UPDATE: Developer, Psyonix has now clarified that the cross-platform play shared between the original PC and PlayStation 4 versions of Rocket League will not be offered on Xbox One. Xbox One players will only be able to be matched with other Xbox One players during online play.
Original report follows:
After a Taiwanese ratings board leaked an unannounced Xbox One version of indie sports/racing game hit, Rocket League, the highly demanded port was finally made official at The Game Awards tonight. Rocket League will finally come to Microsoft’s console in February 2016.
The game was initially released in July, for PC and PlayStation 4. After the PlayStation 4 version was offered as a free PlayStation Plus reward especially, the game exploded in acclaim, and quickly became a streaming sensation amongst eSports competitors and avid online gamers. This led to Xbox gamers looking at the PlayStation 4 release with considerable envy, though developer, Psyonix stated that the initial denial of an Xbox One port wasn’t due to any distaste for Microsoft’s hardware. It was mainly due to the fact that the game’s much-touted cross-play, which allows PC and console players to play with each other in online sessions, only really worked on Sony’s console.
It’s currently unknown whether the Xbox One version of Rocket League will also support cross-play with the PC and PlayStation 4 builds that came before, though it will nonetheless feature some unique extras. Two special vehicles that will only be offered in the Xbox One port were confirmed along with the game’s announcement, with the first being the Halo-inspired ‘HogSticker’, a modified version of the well-known Warthog vehicle from Halo lore, and the second being the Gears of War-inspired Armadillo, a modified COG APC with the Gears of War series’ iconic Crimson Omen symbol emblazoned on it. The Xbox One release will also include the three paid DLC packs currently released for the game, Supersonic Fury, Revenge of the Battle-Cars and Chaos Run, for free, as a further means to apologize to Xbox gamers for the extended wait.
We loved Rocket League upon reviewing its initial PlayStation 4 and PC builds earlier this Summer, which scored an 80% in their launch forms. We were fond of the simple, but addictive gameplay, and the outstanding quality of the physics and mobility, even if we took issue with some early server connection problems, and an initial lack of content, which has largely been rectified now, by the subsequent DLC releases and free expansion updates.
Keep racing to Eggplante for all news and updates on Rocket League.