“It’s a step too far”: Rocket League community reacts to teased boost timer update

Epic Games has revealed in an animation trailer that Rocket League Season 22 will arrive on March 11th, 2026, teasing that boost timers may be added in the upcoming update.

The teaser trailer showcases a potential new UI element that indicates when a boost will respawn on the field, drawing mixed reactions from fans and professional players alike.

It’s important to note that Epic Games has not stated that boost timers will arrive in the new season.

Many professional and highly skilled players rely on memory to gauge exactly when an on-field boost pad replenishes, and it is often considered a skill to be mastered in the game.

However, the trailer posted by Epic Games displays a new visual queue with the tagline ‘spawning in 3, 2, 1…’ as the boost pad gradually shifts from white to gold, indicating an upcoming spawn.

The possibility of boost timers has sparked major debates online within the Rocket League online community, from casual fans to professional players, on whether a change like this could lower the game’s skill ceiling.

“I must say I’m not a fan of Rocket League adding a boost timer at all, and I think it’s a step too far,” said Evie ‘Slumpii‘ Leonard, a former professional Rocket League player. “Slowly learning to track the boosts just adds to the competitive element of the game, and it’s satisfying when you get the timing right.”

Adam Thornton, Rocket League coach for Pioneers, also commented that keeping track of boost pad cooldown and knowing the timings is ‘part of the skill ceiling.’

However, others have argued that a potential boost timer would not affect Rocket League’s competitiveness, highlighting that the best teams in the scene are already familiar with timings. This change may only affect lower-skilled players.

“I really think people are overreacting to this one,” said Ben ‘Shoe‘ Shuman, Esports Coordinator for South Suburban Esports. “It will change literally nothing at high-level play, but it will help lower-level players learn the timing.

“What are we complaining about? You still need to know the timing for it and to think ahead of your rotations.”