Even 'Rocket League' is adding a battle royale mode

If you thought it was just a matter of time before Psyonix synced up with its parent company Epic Games by adding battle royale to Rocket League... your beliefs were well-founded. Psyonix is introducing a limited-time Knockout Bash mode that drops the usual vehicular soccer in favor of battle royale's familiar last-one-standing mechanic. Eight players try to survive by attacking each other and staying inside an ever-shrinking "Safezone." That will sound more than a little familiar to Fortnite fans, but Rocket League's take includes a few important twists.

Players only leave after they've been knocked out three times, for instance. And don't worry, you won't pick up guns — you instead ram them, block attacks or even toss them across the arena. Hazards like spikes and an underlying laser grid lead to instant knockouts, and the six-minute mark activates a "Sudden KO" phase where attacks are more powerful and leaving the Safezone results in instant death.

Your abilities change, too. You now lock the camera on to rivals rather than the (non-existent) ball. You can jump much faster and for longer, and you'll have both a stronger boost and more dodges at your disposal.

Knockout Bash will be available between April 27th and May 10th, with three maps devoted solely to this free-for-all combat. Twitch viewers will also receive a special player banner if they watch certain Rocket League streamers when the mode launches. It's not certain that Psyonix will revive battle royale at a later date, but we wouldn't be surprised to see a comeback if this event proves successful.