History of Rocket League in Timeline
Rocket League, developed by Psyonix, is a vehicular soccer game where players control rocket-powered cars to hit a ball into the opponent's goal. Matches consist of teams up to four players each. It features both single-player and multiplayer modes, with online play and cross-platform support. Released in 2015 as a sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, Rocket League has gained significant popularity within the sports and gaming communities.
1972: Heatseeker Mode Draws Comparisons to Pong
In May 2020, Psyonix introduced the Modes of May event. The Heatseeker mode, which features a curving ball that magnetizes toward both ends of the field, draws comparisons to the 1972 table tennis sports game Pong.
2003: Dave Hagewood Modifies Unreal Tournament 2003
In 2003, Dave Hagewood, Psyonix' founder, modified Unreal Tournament 2003 by expanding vehicle-based gameplay into a new game mode called Onslaught.
2004: Hagewood Hired by Epic Games for Unreal Tournament 2004
In 2004, Hagewood was hired as a contractor by Epic for Unreal Tournament 2004 to incorporate the Onslaught mode as an official part of the game.
2008: Release of Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars
In 2008, Psyonix developed Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars for the PlayStation 3.
2011: Unsuccessful Pitch to Electronic Arts
In 2011, Psyonix made an unsuccessful attempt at pitching the idea for Rocket League to Electronic Arts.
2013: Formal Development of Rocket League Begins
Around 2013, Psyonix began formal development of Rocket League, refining gameplay based on feedback from Battle-Cars.
February 2014: Rocket League Announced
In February 2014, Rocket League was officially announced as the sequel to Battle-Cars. Psyonix adopted a different marketing strategy, focusing on engaging with YouTube and Twitch streamers and opening the game to early alpha and beta testing to generate buzz via social media.
November 2014: Original Release Deadline Missed
The original plan was to release the game around November 2014, but the deadline was missed to implement better matchmaking and servers, high frame rates, and removing the free-to-play elements.
July 1, 2015: Original Soundtrack Released
On July 1, 2015, the original soundtrack for Rocket League was released both physically and digitally, featuring original compositions by Mike Ault and Hollywood Principle.
July 7, 2015: Rocket League Public Release
On July 7, 2015, Rocket League was released publicly for PlayStation 4 and Windows. Its inclusion in the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection led to over 183,000 unique players within a week, initially straining server capacity.
July 11, 2015: Concurrent Player Count Announced
On July 11, 2015, Psyonix announced that there were around 120,000 concurrent players across both PlayStation 4 and Windows, showcasing the game's initial success.
July 2015: Rocket League Initial Release
In July 2015, Rocket League was initially released on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 4 and on Steam for Windows.
August 2015: One Million Copies Sold on Steam
In August 2015, Psyonix announced that over one million copies of Rocket League had been sold on Steam.
August 2015: Supersonic Fury DLC and Utopia Coliseum Released
In August 2015, Rocket League released its first DLC pack, titled Supersonic Fury, along with the new arena Utopia Coliseum, containing exclusive cosmetics including new cars, rocket boosts, wheels, paint finishes and decals.
September 2015: MLG Announces Pro Rocket League Season
In September 2015, Major League Gaming (MLG) announced the first season of Pro Rocket League, held throughout September and 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
In October 2015, Rocket League released the Revenge of the Battle-Cars DLC, adding two more cars from Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, along with exclusive cosmetics for both, and players had a chance to collect six Halloween-themed items from October 18 to November 2.
October 21, 2015: DeLorean Time Machine DLC Released
On October 21, 2015, corresponding with Back to the Future Day, the DeLorean time machine from the Back to the Future film franchise was released as a separate DLC for Rocket League.
November 2015: Free Update Adds Match Mutations
In November 2015, a free update for Rocket League added the ability to mutate a match, allowing for custom presets and settings like low gravity and a cubed ball.
