Rocket League esports is in for a makeover. Psyonix revealed its plans for the next season of the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) today with significant changes to the format and an increased prize pool.
RLCS X is a departure from the previous league format. Instead of hosting two seasons in a year, Psyonix is moving toward a circuit format with three splits that will culminate in the Rocket League World Championship. “Throughout the season more than $4,500,000 in prizing will be awarded across all regions,” according to Psyonix.
Each split will feature three events for North America and three for Europe with a $100,000 prize pool for each of them. The splits end with a Major, which will have a $250,000 total prize pool.
The Rocket League World Championship is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Teams will qualify based on their performance. Each event counts to bring squads closer to the World Championship, but Majors are worth more points than other tournaments. Points will reset between splits to ensure each squad has a chance to qualify for Majors, but they’ll count on the road to the World Championship.
The World Championship will feature a total of 16 teams, including two from South America and two from Oceania. Psyonix said it was working with organizers from the two regions to develop their own official circuits so that teams can reach the World Championship.
Psyonix also revealed the Grid, a dynamic tournament series aimed at keeping the competition up and running. Inspired by the concept of a “starting grid” in racing events, The Grid lets teams battle for “Grid Points, prize money, better seeding, and a spot at the Majors.”
Each split will feature nine weekly tournaments as part of The Grid. The team that gets the most points will be guaranteed a spot in the Major, but Grid Points don’t count as qualification for the World Cup. Players and teams are allowed to stream matches in The Grid.
The RLCS X’s fall split kicks off with a European event on Aug. 1, but players can already sign up.
