Psyonix planned to continue to support Rocket League with downloadable content (DLC), intending to keep all gameplay updates free and only charging for cosmetic items.[55] In November 2015, a free update added the ability to Mutate a match, allowing for a number of different custom presets and match settings, including a low gravity mode and a cubed ball, among other improvements and additions.[8] Through this, Psyonix is able to offer custom game playlists to test out new modes or for holiday-themed events. For example, during the latter part of December 2015, Psyonix introduced an ice hockey-based mutation alongside a special event featuring holiday-themed decorative items, replacing the normal ball with a hockey puck, and changing the floor to ice.[8][9][56] This mode proved very popular and was permanently added to the standard playlists on February 24, 2016.[57] In February 2016, a new game playlist called Rocket Labs was added to offer new experimental maps to players as a means to gauge feedback and interest in a map before adding it to the game’s standard map playlist.[58] In April 2016, the developers added the basketball-based playlist to the standard playlists.[14] A new Rumble mode, which adds unique power-ups on various maps, was released in September 2016.[39][59]
The game’s first DLC pack, titled Supersonic Fury, was released in August 2015, along with new arena Utopia Coliseum.[60] It contains exclusive cosmetics, including two new cars, rocket boosts, wheels, five paint finishes, and twelve decals for both new cars. The same month, it was announced that Rocket League would be ported to macOS and Linux later that year, in order to run natively with SteamOS hardware; Rocket League and Portal 2 were part of incentives for those that pre-ordered a Steam Link, a Steam Controller, or a Steam Machine.[61][62] The game’s second DLC pack, titled Revenge of the Battle-Cars, was released in October 2015.[63] The DLC adds two more cars from Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, along with exclusive cosmetics for both. In another event, players had a chance to collect six Halloween-themed items from October 18 to November 2.[64] The game’s third DLC pack, titled Chaos Run, was released in December 2015. The DLC added two more cars, along with more cosmetics. A new arena, called “Wasteland”, was released for free alongside the DLC. The map is notable for being the first non-standard arena to be released, having a different size and shape than the others and inspired by the Mad Max films, the first of which Psyonix plans to release over time.[65][66]
In June 2016, a new arena, Neo Tokyo, based on the Rocket Labs layout Underpass, was added to the game via an update. The update also introduced cosmetic items awarded at the end of matches with various rarity grades, and gave players the ability to trade multiple items of the same type and rarity grade to obtain an item of a better rarity grade. Also included in the patch are a number of painted and certified items, the latter of which are cosmetic items with statistics-recording tags, and eight new achievements.[67][68] Psyonix added the ability for players to trade items with other players within the “Rumble” update, including item and crate drop systems comparable to Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, in which players have the chance to gain locked crates from playing in competitive matches. Players are able to purchase keys to open these crates through microtransactions, revealing special decorative items for their cars.[59] Players can opt-out of this feature to disable crate drops. Though items received in crates are tradable within the game, these items cannot be sold on the platform’s respective marketplaces so as to prevent issues in the same vein as the Counter-Strike skin gambling controversy.[59][69] The funds from microtransactions would be used to support the esports tournaments organized by Psyonix.[59] In October 2016, a major update titled “Aquadome” launched, featuring a new arena placed under the sea, along with two new premium water-themed cars, and a new crate containing new items and seven new achievements.[70]
Psyonix was able to make licensing agreements to include vehicles and decorative items from other franchises within the game. On launch, the PlayStation 4 version included Sweet Tooth‘s car from the Twisted Metal series.[71] As a separate DLC, the DeLorean time machine from the Back to the Future film franchise, was released on October 21, 2015, corresponding with Back to the Future Day.[72] The Xbox One release includes platform-exclusive Gears of War and Halo-themed vehicles.[73] The Nintendo Switch version, meanwhile, received platform-exclusive cars inspired by Nintendo’s Super Mario and Metroid series.[74] The Batmobile, as seen in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was offered as a playable vehicle in March 2016,[75] while Dominic Toretto‘s Dodge Charger from the film The Fate of the Furious was added to tie in with the film’s release in April 2017.[76] An update released in July 2017 introduced a new arena celebrating the one-year anniversary of the game, along with cosmetic items based on the American animated show Rick and Morty.[77] Alongside the theatrical release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Psyonix released Jurassic Park and Jurassic World-themed content, including a Jurassic Park-themed Jeep Wrangler car model.[78] The game had collaborated with numerous franchise, including The Goonies, Karate Kid, E.T., and Star Wars.[79]
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n September 2015, Psyonix held a cross-promotion with Torn Banner Studios, adding two free new flags themed after Torn Banner’s Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.[80] At the same time the “Chaos Run” DLC was released, Psyonix added free cosmetics and accessories from the Portal series by Valve.[66][81] Themed content based on Goat Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator were added to the game in April 2016 as part of cross-promotional deals with those games.[82] Other themed promotional content includes decorative items based on The Witcher and Worms W.M.D.[83] With the release of the basketball game mode in 2016, Psyonix partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA), offering flags with all 30 NBA team logos as car customization items.[14] In February 2017, two iconic Hot Wheels cars were added to the game, along with other cosmetic items based on the brand.[84][85][86]
For the 2019 Radical Summer event, Psyonix released two new car packs; the Ecto-1 from the Ghostbusters film franchise in June, and the KITT from the 1980s television series Knight Rider in July.[87][88] Psyonix had hoped to include KITT as early as 2016.[89] For the 2019 Halloween event, cars and other cosmetics based on the television series Stranger Things were added.[90] In May 2020, Psyonix introduced the Modes of May event, which included a number of limited-time game modes for every weekend of the month.[91] The modes include Dropshot Rumble, Beach Ball, Boomer Ball, and Heatseeker, which features a curving ball that magnetizes toward both ends of the field, drawing comparisons to the 1972 table tennis sports game Pong.
