Rocket League Removing Paid Crates Later This Year

Following its acquisition by Epic Games in May 2019, Rocket League developer Psyonix has starry plans for its vehicular soccer game. One of these plans includes the complete removal of "all paid, randomized crates" from the game later this year.

Pysonix confirmed in a brief blog post that the current paid, randomized loot boxes will be replaced by a new system that "shows the exact items you’re buying in advance." The developer cited Fortnite's changes to V-Buck Llamas, which now display the contents before you buy them, as a point of reference. Pysonix said this decision reflects its "dedicat[ion] to creating the best possible experience for our players all over the world."

There's no confirmation as to when this new system will be implemented. Pysonix said that the new system will come "later this year" and that information about it will be shared "in the coming months." Though paid, randomized crates will no longer be offered in Rocket League, Psyonix made it clear that Rocket Pass Premium, DLC Cars, and Esports Shop items will still be offered for direct purchase alongside the new system.

Loot boxes, much like crunch, are a hot-button topic in the games industry--particularly among elected officials. In April 2019, Pysonix axed loot boxes in two European countries because of "government regulations." This follows a string of other games scrapping loot boxes, including Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront II. Earlier this year, EA removed FIFA Points from FIFA in accordance with new laws in certain countries where the game thrives.