when does game of thrones season 6 start

The sixth season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered on HBO on April 24, 2016, and concluded on June 26, 2016. It consists of ten episodes, each of approximately 50â€“60 minutes long, largely of original content not found in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Some story elements were derived from the novels and from information Martin revealed to the show-runners.[1] The series was adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. HBO ordered the season on April 8, 2014, together with the fifth season, which began filming in July 2015[2][3] primarily in Northern Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Iceland and Canada. Each episode cost over $10 million.

Game of Thrones (season 6)

The season follows the continuing struggle between the Starks and other noble families of Westeros for the Iron Throne. The Starks defeat the Bolton forces in battle, and Jon Snow is proclaimed the King in the North. Tyrion attempts to rule Meereen while Daenerys is held captive by a Dothraki tribe. At King's Landing, the Tyrell army attempts to liberate Margaery and Loras, but Margaery capitulates to the High Sparrow, who becomes more powerful by influencing King Tommen. At her trial, Cersei burns the Great Sept, killing her rivals, while Tommen kills himself. Cersei is crowned Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Ellaria Sand and three of Oberyn Martell's daughters kill Doran and Trystane Martell and seize control of Dorne. In Essos, Daenerys Targaryen is captured by Khal Moro who takes her before the khals; she burns them alive and takes command of the Dothraki. Olenna and the Dornish ally with Daenerys.

Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast, including Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington. The season introduced new cast members, including Max von Sydow, Pilou Asbæk and Essie Davis.

Critics praised its production values, writing, plot development, and cast. Game of Thrones received most nominations for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, with 23 nominations, and won twelve, including that for Outstanding Drama Series for the second year in a row. U.S. viewership rose compared to the previous season, and by approximately 13% over its course, from 7.9 million to 8.9 million by the finale.

Following their escape from Winterfell, Sansa Stark journeys to the Wall, while Theon Greyjoy returns to the Iron Islands. In Winterfell, Ramsay Bolton secures his claim on the North by killing Roose and Walda Bolton and his new-born half-brother. At the Wall, Melisandre resurrects Jon Snow, who is reunited with Sansa; they gather loyalists and a battle ensues. Aided by the Knights of the Vale, the Starks defeat the Bolton forces. Sansa feeds Ramsay to his hounds and Jon is proclaimed the King in the North.

Beyond the Wall, Bran Stark trains with the Three-Eyed Raven but alerts the Night King, who launches an attack of White Walkers. Bran and Meera escape and are rescued by Benjen Stark. Bran subsequently has a vision to the Tower of Joy years prior, revealing that Jon is not Ned Stark's bastard but rather the child of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.

At King's Landing, Jaime Lannister and the Tyrell army attempt to liberate Margaery and Loras, but Margaery capitulates to the High Sparrow and Tommen forges an alliance with the Faith. During Loras and Cersei's trial, Cersei uses wildfire to burn the Great Sept, killing the High Sparrow, Margaery, Loras, Mace, Kevan, and Lancel, while Tommen kills himself after witnessing the events. Unopposed, Cersei is crowned Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Ellaria Sand and three of Oberyn Martell's daughters kill Doran and Trystane Martell and seize control of Dorne, and Olenna meets with Ellaria, at a summit brokered by Varys, to discuss allying with the Targaryens.

In Braavos, Arya continues her training with the Faceless Men, and soon regains her eyesight. When she refuses to accomplish a mission, the Waif is ordered to kill Arya, who kills the Waif instead. Arya reasserts her identity as a Stark and returns to Westeros.

In the Riverlands, the Hound, revealed to have survived his injuries, pursues the Brotherhood Without Banners for massacring the people who saved him. He finds Lord Beric Dondarrion executing traitorous bannermen, and is asked to join the Brotherhood traveling north. Jaime Lannister besieges Riverrun and takes the castle, killing the Blackfish after forcing Edmure Tully to order a surrender. Walder Frey celebrates the victory before being killed by Arya.

Sam Tarly, Gilly and her son travel to the Citadel at Oldtown, stopping to visit Sam's family.

In Essos, Daenerys Targaryen is captured by Khal Moro, who takes her before the khals; she burns them alive when they refuse to serve her and takes command of the Dothraki. Tyrion Lannister brings a short-lived peace to Meereen, which is reinforced when Daenerys returns and flies her dragons into battle against the slavers. Yara and Theon arrive and pledge allegiance to Daenerys after Euron Greyjoy kills their father and usurps leadership of the Iron Islands. Jorah Mormont departs to find a cure for greyscale and Daario is left in command of Meereen, while Daenerys sails for Westeros.

