Epic Games will no longer release themed updates for Rocket Racing, the vehicular Fortnite mode launched last December that’s developed by Rocket League studio Psyonix.
The decision, tucked away in patch notes released over the weekend, signals a downgrading of support for the mode, which has struggled to maintain player numbers in comparison to other Epic Games-made offerings.
This is not the end of Rocket Racing, and the mode will continue to be refreshed with additional quests and cosmetic rewards. But the expectation among fans is that any release of new tracks from Epic Games will now be sporadic at best.
Fortnite’s enormous Big Bang live event last year heralded a new dawn for the battle royale, with the arrival of three additional new modes: Lego Fortnite, Harmonix’s musical Fortnite Festival and Psyonix’s Rocket Racing.
Lego Fortnite continues to perform very well, with concurrent player numbers visible in-game regularly hovering around the 50,000 mark. Fortnite Festival, across its various mode options, regularly sits above the 10,000 mark meanwhile. Rocket Racing has consistently sat lower in terms of player numbers than both of these.
“v31.40 brings the theme back to the starting line as we say goodbye to Inferno Island and themed updates,” Epic Games wrote in its patch notes. “Future updates will be taking new roads with refreshed Ranked periods, renewed Quests, and additional Car items you can take to the track!
“New tracks from creators are releasing every day so racers always have a different place to drift, flip, and fly. There’s no end to the starting lines you can discover! Or, if you’re curious about UEFN, to the ones you can create.”
It’s a shame to see support downgraded – even as Epic Games reprioritises, and another new Fortnite mode is believed to sit in the wings.
Still, Epic has a history of continuing Fortnite modes over the long-term – as seen in the continued tweaks to Fortnite’s original Save the World offering that still take place to this day.