Sometimes a new idea is so simple, yet so earth-shattering, that it’s hard to believe no one’s thought of it before. That’s what developer Psyonix had on their hands in 2008 with Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, a cult PlayStation 3 hit. Despite its fantastic premise of four-on-four soccer with Hot Wheels instead of humans, this weird fusion of racing and sports game came and went without much fanfare.
Psyonix got by doing contract work for projects like XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Mass Effect 3, but it never let go of that original idea. In 2013, development started on a sequel that refined the camera, sense of momentum, and even the broadcast-like presentation. It also ditched the overly long name in favor of something a bit catchier: Rocket League.