December 2015: Ice Hockey Mutation and Holiday Event Introduced
During December 2015, Psyonix introduced an ice hockey-based mutation alongside a special event featuring holiday-themed decorative items, replacing the normal ball with a hockey puck and changing the floor to ice.
December 2015: Chaos Run DLC and Wasteland Arena Released
In December 2015, Rocket League released the Chaos Run DLC, adding two more cars along with more cosmetics. A new arena, called "Wasteland", was released for free alongside the DLC, being the first non-standard arena.
2015: Rocket League Announced for Xbox One
At The Game Awards 2015, it was announced that the game would be ported to Xbox One.
2015: Holiday Season Update: Snow Day
For the 2015 holiday season, an update replaced mutator matches with an ice hockey-inspired mode called Snow Day.
2015: Rocket League Release
In 2015, Rocket League, a vehicular soccer video game, was developed and published by Psyonix for home consoles and computers.
2015: Awards Won in 2015
In 2015, after the E3 event, Rocket League received multiple nominations and won several awards, including PlayStation Universe's "Best Sports Game of E3", as well as Gaming Trend's "Best Multiplayer Game of E3". At The 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.
February 10, 2016: Snow Day Mode Added Permanently
On February 10, 2016, the Snow Day ice hockey-inspired mode was permanently added to Rocket League's mutator settings for private matches and exhibition games.
February 2016: Rocket League Earns $70 Million
In February 2016, Psyonix announced that Rocket League had earned $70 million in revenues, with at least four million copies sold, excluding PlayStation downloads. The game had at least 12 million unique players, including both purchases and free play offers on PlayStation Plus.
February 2016: Esports Focus Announced
In February 2016, Psyonix observed Rocket League's popularity on streaming platforms like Twitch and announced intentions to use the game more actively in esports.
February 2016: Rocket Labs Game Playlist Added
In February 2016, a new game playlist called Rocket Labs was added to Rocket League, offering new experimental maps for players to provide feedback on.
February 2016: Announcement of Rocket League Collector's Edition
In February 2016, a retail version of Rocket League, in form of the game's Collector's Edition, was announced.
February 2016: Awards at the 19th Annual 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 at the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.
February 24, 2016: Ice Hockey Mode Permanently Added
On February 24, 2016, the ice hockey mode, which was initially introduced as a mutation during a holiday event, was permanently added to the standard playlists in Rocket League.
March 2016: Davis Discusses Rocket League's Development
In March 2016, Davis spoke on Rocket League's development, opining that Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars was "the worst game name of all time".
March 2016: Rocket League Championship Series Announced
In March 2016, Psyonix announced the first Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS), featuring a $55,000 prize pool for the finals held in August 2016.
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 2016: Themed Content from Goat Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator Added
In April 2016, themed content based on Goat Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator were added to Rocket League as part of cross-promotional deals with those games.
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 Adds Cross-Platform Play
In May 2016, Rocket League received an update that introduced cross-platform play between Windows and Xbox One players.
June 2016: Neo Tokyo Arena and Cosmetic Items Added
In June 2016, an update to Rocket League added the Neo Tokyo arena, based on the Rocket Labs layout Underpass, cosmetic items awarded at the end of matches with various rarity grades, and the ability to trade items for better rarity grades.
June 24, 2016: Collector's Edition Release in Europe
On June 24, 2016, the retail version of Rocket League, the Collector's Edition, was released in Europe. Published and distributed by 505 Games, it included the first three downloadable content packs and additional cars.
July 5, 2016: Collector's Edition Release in North America
On July 5, 2016, the retail version of Rocket League, the Collector's Edition, was released in North America. Published and distributed by 505 Games, it included the first three downloadable content packs and additional cars.
July 7, 2016: Second Volume of Soundtrack Released
On July 7, 2016, the second volume of the Rocket League soundtrack was released, compiling new songs added to the game with post-release updates.
