RLCS 2024 Season changes questioned by Rocket League esports community
Dom Sacco, Senior Editor
Last Updated: 28/05/2025
The Rocket League community has called into question Psyonix’s RLCS 2024 Season announcement, which brings several sweeping changes.
The developers made the RLCS 2024 returns announcement post yesterday evening, saying: “We’re increasing open competition, focusing on long-term sustainability, and widening prizing for more players than ever before.”
But while the announcement was presented positively, several in the community expressed their uncertainty and disappointment around some of the changes.
The overall prize money has dropped from $6m last year to $4.3m this year, while a split has been removed, from three to two.
The prizing will be more widely distributed, with each open qualifier now awarding cash prizes to the top 128 teams (in NA and EU), the top 64 teams (in South America, Oceania, and MENA) and the top 32 teams (in APAC and SSA).
Perhaps the biggest change to the RLCS 2024 Season, however, is total open qualification, which will see top teams having to go through an open qualifier for all six regionals (three per split). Even if a team wins a major, they will have to play against lower-tier teams to still qualify for the next event. One senior esports source told Esports News UK this ‘makes no sense’.
The RLCS 2024 Season is finally here and starts with Open Qualifier 1 on January 26! We’re increasing open competition, focusing on long-term sustainability, and widening prizing for more players than ever before. Registration opens next week.
— Rocket League Esports (@RLEsports) January 10, 2024
More: https://t.co/0zz934jfNQ pic.twitter.com/Pq4pDPZKhd
A qualifier spot has also been taken from EU and NA for Majors. Previously, the top five teams from each region would qualify, now it’s the top four.
Other teams that can qualify for Majors and the Rocket League World Championship (Worlds) will be the top two teams from MENA, top two from Oceania, top two from South America, plus the top one from APAC and the top one from SSA.
This means Worlds will now have 16 teams, down from last year’s 24.
There will be three in-person tournaments during the RLCS 2024 Season: Major 1, Major 2 and Worlds.
The news comes after the minimum age to compete in the RLCS 2024 Season was recently lowered to 13 years old, with Psyonix saying this will ‘further open the league for more players to compete in and win cash prizes’.
Each Minor that participates in any in-person event will require a parent or guardian to attend, and esports team coaches and managers must be at least 18 years old.
The first open qualifier starts on January 26th 2024.
‘Poor updates don’t have players’ interests at heart’ – community responds to RLCS 2024 Season changes
We’ve collated a host of different tweets and viewpoints from various esports personalities, managers, coaches and more, including the Rocket League Players’ Association (RLPA), which formed last summer.
A statement from the RLPA regarding the 2024 RLCS announcement: pic.twitter.com/KYPvR2BUn2
— Rocket League Players' Association (@TheRLPA) January 10, 2024
That said, I'm really happy with the team we've built, the preperation we've done and I'm hoping that we can really take a step forward this season.
— Jeff Simpkins (@HereLiesJeff) January 10, 2024
We will continue to support RL esports as it's a game we love and a scene we believe can be fantastic
Slept on it.
— Jeff Simpkins (@HereLiesJeff) January 11, 2024
RLCS will still be great this year. Hopefully, there are a few tweaks yet too.
Of course, It's not what people wanted, but we can still make it incredible.
UK coach Gregan, who recently returned to coaching, said: “This comes across like “We are excited to announce we had budget cuts and this is the format now!”
5 fixes to make this format workable:
— Mike 'Gregan' Ellis (@Gregan) January 11, 2024
🟢 Reinstante top 8 and 16 invite rules from last 2 seasons. (Free)
🟠 24 team majors
🟣 Alternate weekends for regions again.
🔴 Announce 3rd party events between Major 2 & worlds.
🔵 Distribute prize money less deep or increase prizepool. https://t.co/kB3HrQrDKJ
One of the biggest Ls for this announcement to me is that all 7 RLCS regions play every weekend on the same stage.
— Lukasz (@Lukaszyr) January 10, 2024
How are community resources meant to keep up with this that so many people rely on, how are viewers meant to follow their favourite teams across different regions.…
Serious question
— John Nolan 🇵🇸 (@John_aka_Alwayz) January 10, 2024
How are the community resources, the subreddit, Liquipedia, Shift etc. How are they meant to reasonably provide coverage for all 7 RLCS regions playing their regional events simultaneously? https://t.co/TtWmQghrnD
Been some negative stuff about RLCS so here’s the positives in my eyes 👇
— Peter Thompson (@EndpointPete) January 18, 2024
Prize distribution per open qualifier being top128 and actually paying out ok. Top 16 teams make a fine salary anyway, big win:
•1st: $21,000
•2nd: $12,000
•3rd/4th: $6,000
•5th-8th: $3,000…
Only 4 NA and EU teams for Majors AND Worlds when y’all are getting rid of a major?
— Jayson (@Fireburner) January 10, 2024
Listen to your community right now, it is screaming.
— GGM1 RawGreg 🇺🇸 (@RAWGREGRL) January 10, 2024
The fans, the players, the staff. We’ve been loud and passionate about what we have wanted the entire time you have been silent and this is a step away from it that mutual handshake.
Give us a sign you still hear us. 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/2gADRhN8g9
Kinda wish this was another bait tweet.
— Euan 'Tadpole' Ingram 🏴 (@TadpoleRL) January 10, 2024
Taking so many steps backwards holy shit 🥲 https://t.co/cDLVpf6fba
RLCS announced! But… a few things to note
— Michael Moriarty (@DuckMoriarty) January 10, 2024
"Long-term sustainability" (for orgs/teams) =/= 100% open qualifier events. Not good.
Also, less events – Not good.
Wider prizes? meh
Staff needing to be 18+ – good change, but still like to see public safeguarding plan from Epic. https://t.co/StLh3y6lUW
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Dom Sacco, Senior Editor
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He has almost two decades of experience in journalism, and left Esports News UK in June 2025. As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late '80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He also previously worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation.
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