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UK esports organisation Resolve will not be returning to Rocket League esports for 2025, ‘barring a miracle or significant changes from Epic Games’.
Resolve COO Jeff ‘HereLiesJeff’ Simpkins posted an update on X, saying: “Unfortunately, Resolve will not be returning to Rocket League for 2025 barring a miracle or significant changes from Epic.
“Right now, it’s completely unsustainable for organisations and becoming more so for players, too.”
Jeff alluded to a new marketing programme from publisher Epic Games, which has since been announced below.
The programme will see ‘select teams offered contracts to support and promote the Rocket League competitive ecosystem, with prize pools and total compensation limits for third party tournaments increased’.
Epic revealed more info below, including scheduling and other details around the upcoming RLCS Birmingham Major 2025.
Jeff said it was a positive step overall for the bigger orgs, but not helpful to smaller ones.
“Frustratingly, Resolve had no direct contact about this, yet team(s) not involved in the esport to date have had calls and been told they would be included in this program if they acquired a team,” Jeff said.
“The other changes with removal of decals from non-Worlds teams and removal of sponsors from decals have made it much harder for non-Worlds teams. This, in turn, makes it much harder for players to get signed and earn a living from Rocket League.”
Jeff Simpkins, Resolve
Esports News UK understands just over $1m will be split between Worlds teams, with the bigger-sized orgs with the most reach receiving a larger portion than others.
The news comes after fellow UK esports organisation Endpoint announced they will not be competing in Rocket League esports in 2025 either.
Endpoint co-owner Peter Thompson thanked the fans, his former players and those involved in the org’s Rocket League endeavours, and said Endpoint achieved their goal of reaching top ten in Europe in 2024.
“Unfortunately, Epic Games and Psyonix have changed a few things for the ecosystem. They’re good for the game, I just think for the esports it’s not great, and Rocket League esports is going to suffer because of that.”
Peter Thompson, Endpoint
“Unfortunately for organisations [sized] like ours, I don’t think it’s sustainable anymore. I’m not saying this is us leaving Rocket League completely. If we are going to go into it, what we’d offer to players or the route in would have to drastically change.
“For RLCS 2025 we won’t be taking part in it, at least for the start.
“The Endpoint group does want to be part of the Epic ecosystem, I think they’re building something fantastic with that and we’re currently figuring out our business model to sustainably go into that sector. It’ll be exciting to be a part of. We’ll look at ways we can engage with Rocket League still, but unfortunately for now, we just can’t.”
Other orgs that have either left Rocket League over the past year, or have spoken about likely leaving, or being rumoured to, include OG, G2, BDS and TSM.
Endpoint have been in Rocket League esports for around five years, and Resolve for four.
Earlier this year, Endpoint returned to the RLCS with the signing of the roster formerly known as Monkeys, and Resolve came close to reaching the RLCS 2024 London Major.
The news also comes as Rocket League will be returning to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Esports World Cup. In separate news, national team Saudi Arabia were crowned the first ever champions of the FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League (which England also competed in).
The Esports World Cup Foundation has also expanded its Club Partner Program from 30 to 40 orgs, offering $20m in investment, also likely favouring the biggest orgs with the most reach.
In our opinion at Esports News UK, the changes from Psyonix and favouring of larger orgs come as no surprise. It’s another reminder that orgs are at the mercy of publishers, who seemingly care more about the top level, numbers and revenues, than fostering a truly sustainable esport in the long-term with healthy grassroots tiers.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
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 worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
