With the majority of popular multiplayer releases residing firmly in the shooter genre, it's always great to see a game like Rocket League rise to prominence. Centering around two teams in rocket-powered cars trying to play a game of soccer with a giant ball, the multiplayer gem blew up when it released back in 2015 and hasn't really stopped since, with the title becoming an esports mainstay as well as a major part of the gaming landscape.

With such a wide fanbase, it's rare to see a player who hasn't gotten their hands on Rocket League in some capacity, however, it seems those rare few are in luck. Announced recently on the game's Twitter page, Rocket League will officially be going free to play later this Summer.

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That's not all though. This major change to Rocket League's format has come with a series of other huge announcements, with the team behind the title, Psyonix, revealing several major changes in a statement on its website. For one, it appears the title's menus will be refined significantly in an effort to "make exploring the game easier." Alongside this, Psyonix reveals that it will be "revamping and improving major features like Tournaments and Challenges," which is a fantastic idea seeing as Rocket League's community will likely be expanding now that it's going free to play. The team has also promised it'll be integrating cross-platform progression, which is definitely a wise idea now the title will be available for free on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Speaking of platforms, Rocket League will also be making its debut on a brand new one, with the statement announcing that the game will be making its way to the Epic Games Store. "This version of the game will be identical to the version found on other platforms," Psyonix reveals while discussing the new move, also announcing that it "will feature cross-platform play anywhere you play Rocket League, including between the Epic Games Store and Steam." That being said, there is one downside to this jump to a new platform, with the statement claiming that "the Steam version will no longer be available to download for new players." The studio clarifies, however, that those who own it on Steam will still be able to play it following its removal from the storefront.

Overall, it seems as though Rocket League is in for a surge of new players, which is fantastic seen as the 2015 classic is often heralded as one of the more entertaining multiplayer experiences currently on the market. It'll be interesting to see whether the title integrates new in-game purchases in the months following its shift to the new model.

Rocket League is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

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Source: RocketLeague.com