There are many rules to follow in Rocket League, but none as important as Rule One... at least in our opinion, that is.
Psyonix may have been smothering Rocket League with all sorts of bollocks in the Item Shop, with events like Frosty Fest forcing ridiculous cosmetics on us rather than improvements to the game itself, but not all is lost. Ultimately, Rocket League is a game about skill and practice, not the rubbish you equip to your car. It's about learning the way that the game works and mastering the gameplay mechanics. Thus, there are many rules to play by in Rocket League, and we're here to talk about what is possibly the most important of them all... Rule One.
Now, as we said, there are many rules in Rocket League. Not all of them are particularly fruitful, though. For example, you must never mistake Rule One for Rule 34... you would certainly be in for a shock if you did! No, Rule One isn't one of those dirty and pointless meme-rules, it is actually a very critical gameplay lesson that everyone needs to hammer into their brain before they can expect to get good at Rocket League. No, I didn't mean that kind of hammer, either, that's just filthy!
You see, there are a few unspoken rules that need to be made clear to any Rocket League newcomers, and Rule 1 is the most critical of them all. Now, no, Rule 1 is not "You do not talk about Rocket League", so Rule 2 is not "You do not talk about Rocket League", and Rule 3 certainly doesn't dictate that you stop upon your opponents request. This is Rocket League, not Fight Club, and if you stop after a demo, or when an opponent tells you to, then you will lose the game. Instead, Rule 1 of Rocket League is a little different...
How Does Rocket League Rule One Work?
Rule one is basically that if players become deadlocked, either head-to-head or side-to-side, then those same players must continue to hold down the gas and let the issue resolve itself. It might seem toxic, but it is the fairest way to resolve the issue as it impinges on each other's game equally. Good ol' Tyler Wilde over at PC Gamer put it perfectly:
Rule 1 is as follows: If you collide head-to-head or side-to-side with an opponent and become deadlocked, you must hold down the gas and wait for the deadlock to be resolved by other means.
Bizarrely, Psyonix have been quite outspoken against Rule One, saying that abiding by Rule One is "unsportsmanlike" and shouldn't be a behaviour exhibited by Rocket League Pros. The problem with this, though, is that it doesn't really make any sense. How is it unsportsmanlike to abide by a basic rule that stops one player from gaining an advantage over the other when in a deadlock?
Hello again! This certainly counts as unsportsmanlike conduct (being idle on purpose). As we have previously mentioned, we encourage players to continue giving the in-game report tool its respective use as we take the reports seriously & appreciate the community's collaboration.
— Rocket League Help (@RL_Support) January 24, 2018
Rule One is important because it also brings a sense of comradery to Rocket League, as players are not constantly trying to demo or disadvantage their opponents. We all want people winning fair-and-square, and Rule One certainly shouldn't count as "AFK", because it just simply isn't. Do Psyonix even know what AFK means? Guys, it means "away from keyboard", how could they be away from their keyboard if they are still holding down the gas?
In the end, Rule One truly represents the Rocket League spirit. What is this spirit, I hear you ask? Well, at the risk of sounding cheesier than a Taylor Swift song, the spirit of Rocket League is community. We want to win, sure, but we want to have fun doing so, and win fair-and-square, with no toxicity, and as few moves like the Spanish Kick-off as possible. Do you agree? Let us know! Alright, enjoy Rule 34... sorry, Rule One. Cheerio!