A significant change is on the horizon for the Rocket League community. The beloved car soccer game Rocket League Will Ban Item Trading in Season 13, effectively dismantles the thriving market centered around the buying and selling of in-game cosmetics. Fans have expressed widespread surprise, bewilderment, and frustration in response to this decision.
The final day for item trading in the free-to-play game, which is owned by Epic Games, is scheduled for December 5, just before the launch of Season 13. Subsequently, players will no longer have the option to trade their cherished hats, rims, and exhaust trails or engage in transactions on third-party marketplaces. Psyonix, the developer, explained this alteration as a move to align with Epic’s overarching approach to in-game cosmetics and item shop policies, emphasizing that items will no longer be tradable, transferable, or sellable, as stated in an announcement on the game’s official website.
The studio also noted that this transition will pave the way for future plans to allow certain vehicles to be utilized across various Epic Games titles. This means, for example, that you might acquire the Ghostbusters Ectomobile in Rocket League and then use it within Fortnite as well. The potential to transfer items between different games plays a significant role in the promises and challenges associated with the concept of a gaming “metaverse,” an idea championed by Epic CEO Tim Sweeney and others. However, it remains unclear whether the concept of an “open” metaverse holds value if all transactions continue to be routed through Epic’s in-game stores. Tim Sweeney has previously criticized companies like Apple and Google for creating closed platforms that restrict user choice.
Seven years ago, the Rumble update introduced item trading to Rocket League, a system resembling Valve’s games like Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2, which have thriving secondary markets for in-game items. Some Rocket League players trade for fun or to offload duplicate items, while others build collections worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Lending items is also common, with players temporarily sharing rare items before returning them.
In their FAQ about these changes, Psyonix emphasized that players can still trade duplicate items back to Epic for a chance at higher-rarity cosmetics, but all existing trades will become final after December 5. Any websites or servers offering such services after this date are considered fraudulent and unaffiliated with Psyonix or Epic Games.
The Rocket League community has reacted with surprise and swift condemnation. Pro player Tristan “Atow” Soyez tweeted, “RATIO FOR MY ALPHA BOOST,” and Finlay “rise” Ferguson tweeted, “Killing the game even more good shit lads.” The game’s subreddit is also in turmoil, with one top comment expressing disappointment in Epic Games’ handling of the situation.
This announcement follows the recent layoffs at parent company Epic Games, affecting Psyonix, Fall Guys developer Mediatonic, and other parts of its Fortnite empire. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney mentioned that the company only realized its financial issues about 10 weeks ago. It remains unclear whether Psyonix had planned to remove item trading from the game before these layoffs occurred.
