Rocket League’s ten-year anniversary makes me sad, actually

I’ve got a lot to thank Rocket League for over the years. It’s the kind of game that forged stronger friendships with people across the world, connected us during hard times, and kept us laughing in the best of them. Somewhere along the way, though, I started to visit the pitch less frequently. The game’s tenth anniversary celebrations are here, but rather than feel nostalgic, I wonder whether Epic Games will ever take the game to new heights.

Since Epic Games assumed control of developer Pysonix in 2018, I’ve been hopeful that Rocket League could receive the same level of care that Fortnite revels in. That’s not to say Rocket League doesn’t feature great modes, cosmetics, and tournaments to compete in. But on a deeper level, Rocket League is yearning for something bigger. I thought the first step toward this might be arriving with the debut of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, but native ports of the game on these platforms never came.

For Xbox players, features like 120Hz support are just a simple patch. However, a fully fledged PS5 port requires more work, according to Epic Games. Addressing the matter in 2020, the studio said to Push Square that “our team’s main focus this year was our recent free-to-play transition, and updating major features like our Tournaments system. Due to this, we had to make tough decisions on what else we could achieve.” Since then, Epic Games remains silent on the topic, and, likely, a Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade isn’t on the cards either.

Whereas Fortnite has long moved onto Unreal Engine 5, Rocket League remains trapped in Unreal Engine 3. Incredible titles are hallmarks of this engine, from Batman games like Arkham Knight to Mass Effect 2. But it also first debuted in 2004, and hasn’t had any meaningful support since 2015, the year of Rocket League’s release. Mechanically, Rocket League is sound, but it needs some current-generation love.

Enhanced textures, improved haptics, and more utilization of console-specific features like the PS5’s adaptive triggers or the Switch 2’s refined Joy-Cons would be a start. It blows my mind how stunning Fortnite can look, but smaller details like the cloth physics on Superman’s cape or completely reworked movement animations show just how far the game has come. Rocket League deserves that kind of makeover.

There’s nothing quite like Rocket League out there, either. Sloclap’s sports game newcomer Rematch gets remarkably close to the vibe and spirit of Rocket League, but vehicular soccer just hits differently. Scoring goals in Ben Affleck’s Batmobile or James Bond’s Aston Martin DB9 are glorious images to witness. The feeling of nailing an aerial shot is a straight shot of dopamine. I live for those moments.

A Rocket League sequel may seem weird in concept, as the game itself is a hub in itself for different experiences, not unlike Fortnite. In the age of live service, it feels like sequels are for annual releases in series like Call of Duty, rather than decade-long multiplayer experiences. But I believe the time is here for Rocket League to evolve technically, and gameplay-wise too.

What’s even stranger is that Epic Games’ anniversary plans are a month late. However, August 7, 2025, should be a monumental occasion for Rocket League history, but the debut of Deadmau5 in-game and some limited-time rewards feels considerably underwhelming. Hopefully, there’s life yet to see, but right now, Rocket League’s hitting the woodwork rather than the net.

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