Rocket Pass
When initially designing the Rocket Pass for Rocket League: Sideswipe, the challenge wasn't just about picking cool items—it was about reimagining the core progression of a massive franchise to fit the nature of mobile gaming. As we transitioned from a small five-person prototype team into a full-scale live service, I owned the end-to-end design of the reward structures. My goal was to create a progression loop that felt rewarding for a single three-minute match while providing enough depth to sustain a global community over multiple seasons.
Transitioning a live-service title into an Evergreen status presented a unique design challenge: how do you maintain a compelling player loop and a sense of "newness" when the content library becomes finite? I led the end-to-end redesign of our progression and collection systems, shifting away from a bespoke seasonal structure to a sustainable, monthly cycled model that maximized the value of our existing content.
A core component of this overhaul was a complete reimagining of the Rocket Pass. In this new system, players progress through ranks by earning XP, unlocking increasingly elaborate badge borders that signify their status. While the pass and available content reset monthly, these badge statuses persist, allowing players to track and showcase their long-term dedication. I also implemented a prestigious "ultimate" badge at the end of the journey, designed specifically as a goal for our most committed players.
To address the challenge of keeping the item pool fresh without new assets, I overhauled our economy to focus on collection completion. We moved away from a "scrap for parts" model toward a robust duplicate protection system. Now, instead of receiving a repeat item, players are significantly more likely to drop a new color variant. This shift transformed the endgame from a simple grind into a completionist’s pursuit; once a player collects every color variant of an item, they unlock the exclusive Chromatic variant, providing a high-value aspirational goal that keeps the meta engaging indefinitely.
Collections
Legacy Rewards
I introduced the Legacy Present system to help players target specific items within a vast content library. Using tokens earned directly from the Rocket Pass, players can purchase a present for a random drop from a specific past season. This helps long-time collectors hunting for their "white whales" while ensuring that every match played contributes toward a meaningful, reachable goal in a finite content environment.
Challenges
To round out the evergreen experience, I introduced a tiered Challenges system to ensure players always have a clear objective. By designing a rotating cycle of Daily, Weekly, and Monthly goals, I created a consistent rhythm of engagement that rewards regular play.
These challenges serve as a primary source of currency, fueling the player’s journey toward the ultimate collection. This structure provides a steady sense of momentum, ensuring that whether a player has five minutes or five hours, there is always a tangible path toward completing their item library.
