https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBP24P145wQ
Rocket League Radio is getting an upgrade. New Monstercat music is coming to Rocket League, but not in the way you might be used to. For the first time ever, Monstercat releases will arrive in-game the same day that the songs also release to the world at large.
That means you can expect a variety of music from Monstercat to be released in Rocket League all year long. The first song, "PLAY," by Tokyo Machine, is out now and you can hear it as the game's new startup music. You can also check it out on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and Monstercat Gold. More than 20 songs will be released on Rocket League Radio throughout the year, and once all the singles are released, they’ll form Rocket League x Monstercat Volumes 6 and 7.
The sound of Rocket League will continue to evolve with this exciting new way to bring content to the game. Mike Ault, Psyonix Audio Director, is excited about the next step in the partnership between Rocket League and Monstercat.
"We’ve become a trusted source for the electronic genre," Mike said. "People religiously follow the EPs we put together with Monstercat and get excited about the songs in there. I'm really looking forward to breaking new ground in another direction. We’re tapping into a record label's literal release cadence. We're releasing it to the world with a record label on the same day. I don’t know of a single game that has ever done that."
Following the full release of Volumes 6 and 7, Rocket League will have close to 100 songs that embrace different sub-genres of electronic music. Many of these new singles will become Rocket League's startup music. The process in which these songs are chosen is more involved and collaborative than you may think, as Monstercat has a few songs that have already been selected for Rocket League Radio, though some of them haven't even been created yet!
"We’re constantly working with Monstercat, looking through upcoming releases together to find music that would potentially strike a chord with the Rocket League community," commented Mike.
That process has opened the door to trying out some new sounds for the game. Those who have followed the sounds of Rocket League since 2015 may notice how the game's tone has changed over time. That change is thanks to Monstercat's deep catalog of work.
"For the first volume, we played it very safe. We picked stuff that was very 'Rocket League,'" Mike said. "Then, over the course of the following year, we tried to touch on some more aggressive stuff and some softer stuff to see what was actually sticking with our community. Now, it's all about figuring out how to select songs in single form throughout the entire year. We want those singles to span different subgenres to create the most intriguing sonic experience for the player."
There's still plenty more for music lovers to look forward to this year and beyond. Mike says that this new direction for Rocket League Radio has the potential to bring new artists to the soundtrack to be enjoyed by the fans of the game, the genre, and then some.
"It would be cool if one day we had a new song every week, or even more," Mike said. "A lot of games talk about their radio feature where you can pick a radio station, but it's all pre-selected stuff. What we are doing is more along the lines of a modern radio station where you hear a brand new song, and then you can go look for it elsewhere. That’s the way I want people to treat Rocket League."
Fire up Rocket League to hear the first new song, "PLAY," by Tokyo Machine. The second and third new songs of the year will release in March. Be sure to check out all of the Rocket League x Monstercat albums on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and Monstercat Gold.