July 2016: 6.2 Million Sales and $110 Million in Revenue
By July 2016, one year after release, Psyonix reported more than 6.2 million sales of Rocket League across all platforms, including 5.5 million DLC purchases, generating over $110 million in revenue. PlayStation 4 accounted for 40% of sales, with the remainder split between PC and Xbox One.
July 2016: Psyonix Ready for Cross-Platform Play
In a July 2016 interview, Psyonix stated they had completed the technical work required to enable cross-platform play between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Rocket League, and were awaiting Sony's approval.
August 2016: First RLCS Finals
The finals for the first Rocket League Championship Series took place in August 2016, with a $55,000 prize pool.
September 8, 2016: Rumble Mode Added
On September 8, 2016, Rumble mode, incorporating unusual power-ups like freezing the ball, was added to Rocket League.
September 2016: Introduction of Crates
In September 2016, Rocket League introduced Crates, a loot box system, where players could purchase them with a random selection of in-game customization items.
September 2016: Rumble Mode Released
In September 2016, the Rumble mode, which adds unique power-ups on various maps, was released for Rocket League.
October 2016: Aquadome Update Launched
In October 2016, the "Aquadome" update launched for Rocket League, featuring a new arena placed under the sea, along with two new premium water-themed cars and a new crate containing new items.
December 2016: Introduction of Custom Training Sequences
In December 2016, an update introduced custom training sequences that players could create and share on the same platform, enabling practice of specific shots and maneuvers.
December 2016: Starbase ARC Update
In December 2016, the Starbase ARC update, based on Psyonix' mobile game ARC Squadron, added support for custom arenas for Windows players via Steam Workshop.
2016: Releases for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS and Linux
In 2016, Rocket League was released for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, macOS and Linux. Physical retail versions were distributed by 505 Games and later by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
January 2017: 25 Million Unique Players
By January 2017, Psyonix tracked more than 25 million unique Rocket League players, averaging 1.1 million daily players and peaking at 220,000 concurrent players.
February 2017: Part of the 29 Million Registered Players Played During February
In February 2017, a fourth of the 29 million registered players of Rocket League played the game.
February 2017: PlayStation 4 Pro Support Patch
In February 2017, the PlayStation 4 version of Rocket League was patched to offer PlayStation 4 Pro support, allowing for 4K resolution and constant 60 frames-per-second rendering at 1080p for one and two-player split-screen players.
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.
March 2017: Psyonix Awaits Agreements for Cross-Platform Play
As of March 2017, Psyonix was ready to enable cross-platform play for Rocket League, but was still waiting for console manufacturers to reach the necessary agreements.
March 2017: 10.5 Million Copies Sold
By March 2017, Psyonix reported that Rocket League had sold more than 10.5 million copies across all platforms, with 29 million registered players. About a fourth of these players played during February 2017. It was estimated that 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, featuring an arena without goals and a hexagonal tile floor.
April 2017: Dominic Toretto's Dodge Charger Added
In April 2017, Dominic Toretto's Dodge Charger from the film The Fate of the Furious was added to Rocket League to tie in with the film's release.
April 2017: Partnership with Tencent Announced
In April 2017, Psyonix announced a partnership with Tencent to bring a free-to-play version of Rocket League to the Chinese gaming market, where users can purchase cosmetic items via microtransactions.
April 2017: Over a Million Physical Copies Sold
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: Release of Rocket League Pullback Toy Cars
In June 2017, Psyonix partnered with Zag Toys to release a series of pullback toy cars based on Rocket League vehicles, some containing redeemable codes for in-game customization items. Television advertisements for Rocket League also began airing.
July 2017: $75,000 Rocket League Tournament at Summer X Games
In July 2017, a $75,000 Rocket League tournament was held outside U.S. Bank Stadium at the Summer X Games. NRG Esports won the tournament, defeating Gale Force eSports in the final, which was streamed live on ESPN3.