The recurring actors listed here are those who appeared in season 6. They are listed by the region in which they first appear:

The writing staff for the sixth season includes executive producers and showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, producer Bryan Cogman and Dave Hill. Author George R. R. Martin, who had written one episode for each of the first four seasons, did not write an episode for the sixth season, as he was working to finish writing the sixth A Song of Ice and Fire novel, The Winds of Winter.[67] The directing staff for the sixth season was Jeremy Podeswa (episodes 1 and 2), Daniel Sackheim (episodes 3 and 4), Jack Bender (episodes 5 and 6), Mark Mylod (episodes 7 and 8), and Miguel Sapochnik (episodes 9 and 10). Sackheim and Bender were first-time Game of Thrones directors, with the rest each having directed two episodes in the previous season.[68]

With the end of the fifth season, the content of the show has reached the plot of the latest novel in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Dance with Dragons. Season 6 director Jeremy Podeswa said in August 2015: "Right now in season six, what we're shooting currently isn't based on anything in the book. It's fully based on discussions the writers have had with George Martin, because the series has now surpassed the books in terms of what's available."[69] Actress Natalie Dormer, who plays Margaery Tyrell, later added that the show's writers "know where it's got to go and what [George Martin]'s intentions for the characters are. But they are just filling in the gaps."[70]

The season premiere starts off right where the fifth season ended.[71] A plot from The Winds of Winter regarding a traveling theater troupe located in Braavos that stages a play called "The Bloody Hand", about the events that have taken place in King's Landing since the beginning of the series, is included in the sixth season.[72]

Filming for season six began in July 2015, and ended on December 17, 2015.[73] The budget for the sixth season increased compared to the previous seasons as each episode did cost over $10 million per episode, totaling over $100 million for the full season and setting a new high for the series.[74] The season filmed in five different countries, Northern Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Iceland and Canada.[75]

Like the previous seasons, a large amount of production took place in Northern Ireland, mainly in Belfast and on the Causeway Coast, including film locations in the Binevenagh, Magilligan area which was used to film scenes for the Dothraki Grasslands, and Larrybane Quarry and Ballintoy Harbour, both used for scenes in the Iron Islands. The small village of Corbet was also used, for the siege of Riverrun. As in previous seasons, some of Castle Black was set at the abandoned Magheramorne quarry.[76]

From September 3 to October 23, 2015 the show also filmed in Spain, specifically in Girona, Navarre, Peniscola, and Almería.[77][78] Some filming locations in Spain included the Castle of Zafra in Guadalajara, the Bardenas Reales Natural Park in Navarre, the Alcazaba in Almería, and the Castle of Santa Florentina in Canet de Mar.[79][80]

In August 2015, HBO announced that for the first time since season 1, the show would not be filming any scenes in Croatia. The Croatian city of Dubrovnik has stood in for King's Landing since the beginning of season 2; nearby cities such as Klis, Split and Šibenik have been used to depict various other locations.[81] Contradicting the statement by HBO, cast of the show were seen in costume in Dubrovnik in October 2015.[82]

Only a very small portion of the season was filmed in Canada (north of Calgary, Alberta): the scenes featuring Jon Snow's wolf Ghost (played by animal actor Quigly).[83] However, some of the special effects were created at Montreal's Rodeo FX studios which has won Emmy Awards previously for its work on the series.[84]

The sixth season saw the return of Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark, Kristian Nairn as Hodor, Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed, Gemma Whelan as Yara Greyjoy, and Rory McCann as Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, who did not appear in the fifth season.[20][42][85] Clive Russell, Tobias Menzies, Patrick Malahide, Richard Dormer and Paul Kaye also returned to the show as Brynden Tully, Edmure Tully, Balon Greyjoy, Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr after not appearing since the third season.[35][36][38][43] Jonathan Pryce as the High Sparrow was added to the series main cast after appearing in a recurring role in the previous season.[86]

Across the Narrow Sea, Melanie Liburd plays a Red priestess from Asshai who is in R'hllor's service.[87] At the Reach, House Tarly is introduced, with Freddie Stroma joining the cast as Samwell Tarly's brother Dickon Tarly, a character who was mentioned in the novels but has yet to appear in them.[88] Other members of House Tarly that were introduced were Randyll Tarly, played by James Faulkner; Melessa Tarly, played by Samantha Spiro and Talla Tarly, who was portrayed by Rebecca Benson.[89]

