Rocket League Will Become “Free to Play” Next Week
- Rocket League is going “free to play” and will be made available through the Epic Games Store.
- The aging title reached the end of a long and successful market run in the context of a subscription model.
- The developer will introduce new challenges and in-game events to promote the transition as a celebration.
Rocket League, one of the most popular and highly acclaimed video games in recent years, has announced the initiation of its transition to becoming a “free to play” title. ‘Psyonix’, the developer of the game had announced its intention to move to a different model back in July 2020, but they didn’t give any specific dates back then. Now we know it’s going to happen on September 23, 2020.
The wait is nearly over. #TakeYourShot when Rocket League goes free to play on September 23! https://t.co/ZTQ3iw4Dvf pic.twitter.com/RdoUYi7umi
— Rocket League (@RocketLeague) September 15, 2020
For a title that was released more than five years ago, this move doesn’t exactly come as a surprise. The popularity and the interest of people in the game have naturally and gradually waned, and so did the revenue that was generated by selling in-game items and new subscriptions. Turning to a “free-to-play” model will surely spark a new interest to the game, and a large volume of new players is expected to flock in the servers.
Psyonix clarifies that those who had bought the game in previous years will not be dropped to the same category as the new players now, as these users will be eligible for the “Legacy Status”. This translates to receiving exclusive in-game items, banners, wheels, boosts, access to all DLC content released in the past, and an “Est. 20XX” title on their name-tag to showcase their inveteracy in the Rocket League community.
Of course, there is also the involvement of the Epic Games Store, which is going to handle the launch of the free “Rocket League”. The particular store has made numerous promotions in the past few months, and they are going aggressive with the Rocket League too. Those who add the new title onto their library between September 23 and October 23 will receive a $10 EGS coupon for purchasing more games or add-ons on the Epic Games Store.
Psyonix will introduce game-wide challenges and competitive tournaments to make the launch of the free “Rocket League” even more widely heard and celebrated, so there’s growing excitement among the fans of the game right now.
If you like driving cars and you also happen to enjoy watching or playing soccer/football, I don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t want to give Rocket League a try now that’s going to be made totally free. Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One are all supported, but users of consoles will have to have active subscription services (Plus, Switch Online, Live Gold) in order to access the free game.