Rocket League free-to-play release date revealed early by Nintendo

Andrew Amos
Rocket League header image

Get ready to start your engines next week, as we have a confirmed date for when Rocket League is going free-to-play. The title will be making the transition on September 23, after the date was leaked early by Nintendo.

Psyonix shocked the Rocket League community back in July when they announced they’d be taking the game free-to-play five years after launching it.

While they initially told players it would be going free-to-play “this summer,” they’ve just missed the mark slightly. Not by much though, as Rocket League hopefuls won’t have to wait long to get their hands on the game for free.

Rocket League cars flying
Start your engines: Rocket League is going free-to-play on September 23.

Rocket League free-to-play launches September 23

According to an accidental early reveal by Nintendo, Rocket League will be going free-to-play on September 23. After that date, you won’t need an online subscription for the PS4, Xbox, or Switch to play, and you’ll be able to get it for free on all platforms, including PC.

“Speed into the next chapter of Rocket League for free on September 23,” Nintendo said on a now-deleted shop listing for the game for the Nintendo Switch.

Owners of the game currently will be given a bundle of swag, including all branded DLC released in the last five years, a player title displaying the first year you played Rocket League, “Legacy” items, and some new gear to deck out your car in.

Rocket League free-to-play Nintendo shop listing
Nintendo accidentally leaked Rocket League’s free-to-play launch date on a now-deleted shop listing.

If you want to pick up Rocket League when it goes free-to-play, there are a few things you need to know. One, it will no longer be available in Steam. The only storefront it’ll be available on is the Epic Games Launcher, so be sure to download that if you want to pick it up.

If you currently own the game, you will be able to run it through Steam like normal for the foreseeable future. If having to use the Epic launcher is a deal-breaker for you, you can always add the game into your Steam library as a “Non-Steam game.”

For console players, you should be able to pick up the title for free in the Nintendo eShop, Microsoft Store, and PlayStation Store after it goes free-to-play. You also won’t need an online subscription to play it.

Finally, there will also be cross-platform progression. If you play on one console but want to make the swap to another, you can carry over all your progress as long as you link the same Epic Games account.

Rocket League’s free-to-play launch on September 23 is more than just that though. Psyonix is also introducing a new ranking system, streamlining competitive seasons, as well as adding a host of new content to celebrate the big move.

About The Author

Hailing from Perth, Andrew was formerly Dexerto's Australian Managing Editor. They love telling stories across all games and esports, but they have a soft spot for League of Legends and Rainbow Six. Oh, and they're also fascinated by the rise of VTubers.