Veteran actor Max von Sydow was cast to play the Three-Eyed-Raven, who is training Bran.[29] The character was previously played by Struan Rodger in the fourth-season finale "The Children". David Bradley confirmed in August 2015, that he would be returning to the show as Walder Frey after last appearing in the third-season finale "Mhysa", but he did not confirm when he would be returning.[90] After the second official trailer was released, it was confirmed that Bradley would appear in the sixth season.[34] Danish actor Pilou Asbæk joins the show as Theon Greyjoy's uncle, pirate captain Euron Greyjoy.[44] Members of the Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men made cameo appearances.[91] Ricky Champ played Gatins, an outlaw who is a part of a band using religion to justify extorting the people of the countryside.[40] A young Ned Stark was portrayed by Sebastian Croft in a flashback scene.[92]

The sixth season also included a traveling theater troupe located in Braavos that stages a play called "The Bloody Hand", about the events that have taken place in King's Landing since the beginning of the series. Essie Davis and Kevin Eldon joined the cast in this theater troupe, portraying actors playing Cersei Lannister and Ned Stark, respectively, while Richard E. Grant was cast as the troupe's manager.[58][72][93] Members of Icelandic indie band Of Monsters and Men appear as the musicians of the Braavos theatre group.[94]

The soundtrack for the season was digitally released on June 24, 2016, and was released on CD on July 29, 2016.[95] The album reached #27 on the Billboard 200,[96] #1 on Soundtrack chart,[97] and #79 on the Canadian Albums chart on its digital release,[98] with the track from the season finale "Light of the Seven" reaching #1 on Billboard's Spotify Viral 50 chart.[99]

The season received highly positive reviews, with special praise directed at the episodes "The Door", "Battle of the Bastards" and "The Winds of Winter". On Metacritic, the season (based on the first episode) has a score of 73 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[100] On Rotten Tomatoes, the sixth season has a 96 percent approval rating from 29 critics with an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. The season also received a 95% episode average score on Rotten Tomatoes.[101]

The season finale had 8.89 million viewers on its initial airing on HBO, up ten percent from the previous season's finale, which was the most-watched episode prior to this episode.[102] The average gross viewing figure per episode for the show, which include streaming, DVR recordings and repeat showings, reached over 25 million this season,[103] and it was described as the last consensus show on television.[104] The figure went up by 25% compared to previous year,[105] and viewing figures of the show this season on its on demand services HBO Now and HBO Go went up by over 90%, which were new records for HBO. Almost 40% of viewers of the show watched this season on HBO digital platforms.[103] The show also broke records on pay television channels in 2016 in the United Kingdom with an average audience of more than five million across all platforms,[106] and in Australia with a cumulative average audience of 1.2 million viewers.[107]

^1 Live +7 ratings were not available, so Live +3 ratings have been used instead.

For the 32nd TCA Awards, the series was nominated for Program of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Drama.[125] For the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards, the series received 23 nominations, the most of any series. It won 12 awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "Battle of the Bastards", and Miguel Sapochnik for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for "Battle of the Bastards".[126][127] For the 7th Critics' Choice Television Awards, the series won for Best Drama Series.[128]

The season was simulcast around the world by HBO and its broadcast partners. While in some countries, it aired the day after its first release.[183]

On November 23, 2015, a teaser poster displaying Jon Snow was released on the official Game of Thrones Twitter account.[184] A 41-second teaser trailer was released on December 3, featuring Jon Snow from the fifth season episode "Hardhome", as well as many of the previous seasons' highlights, and a voice-over from Max von Sydow as the Three-Eyed Raven and Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark.[185] The first footage from the season was revealed in a new promotional video released by HBO highlighting its new and returning original shows for the coming year on December 6, 2015, showcasing scenes involving Daenerys Targaryen, Ramsay Bolton, Cersei Lannister, and Tommen Baratheon.[186] On December 28, 2015, Entertainment Weekly released its "Exclusive First Look" issue, featuring an image of Bran Stark, who was noticeably older from his last appearance in season four, and with shorter hair.[187]

On January 22, 2016, three teaser trailers were released, with each teaser depicting the banners of the houses Targaryen, Lannister and Stark, and included voice-overs by Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton, Jonathan Pryce as The High Sparrow and an unknown character speaking in Dothraki.[188] On February 11, 2016, HBO released 28 exclusive photos from the sixth season, picturing several of the main characters during the season and confirming the fates of Theon, Sansa and Myrcella, while Jon Snow was notably absent.[43] HBO released a teaser trailer on February 14, 2016, that shows the faces of a number of living as well as deceased characters such as Ned Stark, Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, Tywin Lannister, Stannis Baratheon, Ygritte and, controversially, Jon Snow in the House of Black and White.[189] On February 24, 2016, HBO released 16 character posters of both deceased and alive characters, and two official posters featuring various characters.[190]

