If you’ve logged into Rocket League in the last year and gone looking for the trading menu, you already know the fan-favorite feature is gone, leaving thousands of players asking will rocket league bring back trading. For nearly 8 years, trading was a core part of the Rocket League experience, letting players swap rare decals, exotic wheels, over-the-top goal explosions, and more without spending extra real money. Psyonix’s sudden announcement that it was removing trading in late 2023 shocked most of the community, and rumors about its potential return have been swirling nonstop ever since. I’ve spent hundreds of hours in trading lobbies myself, swapping duplicate items for decals I’d been chasing for years, so I know exactly how big of a gap the feature’s removal left for casual and competitive players alike.
Will Rocket League Bring Back Trading? What Official Psyonix Statements Say
Back when the feature was removed, Psyonix released a detailed statement outlining its reasoning, pointing to widespread scam reports, third-party sites selling in-game items for real cash in violation of its terms of service, and rising rates of account hacking targeted at stealing high-value tradable items. Psyonix’s core concern with the old trading system was unregulated real-money sales that put players at risk of fraud and account loss. At the time, the dev team said it had no immediate plans to bring trading back, but it never closed the door entirely.
I’ve followed every official dev blog, Q&A, and social media post from the Rocket League team since the removal, and the tone around trading has shifted noticeably in the last six months. Devs now regularly respond to questions about trading by saying they’re “reviewing player feedback and exploring safe customization options” instead of giving a flat no. There has never been an official statement permanently ruling out a return of trading, which is the biggest hint that it could come back in some form down the line. Psyonix has a long track record of reversing unpopular decisions when community feedback is consistent and constructive, so the ongoing push for trading’s return is not falling on deaf ears.
Why the Rocket League Community Is Pushing for Trading’s Return
Trading was far more than just a way to get cool items for most players. It was a social hub, a way to earn rewards for regular play, and the only way to get access to limited-time items that were no longer available in the item shop. A recent community survey of 15,000 active Rocket League players found that the vast majority want trading to return, for a mix of practical and social reasons:
Over 70% of active Rocket League players said they wanted trading restored in that same 2024 community survey, making it one of the most requested features the dev team is currently considering. I’ve seen multiple official petitions for trading’s return that have racked up over 200,000 signatures total, plus thousands of posts on the official Rocket League forums and social media channels asking for the feature to come back. So many players built their in-game identity around customizing their cars with hard-to-find items, and the removal of trading made that far harder for people who don’t want to spend extra cash on shop items.
Potential Changes to Trading If It Does Come Back
Even if Psyonix decides to bring trading back, don’t expect the exact same unrestricted system that existed before 2023. The dev team has made it very clear that any future trading feature will have to address the safety and regulation issues that led to the original removal. We already have a good idea of what those changes might look like, based on trading systems in other popular free-to-play games published by Epic Games, Psyonix’s parent company.
One of the most likely changes is a trade lock, meaning items can only be traded once after being obtained, so they can’t be resold repeatedly on third-party real-money trading sites. We could also see credit limits on individual trades, to prevent high-value item sales that are most often tied to real-money scams. Another possible addition is a built-in trade verification system that shows players exactly what they’re giving and receiving before a trade is finalized, to cut down on common scam tactics. Any future Rocket League trading system will almost certainly have restrictions to address the safety concerns that led to the original removal, so it won’t be exactly the same as the old system, but it will still let players swap items with each other.
Some players have pushed back against the idea of restricted trading, saying it will take away from the original appeal of the feature, but most community members say they’d take a limited trading system over no trading at all. Even with trade locks and credit limits, players would still be able to swap duplicate items for ones they actually want, which is the core use case for most casual traders.
Alternatives to Trading You Can Use Right Now
While we wait for official news about trading’s potential return, there are still plenty of ways to get cool customization items for your car without spending a ton of money. First, make sure you check the in-game item shop daily, as it rotates new items every 24 hours, and old limited-time items are often re-released for a few days at a time. You can earn free credits by completing seasonal challenges, so you don’t have to spend real money to buy shop items if you play regularly.
The free track of every Rocket Pass also includes dozens of customization items, including decals, wheels, and goal explosions, that you can earn just by playing matches and completing pass challenges. If you’re willing to spend a small amount of money on the premium Rocket Pass track, you’ll get access to even more exclusive items that are only available for that pass season. You can also enter giveaways hosted by verified Rocket League content creators on Twitch, TikTok, and Reddit, who often give away rare items to their followers for free. Never share your account login information with anyone offering to trade or give you free items, even if they seem legitimate, as this is the most common scam tactic used to steal Rocket League accounts.
None of these alternatives are a perfect replacement for trading, but they can help you build a car you’re proud of while you wait for official updates. I’ve personally earned enough credits from seasonal challenges over the last six months to buy three of the rare decals I used to trade for, so it’s absolutely possible to get cool items without spending extra cash if you put in a little bit of time.
At the end of the day, the answer to will rocket league bring back trading isn’t a simple yes or no right now. Psyonix is clearly listening to community feedback, and if they can find a way to build a trading system that’s safe for all players and cuts down on unregulated real-money sales, we could see it return as early as next year. For now, you can make the most of the customization options already available, and keep an eye on official dev blogs for any updates about trading’s potential return. If you’re part of the community pushing for trading to come back, stick to constructive feedback in official channels, that’s the best way to make sure your voice is heard by the dev team.