July 2017: Anniversary Update Introduces Rick and Morty Content
In July 2017, an update was released in Rocket League celebrating the one-year anniversary of the game, 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, in conjunction with Faceit, ran its own $100,000-prize pool tournament, 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 teams to win 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 publish an updated version of the game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles by the end of that year, including additional content for both versions.
December 2017: ELEAGUE Cup Event
In December 2017, Turner Sports organized a US$150,000 ELEAGUE 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 on TBS later in the month.
2017: Rocket League Announced for Nintendo Switch
In 2017, Psyonix announced that Rocket League would be released for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on November 14, and includes Nintendo property customization options and supports cross-platform play with the PC and Xbox One versions.
2017: Sponsorship of WWE Pay-Per-View Events
In 2017, Rocket League served as a sponsor of WWE pay-per-view events, including Backlash, Great Balls of Fire, and SummerSlam, marking a partnership between Psyonix and WWE.
2017: Nominations for "e-Sports Game of the Year" and "Still Playing"
In 2017, the game Rocket League was nominated for "e-Sports Game of the Year" and "Still Playing" at the Golden Joystick Awards, and for "Best Spectator Game" in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards. It won the award for "Best Post-Launch Support" in Game Informer' 2017 Sports Game of the Year Awards.
September 2018: 50 Million Players Reached
By September 2018, Rocket League reached 50 million players.
September 2018: Sony Alters Position on Cross-Platform Play
In September 2018, following the release of Fortnite Battle Royale on Nintendo Switch, Sony altered its position on cross-platform play, allowing Fortnite to be cross-platform compatible and stating they would review other games on a case-by-case basis.
September 2018: Rocket Pass Feature Added
In September 2018, the Rocket Pass, a battle pass feature, was added to Rocket League, offering challenges and unique customization options.
December 2018: Hot Wheels Releases Rocket League RC Car Set
In December 2018, Hot Wheels released a radio-controlled car (RC car) game set based on Rocket League, featuring Bluetooth-controlled RC cars, a play field, and a sensor-equipped ball for scoring.
2018: Rocket League Achieves Sales and Player Milestones
By the beginning of 2018, Rocket League had achieved over 10 million sales and 40 million players.
2018: Nominations and Awards in 2018
In 2018, Rocket League was nominated for "eSports Game of the Year" at the Golden Joystick Awards. The game won the award for "Fan Favorite Sports/Racing Game" at the Gamers' Choice Awards and was nominated for "Fan Favorite eSports Game". It was also nominated for "eSports Title of the Year" at the Australian Games 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 cross-platform play between the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC versions.
February 2019: Rocket League Cross-Platform Play Enabled
In February 2019, cross-platform play was enabled for Rocket League, allowing players on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC to play together.
May 2019: Epic Games Acquires Psyonix
In May 2019, Epic Games announced its acquisition of Psyonix for an undisclosed amount. This led to plans to add the game to the Epic Games Store, causing review bombing on Steam.
December 2019: Crates Replaced with Blueprints and Item Shop Introduced
In December 2019, Psyonix replaced the Crates system with Blueprints and introduced a new rotating Item Shop with featured and daily items.
December 2019: Blueprint Update Controversy
In December 2019, after the Blueprint update, players expressed concerns that completing blueprints was more expensive and less rewarding than opening loot boxes, leading Psyonix to reduce blueprint prices and refund credits.
2019: Cross-Platform Party Feature Planned
In 2019, Psyonix planned to release an update enabling cross-platform party features in Rocket League, allowing players to create in-game friend lists across platforms, but with limitations based on platform.
2019: "Still Playing" Nomination in 2019
In 2019, Rocket League was nominated for the "Still Playing" award at the Golden Joystick Awards.
January 2020: Dropping Support for macOS and Linux Announced
In January 2020, Psyonix announced they would be dropping support for macOS and Linux from Rocket League by March 2020 due to low player base and the need to advance other platforms to newer technology.
