If you’ve ever jumped into a chaotic Rocket League match with friends across different consoles, you’ve probably wondered why you have to sign into an Epic account even if you’re playing on Xbox or Switch. That’s why so many casual and competitive players alike ask “is rocket league epic games” when they’re sorting through launchers, troubleshooting login issues, or looking for free in-game rewards. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about the game’s ownership, how to access it across platforms, perks for Epic users, and fixes for the most common snags players run into.
Is Rocket League Epic Games? Breaking Down the Ownership History
The short answer to this common question is yes, Rocket League is fully owned by Epic Games. Epic Games officially acquired Psyonix, the original independent developer of Rocket League, in May 2019 after years of close collaboration between the two teams. Before the acquisition, Rocket League launched in 2015 as a paid title available on Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and it quickly gained a cult following for its unique mix of soccer and high-speed car combat.
When the acquisition was first announced, a lot of long-time players (myself included) worried that the game would be pulled from all non-Epic platforms, or that existing players would lose access to their years of collected items and rank progress. That never happened, though. Psyonix still operates as a separate studio under the Epic Games umbrella, and they’ve kept the game available on every major platform, including Nintendo Switch, which launched a few years after the original release.
In September 2020, Rocket League switched to a free-to-play model, and it was removed from the Steam store for new PC purchases. Existing Steam owners can still download, update, and play the game through their Steam library as normal, but any new PC players will have to grab it through the Epic Games Store. All versions of the game, regardless of platform, now require a linked Epic Games account to access cross-play and cross-progression features.
How to Access Rocket League on the Epic Games Store
Getting set up with Rocket League on the Epic Games Store is completely free, and it only takes a few minutes if you already have an Epic account. If you don’t, you can sign up for a free account in less than two minutes, no credit card or subscription required. Just search for Rocket League in the Epic Games Store library, hit “get”, and the game will be added to your account permanently.
All new PC players will need to download Rocket League through the Epic Games Store, as it is no longer available for purchase on Steam. If you played Rocket League on another platform before the free-to-play switch, you can link your PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, or Nintendo Switch Online account to your Epic account to carry over all your existing progress. That includes your rank, all your collected cars, decals, boost trails, credits, and even your in-game stats from past seasons.
You don’t have to play on PC to take advantage of the Epic account integration, either. Even if you only play on console, linking your account will let you earn cross-game rewards, sync your progress across multiple devices, and join parties with friends on any platform. I mostly play on my PlayStation 5, but I linked my account last year so I can play casual matches on my laptop when I’m traveling for work, and all my items show up exactly as I left them on console.
One thing to note: if you bought Rocket League before it went free-to-play, you’ll get a set of legacy rewards when you link your account, including the exclusive Octane ZSR car, a legacy player banner, and a bunch of free credits. You don’t have to do anything extra to claim these, they’ll pop up in your inventory the first time you log in after linking your account.
Exclusive Perks for Rocket League Players on Epic Games Store
A lot of players stick to their existing launchers, but there are some real benefits to accessing Rocket League through the Epic Games Store, even if you also have a Steam copy. Epic Games often offers cross-game rewards for Rocket League players that you won't find on any other PC platform, and many of these rewards tie into other popular Epic-owned titles like Fortnite and Fall Guys. Some of the best perks include:
- Exclusive free cosmetic bundles, including limited decals, boost trails, and car toppers only available to EGS users during seasonal events. The holiday 2023 Neon Nights pack, for example, came with a glowing Octane decal that still pops up in lobbies all the time.
- Early access to new feature betas, such as the Rocket Racing game mode integration and cross-party voice chat test runs. EGS users got to try Rocket Racing two weeks before it launched on console platforms last year.
- Cross-game reward unlocks for playing other Epic-owned titles, like free Fortnite emotes or Fall Guys costumes when you hit specific Rocket League ranks. Last season, players who reached Diamond rank in Rocket League got a free Rocket League-themed costume for Fall Guys.
- Free cloud save support for PC play, so you don't lose your custom control settings or item loadouts if you switch computers. I’ve used this feature when I’ve had to borrow a friend’s laptop for a tournament, and it saved me 20 minutes of reconfiguring my controller settings.
You don't have to give up access to your existing Steam Rocket League account to claim these Epic-exclusive perks. All you have to do is link your Steam account to your Epic Games account, and any rewards you earn through EGS promotions will show up in your inventory no matter which launcher you use to play the game. The only catch is that you have to log into the Epic Games Store at least once to claim most of these limited-time offers.
There are a couple of small downsides to playing on EGS, to be fair. Some users in more remote regions report slower patch download speeds on the Epic Games Store compared to Steam, and the EGS overlay is less customizable than Steam’s for players who like to track their in-game stats or chat with friends while they play. For most people, though, the free exclusive rewards more than make up for these small inconveniences.
Common Issues Players Face with Epic Games Rocket League (and How to Fix Them)
Even with the smooth integration, it’s normal to run into a few snags when you’re first setting up your linked Epic account, or when a new patch drops. Most Rocket League Epic Games connection issues can be fixed in less than 10 minutes without contacting support, if you know what to look for.
The most common issue people report is cross-progression not syncing when they link their platform accounts to Epic. If your rank or items don’t show up after linking, the first thing to check is that you linked the right accounts. A lot of people have old, forgotten Epic accounts they made to claim a free game giveaway years ago, and they accidentally link their console account to that old account instead of their main one. If that’s the case, you can unlink the account from the old Epic profile and re-link it to your main one, as long as you haven’t made any purchases on the old account.
Another common issue is the game crashing when you launch it through the Epic Games Store. This is almost always caused by conflicting third-party overlays, like Discord or Nvidia GeForce Experience overlays that run in the background. Try disabling all non-Epic overlays first, and if that doesn’t work, verify your game files through the EGS library. Verifying files only takes a few minutes, and it will fix any corrupted or missing files that are causing crashes.
If you’re missing exclusive Epic rewards after linking your account, don’t panic right away. It can take up to 24 hours for rewards to sync across all your linked platforms, especially right after a big event launch. If they still don’t show up after 24 hours, you can submit a support ticket to Psyonix with proof that you qualified for the reward, and they’ll usually add it to your account within a couple of business days.
The last common mistake I see new players make is creating a new Epic account when they first launch the game on console, instead of linking their existing account if they already have one. If you do this, you won’t be able to merge the two accounts later, so you’ll lose any progress you made on the new account if you switch back to your main one. Always double check that you’re logging into the correct Epic account when you first set up the game on a new platform.
So, is Rocket League Epic Games? It absolutely is, but that’s been a good thing for most players. The free-to-play switch brought millions of new players to the game, cross-progression makes it easier than ever to play with friends no matter what device they use, and the exclusive Epic rewards add fun extra incentives to log in during events. Whether you’re a long-time player who’s had the game since 2015, or a brand new player downloading it for the first time this week, linking your Epic account is the easiest way to get the most out of every Rocket League match you play.
