Psyonix have revealed the next update for the sleeper hit of 2015, Rocket League!
The upcoming update will allow players to play on prototype arenas before they receive the greenlight to be added to the official competitive playlists.
Due to be added in the February update, the maps will expand further on what was tested in the Wasteland arena, which featured a larger driving area, as well as a valley-esque field, providing variance and different challenges in each map.
The three maps that will be added to the new playlist, dubbed Rocket Labs, are Retro Utopia, a circular map that is a throwback to the prequel of Rocket League - Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars, Underpass, a map which focuses on giving players more angles to jump from and hit the ball into, adding a new dimension in attacking & defending, and the aptly named Double Goal, which splits each teams' goal into two different openings, forcing players to keep both eyes on each goal, while also keeping a lookout for any goal poachers.
One of the most notable features of the Rocket Labs playlist is the fact that the maps within the game mode are given a virtual reality-esque look to symbolise their pending status and development, with finalised art assets to be applied upon their approval and acceptance from the community.
Another notable feature of the update is that the aforementioned Wasteland will now join the competitive playlist rotation, and the Hockey gametype will become a permanent addition to the exhibition and private matches, allowing the wintery fun to continue all year.
In addition to this, users who receive abuse through the chat window will now be able to report their aggressors by directly sending the full chat log straight to the developers, via the mid-game menu. As a result, anyone who lets their emotions get the better of them during a tough game may find themselves in the doghouse.
Psyonix promises to continue supporting Rocket League, and it looks like they are sticking true to their word, as they begin to really toy with the potential of the game, while also ensuring their avid community has ample say in what stays and what doesn't.
The next few months will be an interesting time for fans of Rocket League and only time will tell if these new maps will be implemented into the competitive scene.
All I know is I'm looking forward to the update, not only for the maps, but because they also added a Gfinity community flag!
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