March 2020: End of Support for macOS and Linux
In March 2020, Psyonix officially ended support for macOS and Linux versions of Rocket League, citing a small player base and the need to focus on newer technology for other platforms. Online functionality ceased, but single-player and local multiplayer remained playable.
May 2020: Modes of May Event Introduced
In May 2020, Psyonix introduced the Modes of May event for Rocket League, which included a number of limited-time game modes for every weekend of the month such as Dropshot Rumble, Beach Ball, Boomer Ball, and Heatseeker.
September 23, 2020: Rocket League Transitions to Free-to-Play
On September 23, 2020, Rocket League transitioned to a free-to-play model across all platforms, introducing cross-platform progression, new competitive tournaments, challenges, and eliminating the need for console subscription services.
2020: Support Dropped for macOS and Linux and Game Offered as Free-to-Play
In 2020, support for Rocket League's online services on macOS and Linux was dropped. The game was also offered as free-to-play after Epic Games acquired Psyonix.
February 2021: Gridiron Mode Released for Super Bowl LV
In February 2021, in celebration of Super Bowl LV, Psyonix released a limited time gamemode called Gridiron, which functions similar to gridiron football with the normal soccer ball being replaced by a football.
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, replicating the gameplay of the original game in a two-dimensional space.
April 2021: Rocket League Sideswipe Announced
In April 2021, the company announced that they would release Rocket League Sideswipe for iOS and Android.
2021: Season X Format Continues
In 2021, Rocket League esports continued with the Season X format, featuring three regional splits, each with international Majors, leading to the season-ending World Championship.
February 2022: Partnership with 7-Eleven Announced
In February 2022, Psyonix announced a partnership between 7-Eleven, including Slurpee-themed in-game cosmetics and Rocket League-themed items in stores. 7-Eleven also sponsored the RLCS with the "7-Eleven Slurpee Cup."
April 26, 2022: Knockout Game Mode Added
On April 26, 2022, the Knockout game mode was added, played free-for-all in arenas without goals, where the object is to knock opponents into hazards.
2022: Season X Format Continues
In 2022, Rocket League esports continued with the Season X format, featuring three regional splits, each with international Majors, leading to the season-ending World Championship.
December 2, 2023: Rocket Racing Teased During Fortnite Big Bang Event
On December 2, 2023, Psyonix teased Rocket Racing as a spin-off title during the Fortnite Big Bang event. The title was released as a game mode in Fortnite on December 8.
December 8, 2023: Rocket Racing Released in Fortnite
On December 8, 2023, Rocket Racing, a racing spin-off title by Psyonix, was released in Fortnite as one of the three new game modes as part of the "Big Bang" event on December 2, 2023.
December 2023: Removal of Player-to-Player Trading
In December 2023, Psyonix removed player-to-player trading to align with Epic's item shop policies and enable cross-game ownership of Rocket League vehicles in other Epic Games titles.
December 2024: Split Shot Mode Added in Season 17 Update
In December 2024, as part of the Season 17 update, Split Shot mode was added to Rocket League, which includes a wall dividing the field and demolishes cars that cross into the opposite half.
2024: Changes to RLCS Format
In 2024, the RLCS format was updated to feature two regional splits, each with an international Major, followed by the World Championship. Also in 2024, the FIFAe World Cup would feature a national team focused Rocket League tournament.
2024: Updates to Team Boost and Game Clock Visibility in Chat
Updates in 2024 introduced features allowing players to view teammates' remaining boost and the game clock time when comments were made in chat.
June 2025: Release of Season 19
The 19th season of Rocket League was released on June 2025.
September 2025: Conclusion of Season 19
The 19th season of Rocket League will conclude on September 2025.
2025: Additions to RLCS Format
For the 2025 season, Last Chance Qualifiers for the World Championship for the 4 best regions, Play-ins for the World Championship and a 1v1 series were added to the RLCS format.
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