnership with Tencent to bring a free-to-play version of Rocket League to the Chinese gaming market.
April 2017: Physical Copies Sold at Retail
In April 2017, Psyonix reported that in addition to 9.5 million digital sales, Rocket League had also sold over a million physical copies at retail.
June 2017: Zag Toys Partnership
In June 2017, Psyonix partnered with Zag Toys to produce a series of pullback toy cars based on the Rocket League vehicles.
July 2017: $75,000 Rocket League Tournament at Summer X Games
In July 2017, a $75,000 Rocket League tournament was held at the Summer X Games, with the finals streamed live on ESPN3. NRG Esports won the tournament.
July 2017: Rick and Morty Themed Content Introduced
In July 2017, an update introduced a new arena celebrating the one-year anniversary of Rocket League, along with cosmetic items based on the American animated show Rick and Morty.
August 2017: NBC Sports Group Tournament
In July-August 2017, NBC Sports Group ran its own $100,000-prize pool tournament for Rocket League which was broadcast across its eight worldwide regions.
September 2017: First Collegiate Tournament
Starting in September 2017, Psyonix and Tespa held the first collegiate tournament for Rocket League, with teams competing for a share of $50,000 in scholarships.
October 2017: Warner Bros. to publish updated version
In October 2017, Psyonix announced that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment would begin to publish an updated version of Rocket League for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles by the end of that year, which includes additional content for both versions.
December 2017: ELEAGUE Cup Event
In December 2017, Turner Sports organized a US$150,000 ELEAGUE Cup event for Rocket League. The event was broadcast live on streaming media.
2017: Rocket League for Nintendo Switch Announcement
In 2017, Psyonix announced Rocket League would be released for the Nintendo Switch. The release included customization options based on Nintendo properties and supported cross-platform play.
2017: WWE Sponsorship
In 2017, Rocket League served as a sponsor of WWE pay-per-view events, such as Backlash, Great Balls of Fire, and SummerSlam.
2017: Rocket League nominated for "e-Sports Game of the Year"
In 2017, Rocket League was nominated for "e-Sports Game of the Year" and "Still Playing" at the Golden Joystick Awards, and won the award for "Best Post-Launch Support" in Game Informer' 2017 Sports Game of the Year Awards.
September 2018: Player Count Reaches 50 Million
By September 2018, Rocket League's player count had reached 50 million.
September 2018: Rocket Pass Added
In September 2018, Psyonix added the Rocket Pass, a battle pass feature to Rocket League, offering new customization options.
September 2018: Sony Alters Position on Cross-Platform Play
In September 2018, following criticism over the lack of cross-platform play in Fortnite Battle Royale on Nintendo Switch, Sony altered its position and allowed Fortnite to be cross-platform compatible across all platforms. Sony also stated it would review other games on a case-by-case basis.
December 2018: Hot Wheels RC Car Game Set Release
In December 2018, Hot Wheels released a radio-controlled car (RC car) game set based on the Rocket League game.
2018: Rocket League Sales and Player Base Milestone
By the beginning of 2018, Rocket League had achieved over 10 million sales and amassed 40 million players. Rocket League has also been adopted as an esport with professional players participating through ESL, Major League Gaming and Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS).
2018: Rocket League nominated for "eSports Game of the Year"
In 2018, Rocket League was nominated for "eSports Game of the Year" at the Golden Joystick Awards and won the award for "Fan Favorite Sports/Racing Game" at the Gamers' Choice Awards.
January 2019: Sony Grants Cross-Platform Play for Rocket League
In January 2019, Psyonix announced that Sony had granted cross-platform play for Rocket League, allowing play between PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC versions.
February 2019: Cross-Platform Play Enabled for Rocket League
In February 2019, cross-platform play was enabled for Rocket League between the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC versions.
May 2019: Epic Games Acquires Psyonix
In May 2019, Epic Games announced its acquisition of Psyonix for an undisclosed amount. The game was planned to be added to the Epic Games Store by late-2019.
July 2019: Rocket League licensed in China
In July 2019, the free-to-play version of Rocket League was successfully licensed through China's approval process.
December 2019: Blueprint Update Concerns and Adjustments
Following the Blueprint update in December 2019, players voiced concerns about the cost of completing blueprints. Psyonix reduced blueprint prices by half and refunded credits.
