Unreal Engine 5 is the latest version of Epic Games’ popular game development software and has been available for use since the start of 2021. A year later, more studios have begun to adopt the software as the foundation for projects that can leverage its versatile power to create detailed games.
Epic Games Announces Unreal Engine 5
Psyonix and Epic Games have long stayed quiet regarding rumors of a system overhaul. Actually they just kind of stay quiet about all updates, but mainly the elephant in the room, Unreal Engine 5. Rocket League currently runs on Unreal Engine 3, made back in the dark ages of 2007. Because of this dinosaur still rearing its ugly head, typical features you would expect of a game in 2022, like creative mode, remain absent.
Let me start by saying this, Unreal Engine 5 is a big deal, not just for Rocket League, but for all media. If you know little about computer science (and made your website using as little coding as physically possible) like me, you might be wondering how this system is used to construct video game environments. Well I’m not going to answer that, but what I will do is paste the google description of it right here; “Unreal Engine is the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool for photoreal visuals and immersive experiences.” Basically, you know when you get scored on and then a giant e-girl dressed as a bunny pops out of the screen… well that was made using Unreal Engine 3 (and you know, the maps and cars and stuff).
Now, if you’re in the know like me, you know that Epic Games makes Unreal Engine. And if you’re really in the know, you know that Epic Games bought Psyonix, acquired Rocket League, made it free to play, and swam in the cash they made. So, if this is the case, shouldn’t the jump from Unreal Engine 3 to Unreal Engine 5 have happened way back when Epic Games bought them (May 2019)? Well that’s a bit tricky, for a number of reasons that I will try and probably fail to adequately explain.
Delays but not Dismays
Psyonix largely has to wrestle with the fact that almost none of their design elements will transfer over to Unreal Engine 5. Goal explosions down to the pixel will have to be recreated on the new software (if they even bring over the same explosions) and not simply imported. One does not simply place this in a new patch, they place it in a new game entirely. And this new game has to run smoothly on all devices (Wii U players am I right), making integration even more tricky. (If you want to see how Unreal Engine 5 renders huge spaces with dynamic lighting check out the beginning of this video)
Unreal Engine 5 is Coming to Rocket League… at some Point
There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. For one, the physics engine – you know the thing that makes the ball go nowhere after you did the perfect Kuxir pinch – should be able to be migrated right over. So a reconstruction of the ball physics will not be needed. Plus, as pointed out earlier, Epic Games owns Unreal Engine 5, so integration and troubleshooting should hopefully be smoother.
Psyonix hasn’t announced their future plans (would they ever though) and Epic hasn’t dropped any hints, so how do we know Unreal Engine 5 is coming to the table? Well, like a company trying to find a nice way to fire someone, it was a job posting in August 2021 that revealed their upcoming plans.
“The marketing department continues to build out its team in order to maintain and expand its ability to support Rocket League’s ongoing initiatives, as well as future Psyonix projects including Rocket league: Sideswipe and Rocket League’s move to UE5. The role would create a dedicated resource to all copy and messaging development needs within the marketing department.” — Psyonix’s Job Posting
How Unreal Engine 5 Will Benefit Rocket League
Rocket league needs to move to a more modern infrastructure if they hope to stay relevant. And I don’t mean more skins (or a bad reskin of a previously existing map), I mean things like creative mode, ball pathing and prediction within training, seamless map download and sharing, detailed cars and diminished delays server-side.
These are a few of the benefits we can expect from Unreal Engine 5. With a stronger set of software tools, Psyonix will be able to expand its auxiliary game modes and add previously absent features that currently require add-ons to obtain (cough cough Bakkes Mod). Moreover, they will be able to design gorgeous map environments at a much quicker pace. In fact, Unreal Engine 5 boasts 16,000 pre-rendered assets for automatic use in Rocket League map creation. I personally want to see some hyper-realistic egg people.
When Fortnite launched its creative mode, it held competitions for community map builders. Similar opportunities for community involvement within the Rocket League scene would help spur increased interest in the game. I don’t just want to hit the ball, I want to race, play hide-in-seek, and try new puzzles; game modes that community map building could bring the best out of.
Patience is a Virtue
With this said, hints from Rocket League castor and youtube personality Lawler indicate this may be even further back in development than initially thought. An upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 is a years-long endeavor and attempting to estimate a release date is pointless – although an acknowledgment that it’s happening may be nice. Anyhow, I will remain loyal as long as it takes, and it’s nice to have something to look forward to. Rocket League may not have all the bells and gadgets that would require a state-of-the-art artistic software engine, but I wouldn’t hear anyone complain about some extremely responsive turf or extravagant boost animations.
If you want to see more about upcoming Rocket League changes and my informed but also un-informed opinion on them, check out more stories here!