Rocket League Sideswipe is already a smash hit with over 20 million downloads


With the massive success of Rocket League, a mobile spin-off was only a matter of time. Rocket League is renowned for being easy to pick up and play but hard to master, making it a perfect fit for mobiles and casual players.

Launched in November 2021 on iOS and Android, Rocket League Sideswipe is a free-to-play mobile version of the popular car football game. It combines the addictive tactical gameplay of the console and PC versions with simplified controls. As a result, Sideswipe is accessible to an even larger audience.

Psyonix's mobile spin-off has only been out a few months - and it's already a roaring success.

Rocket League Sideswipe dominates the charts with over 20 million downloads

As reported by Pocket Gamer, Sideswipe was downloaded over 20 million times within 40 days since it launched on 29 November, 2021, on iOS and the Google Play store.

Rocket League Sideswipe screenshot
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Rocket League's addictive pick-up and play gameplay makes it a perfect fit for mobiles

In December 2021, Sideswipe was the third most downloaded mobile game in the world behind Free Fire and Subway Surfers. In the UK and US, however, the car football game was the number one most downloaded mobile game last month.

While this is impressive, Sideswipe is still no match for Mario Kart Tour. After launching in September 2019, Mario Kart Tour was downloaded more than 123 million times in its first month. At the time, it was the second most downloaded mobile game ever second to Pokemon Go before it was beaten by Call of Duty Mobile.

Is Rocket League Sideswipe free-to-play?

Sideswipe’s success on mobiles is not surprising. It’s currently free to play and there are no advertisements or in-app purchases. This could change in the future, however. After all, Sideswipe already has loot boxes and a season pass that unlocks free customisation items by playing online matches.

Rocket League Sideswipe screenshot 2
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Rocket League Sideswipe is free-to-play and free of microtransactions...for now

With Sideswipe’s player base growing rapidly, it might not be long until loot boxes and the season pass gets locked behind a paywall.

Sideswipe features fast-paced 1v1 or 2v2 matches with intuitive touch controls. Each match only lasts two minutes, making it ideal for playing on the go.

Until 25 January, players can unlock exclusive rewards in the Rocket League Crossover Event by completing challenges and linking accounts between platforms.

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