December 2019: Crates Replaced with Blueprints
In December 2019, Psyonix replaced the Crates system in Rocket League with Blueprints, which offer a known specific item, along with a new rotating Item Shop.
2019: Radical Summer Event Car Pack Releases
During the 2019 Radical Summer event, Psyonix released two new car packs, the Ecto-1 from the Ghostbusters film franchise in June and the KITT from the 1980s television series Knight Rider in July.
2019: Rocket League nominated for "Still Playing" award
In 2019, Rocket League was nominated for the "Still Playing" award at the Golden Joystick Awards.
2019: Spike Rush Limited Time Mode Release
In 2019, Spike Rush was released as part of the Radical Summer event in Rocket League, resembling rugby. The spikes power-up will attach the ball to a player's vehicle once it is touched.
2019: Cross-Platform Party Feature Planned for Update
In 2019, a cross-platform party feature was planned for a future update, allowing players to create in-game friend lists across platforms and play matches together, subject to existing cross-platform limitations. PlayStation 4 users were limited to Windows and PlayStation 4 users only.
January 2020: macOS and Linux Support to be Dropped
In January 2020, Psyonix announced that support for macOS and Linux would be dropped from Rocket League by March 2020 as part of a major upgrade to the base game systems.
March 2020: End of Support for macOS and Linux
In March 2020, Psyonix officially dropped support for macOS and Linux for Rocket League. After March 2020, these versions can no longer connect and use the online parts of the game.
May 2020: Modes of May Event Introduced
In May 2020, Psyonix introduced the Modes of May event, featuring limited-time game modes every weekend, including Dropshot Rumble, Beach Ball, Boomer Ball, and Heatseeker.
September 23, 2020: Transition to Free-to-Play
On September 23, 2020, Rocket League transitioned to a free-to-play model on all platforms, adding cross-platform progression and new competitive tournaments.
2020: Online service support for macOS and Linux dropped
In 2020, support for the online services for the macOS and Linux versions of Rocket League was discontinued. In 2020 Rocket League became free-to-play after Epic Games acquired Psyonix.
February 2021: Gridiron Limited Time Mode Release
In February 2021, Psyonix released a limited-time game mode called Gridiron in celebration of Super Bowl LV, functioning similarly to gridiron football with the soccer ball replaced by a football in Rocket League.
March 2021: Rocket League Sideswipe Announced
In March 2021, Rocket League Sideswipe, a free mobile game spin-off by Psyonix, was announced for Android and iOS. The game replicates the gameplay of the original game but in a two-dimensional space.
2021: RLCS Season X Format Continued
In 2021, RLCS Season X brought a new competitive format with 3 separate regional splits and international Majors which qualified them for the World Championship.
February 2022: 7-Eleven Partnership
In February 2022, a partnership between 7-Eleven and Psyonix was announced, introducing Slurpee-themed Rocket League cosmetics and Rocket League-themed items sold in 7-Eleven stores.
2022: Knockout Game Mode Release
In 2022, Knockout was added to Rocket League. Knockout is played Free-For-All, without teams, in a set of newly added arenas that have no goals.
2022: RLCS Season X Format Continued
In 2022, the competitive format introduced in RLCS Season X, featuring 3 regional splits and international Majors, continued.
December 2, 2023: Rocket Racing Teased During Fortnite Big Bang Event
On December 2, 2023, Psyonix teased Rocket Racing during the Fortnite Big Bang event as a spin-off title.
December 2023: Removal of Player-to-Player Trading
In December 2023, Psyonix removed player-to-player trading in Rocket League to align with Epic's cosmetic and item shop policies.
2024: RLCS Format Changes
In 2024, the RLCS format changed to two regional splits, each with an international Major, followed by the World Championship. Also in 2024, the FIFAe World Cup would feature a Rocket League tournament.
2024: Gameplay Updates
In 2024, updates to Rocket League introduced new features that allow players to view their teammates' remaining boost and the game clock time when chat comments were made.
2025: RLCS Format Kept, Last Chance Qualifiers Added
The RLCS format from 2024 was kept for the 2025 season, with Last Chance Qualifiers and Play-ins for the World Championship, and a 1v1 series added.
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