Psyonix has announced Rocket League will finally leave Unreal Engine 3 after 11 years with a first look at some of the changes included in its big Unreal Engine 6 update.
The team behind the long-running free-to-play action sports game revealed that it still has a bright future ahead as part of the Championship Series Paris Major. Its first-look trailer highlights new cars and updated graphics as fans got an early look at 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 Rocket League Unreal Engine 6 teaser trailer itself is a bit bare-bones in terms of content, with the most noteworthy look at how the update will change the game arriving toward the end as a wave of cars with colorful paint jobs flash by. However, it’s the opening look at that new stadium that may offer the best glimpse at the future of Rocket League.
When Psyonix launched its take on rocket-powered soccer sports in 2015, the experience had been built with the then-high-tech Unreal Engine 3. Its 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 given a facelift for players to enjoy once the transition occurs.
IGN is on the ground, covering the Rocket League Unreal Engine 6 reveal, and caught up with content creators Musty, JamaicanCoconut, and ApparentlyJack to get their reactions to everything Psyonix had to show. Musty said that, “as long as the game feels the same,” he’s excited about what the big update has in store.
“I think it’s going to be the Rocket League we know and love but upgraded,” Musty said. “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, too, saying that today’s 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.” Custom maps are another feature he’s hoping to see explored to the fullest extent.
“It goes from people think Fortnite, maybe, is the priority,” JamaicanCoconut 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.”
It’s the possibility of getting more options to express creativity that has many in the Rocket League community excited about Unreal Engine 6. ApparentlyJack is looking forward to it, too, not just for himself, but 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 its Rocket League Unreal Engine 6 update. The amount of new, additional content that could come with it has also yet to be revealed.
Rocket League is currently in the midst of Season 22, which launched in March. For more on how Psyonix plans to tune up its free-to-play car game, you can read IGN’s interview with the developers. You can also check out our breakdown for the global reveal of Unreal Engine 6.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN, leading entertainment content and coverage of tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He’s spent 20 years working in the games and entertainment industry, and his adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton
