Psyonix has announced that Rocket League will finally move on from Unreal Engine 3 after 11 years, offering a first look at the changes coming with its big Unreal Engine 6 update. The team behind the long-running free-to-play action sports game revealed that the future remains bright during the Championship Series Paris Major. A first-look trailer showcased new cars and updated graphics, giving fans an early glimpse of how Rocket League will soon change forever.
"To all of our friends here in Paris and those watching all around the world, this is the future," an announcer said during the event. The minute-long Unreal Engine 6 teaser trailer is somewhat sparse on content, with the most notable look at how the update will change the game coming near the end as a wave of cars with colorful paint jobs flashes by. However, the opening view of a new stadium may offer the best glimpse of Rocket League's future.
When Psyonix launched its rocket-powered soccer game in 2015, it was built with the then-cutting-edge Unreal Engine 3. The first major update to the playing field since then seems to show that everything from the crowd and lights to the blades of grass has been refreshed for players to enjoy once the transition occurs.
IGN was on the ground covering the Unreal Engine 6 reveal and caught up with content creators Musty, JamaicanCoconut, and ApparentlyJack to get their reactions. Musty said, "As long as the game feels the same," he's excited about what the update holds. "I think it's going to be the Rocket League we know and love but upgraded," Musty added. "I think we're going to be able to make custom maps. All sorts of things like that. I'm excited for the future. I'm not sure what it entails, but it's going to be great."
JamaicanCoconut shared his excitement, saying the reveal is a sign that Rocket League is heading "in the right direction" and that the teams at Psyonix and parent company Epic Games "do care about the game." He also hopes custom maps will be fully explored. "It goes from people think Fortnite, maybe, is the priority," he said. "Maybe they don't care so much about Rocket League. And then you see that they're developing an entirely new engine just for Rocket League. That's a level of care for the game that a lot of people didn't believe in."
The possibility of more creative options has many in the Rocket League community excited about Unreal Engine 6. ApparentlyJack is looking forward to it, not just for himself but for fans too. "We were wanting Unreal Engine 5; 6 is kind of a new thing," he said. "It's not even out yet at the time we're recording this, so we've got to wait to see what that offers, but we know it's going to offer a lot of creativity with the game. I think that's what the main thing is. All the content creators, all the pros, and the fans are very happy to see that. It's going to add a lot more possibilities to the game."
For now, it's unclear when exactly Psyonix will launch the Unreal Engine 6 update. The amount of new content that could come with it has also yet to be revealed. Rocket League is currently in Season 22, which launched in March. For more on how Psyonix plans to update its free-to-play car game, you can read IGN's interview with the developers. You can also check out our breakdown of the global Unreal Engine 6 reveal.
