Rocket League has announced that it will offer new Star Wars skins in the coming weeks. The online multiplayer game is seven years old and shows no signs of slowing down, thanks to frequent gameplay updates, rotating events, and a rabid esports community. And speaking of passionate fan bases: Star Wars enthusiasts who may be curious about the racing title have a new incentive to give it a shot, with the ability to deck out their vehicles like their favorite space fantasy while air-dashing across the stadium.
Rocket League allows players to compete in soccer matches while controlling cars instead of people. The vehicles can dribble, tackle, and shoot, along with boosting in midair to hit opponents or block a goal. Last year, the game offered a slate of new vehicles as well as an elemental-themed ninth season that introduced the Emperor, a flat-roofed, narrow-bodied beast that quickly became a favorite for experienced players who can manage the turning radius.
Now, Rocket League is looking to the stars for inspiration, with a new YouTube video revealing a skin pack titled the "Star Wars Droid Bundle" inspired by some of the saga's most popular mechanical companions. The R2-D2 skin is the expected blue and white, but it also boasts an actual R2-D2 unit as a topper. The BB-8 skin brings an orange and white style, complete with another astromech topper to beep along with the action. Rounding out the foursome is the golden C-3PO skin and the charcoal-colored K-2SO decal, modeled after the reprogrammed Imperial security droid from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as well as those annoying enemies that players will need an upgrade to beat in the new Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
This isn't the first time Rocket League has used skins from a different IP, and these new redesigns are appropriately flashy. Plus, they'll only be available from May 4-16, which should incentivize Star Wars fans – or anyone who wants a new paint job, really – to grab them while they can. It's a shame that the C-3PO and K-2SO skins don't have animated toppers, but both of those droids are humanoid, so there's probably little that designers can do to add more characteristics while still keeping the vehicles aerodynamic.
Perhaps if these skins prove popular, fans can look forward to more redesigns from a galaxy far, far away. A TIE Fighter car would probably be popular. There's a perverse charm to the idea of Jabba the Hut being hauled around the stadium on a speeding barge. Maybe the ball itself could be a Death Star, or at least the little IT-O interrogator droid. The possibilities for new skins are endless, which is one of the reasons Rocket League has been going strong for so long.
Rocket League is currently available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One.
