If you’ve scrolled through TikTok clips of insane aerial goals, heard your friends rave about late-night ranked queues, or just love the idea of combining soccer with rocket-powered cars, you’ve probably asked how do you get Rocket League at some point. The game exploded in popularity after going free-to-play a few years back, and it’s now accessible on almost every gaming device you own, with full cross-progression across all platforms. This guide breaks down every step you need to follow, plus little-known hacks to get extra free content and avoid common new player mistakes before you even hit your first kickoff.
How Do You Get Rocket League on Every Popular Platform?
The process for downloading Rocket League changes slightly depending on what device you use, but all official versions are completely free to download and play, no upfront purchase required. Always download the game directly from official platform stores to avoid malware, phishing scams, or broken unofficial copies that don’t connect to the main game servers.
For PC players, you can grab the game from either the Epic Games Store or Steam, both versions work exactly the same, and you can link your account to carry over progress no matter which store you use. You don’t need a high-end PC to run it either, it works smoothly on most budget gaming laptops built in the last 5 years. For console players, search for Rocket League on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or Nintendo eShop, hit download, and you’re good to go. Just note that you will need an active PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold, or Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play online multiplayer matches on consoles, though you can play offline modes without a subscription.
If you want to play on the go, Rocket League Sideswipe is the official mobile version for iOS and Android, available for free from the App Store and Google Play. It’s a simplified 2D version of the core game, designed for touch controls, and it has its own ranked modes and customization items that are separate from the main console/PC version. I play Sideswipe on my commute all the time, and it’s a great way to practice basic mechanics when I can’t sit down at my PC.
Hidden Perks You Can Unlock Right After You Get Rocket League
One of the best parts of Rocket League is that you don’t have to spend a cent to enjoy 99% of the game’s content. A lot of new players assume you have to buy credits or premium passes to get cool items, but there are tons of free rewards you can unlock just for linking your account and playing regularly. Link your Epic Games account first before you play any matches so you don’t lose progress if you switch platforms later, and you’ll automatically qualify for all of these free perks:
- Common and rare customization items for your car from daily login rewards, including decals, wheels, and goal explosions that rotate every 24 hours
- Twitch Drop exclusive decals, wheels, and goal explosions when you watch official RLCS streams with your linked account, even if you just have the stream open in the background while you do other tasks
- Free standard Rocket Pass tiers that unlock new content as you play casual or competitive matches, with no purchase required to claim the rewards
- Cross-save access to all your existing items if you played Rocket League before it went free-to-play, as long as you link the platform you used to play on to your Epic account
You don't need to purchase the premium Rocket Pass to enjoy most of the game's content, either. The free track gives you more than enough customization items to make your car feel unique, and the premium pass only gives you extra cosmetic items, no gameplay advantages at all. I’ve been playing for 4 years and I’ve only bought the premium pass twice, when I had extra credits saved up from free rewards, and I never felt like I was missing out when I didn’t have it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Get Rocket League for the First Time
New players make a lot of avoidable mistakes in their first week of playing that can cost them progress, items, or even access to their account. The biggest one I see all the time is clicking on random links in Discord or TikTok comments that promise free credits or limited-edition items. All of these links are phishing scams designed to steal your account info, so never enter your Epic Games login details on any site that isn’t the official Epic or Rocket League website.
Another common mistake is spending real money on fancy car skins or credits right away. All cars in Rocket League have the exact same hitbox stats unless you’re using custom mods in private lobbies. The popular Octane car that most pro players use is available for free as soon as you download the game, so buying a $20 limited-edition car won’t make you play any better, it just looks different. I’ve seen so many new players waste $30 on skins their first week, only to realize they prefer the default Octane anyway.
You also don’t want to skip the tutorial, even if you’re really good at racing games. Rocket League’s mechanics are completely different from traditional racing games, and the tutorial teaches you basic moves like dodging, double jumping, and hitting aerials that you won’t figure out on your own for hours if you skip it. It only takes 10 minutes to complete, and it will save you a lot of frustration in your first few matches.
What to Do First After You Get Rocket League Installed
Once the game is done downloading and you’ve linked your Epic account, take a few minutes to set up your game before you jump into matches. Spend 10 minutes adjusting your camera and controller settings before you dive into matches, it will drastically improve your gameplay. Most pro players use a field of view (FOV) between 105 and 110, which lets you see more of the field around you, and turning off camera shake will make it easier to track the ball when you’re moving fast.
After you adjust your settings, play through the full tutorial and the 3 beginner training packs that are pre-installed in the game. These training packs teach you how to hit the ball accurately, make saves, and do basic aerials, and they’re way less frustrating than learning these skills in real matches where other players are yelling at you for missing the ball. Once you finish the training packs, play 10 to 15 casual matches before you try competitive play. Casual matches don’t affect your rank, so you can make mistakes without worrying about losing progress, and you’ll get a feel for how real matches flow before you play for rank.
You can also join a few beginner-focused Rocket League Discord servers if you want to find other new players to queue with. Playing with people who are at the same skill level as you is way more fun than playing alone, and you can pick up tips from other players who are just a little bit further along than you. I met some of my closest gaming friends in a beginner Rocket League server back in 2020, and we still queue together every weekend.
Knowing how do you get Rocket League is just the first step to enjoying one of the most fun, competitive multiplayer games out there. You don’t need to spend any money, you don’t need a fancy gaming setup, and you can play with your friends no matter what platform they’re on. Take it slow in your first few weeks, don’t get frustrated if you miss easy shots, and remember that even the best pro players started out whiffing open goals just like you will. Before you know it, you’ll be hitting aerials and scoring crazy goals that you’ll want to clip and share with all your friends.