A behind-the-scenes video of the sixth season was released on February 29, 2016, focusing on camera operators working on the show.[191] The first official trailer for season 6 was released on March 8, 2016.[33] Another behind-the-scenes video was released on March 22, 2016, focusing on the creative process of prosthetics, specifically the White Walkers. The video also contained new footage of White Walkers from the sixth season.[192] On March 24, Entertainment Weekly revealed a series of new issues titled "Dame of Thrones", featuring six of the female lead characters from the series and focus on the sixth season.[193] On March 26, 2016, new photos from season six, in addition to a new promo named "March Madness" with new footage, was released by HBO.[194][195] After the screening of the season premiere "The Red Woman", HBO released a second official trailer.[34] As well, in July 2016, HBO released a "blooper reel" online, a video of outtakes from season 6.[196]

After the Thrones, a live aftershow in which hosts Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan discuss episodes of the series, airs on the stand-alone streaming service HBO Now on the Monday following each episode of the show's sixth season.[197]

The season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 15, 2016.[198] The set includes extra background, behind-the-scenes material and deleted scenes.[198]

Blu-ray exclusive:

The sixth season of Game of Thrones was the most-pirated TV series in 2016.[202]


the primary technique in effective participant ethnographic study is to

Ethnography (from Greek ἔθνος ethnos "folk, people, nation" and γράφω grapho "I write") is the systematic study of people and cultures. It is designed to explore cultural phenomena where the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study. An ethnography is a means to represent graphically and in writing the culture of a group. The word can thus be said to have a double meaning, which partly depends on whether it is used as a count noun or uncountable.[1] The resulting field study or a case report reflects the knowledge and the system of meanings in the lives of a cultural group.[2][3][4]

Ethnography

As a method of data collection ethnography entails examining the behaviour of the participants in a certain specific social situation and also understanding their interpretation of such behaviour [5]. Dewan (2018) further elaborates that this behaviour may be shaped by the constraints the participants feel because of the situations they are in or by the society in which they belong. Ethnography, as the presentation of empirical data on human societies and cultures, was pioneered in the biological, social, and cultural branches of anthropology, but it has also become popular in the social sciences in general—sociology,[6] communication studies, history—wherever people study ethnic groups, formations, compositions, resettlements, social welfare characteristics, materiality, spirituality, and a people's ethnogenesis.[7] The typical ethnography is a holistic study[8][9] and so includes a brief history, and an analysis of the terrain, the climate, and the habitat. In all cases, it should be reflexive, make a substantial contribution toward the understanding of the social life of humans, have an aesthetic impact on the reader, and express a credible reality. An ethnography records all observed behavior and describes all symbol-meaning relations, using concepts that avoid causal explanations. tradationally ethnography was focussed on the western gaze towards the far 'exotic' east but now researchers are undertaking ethnography in their own social environment. According to Dewan (2018) even if we are the other, the ‘another’ or the ‘native’, we are still ‘another’ because there are many facades of ourselves that connect us to people and other facades that highlight our differences. [10]

The word 'ethnography' is derived from the Greek ἔθνος (ethnos), meaning "a company, later a people, nation" and -graphy, meaning "writing". Ethnographic studies focus on large cultural groups of people who interact over time. Ethnography is a set of qualitative methods that are used in social sciences that focus on the observation of social practices and interactions.[11] Its aim is to observe a situation without imposing any deductive structure or framework upon it and to view everything as strange or unique.[12]

The field of anthropology originated from Europe and England designed in late 19th century. It spread its roots to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. Some of the main contributors like EB Tylor (1832-1917) from Britain and Lewis H Morgan (1818-1881), an American scientist were considered as founders of cultural and social dimensions. Franz Boas (1858-1942), Bronislaw Malinowski (1858â€”1942), Ruth Benedict and Margaret Mead (1901-1978), were a group of researchers from the United States who contributed the idea of cultural relativism to the literature. Boas's approach focused on the use of documents and informants, whereas Malinowski stated that a researcher should be engrossed with the work for long periods in the field and do a participant observation by living with the informant and experiencing their way of life. He gives the viewpoint of the native and this became the origin of field work and field methods.

Since Malinowski was very firm with his approach he applied it practically and traveled to Trobriand Islands which are located off the eastern coast of New Guinea. He was interested in learning the language of the islanders and stayed there for a long time doing his field work. The field of ethnography became very popular in the late 19th century, as many social scientists gained an interest in studying modern society. Again, in the latter part of the 19th century, the field of anthropology became a good support for scientific formation. Though the field was flourishing, it had a lot of threats to encounter. Postcolonialism, the research climate shifted towards post-modernism and feminism. Therefore, the field of anthropology moved into a discipline of social science.

Gerhard Friedrich Müller developed the concept of ethnography as a separate discipline whilst participating in the Second Kamchatka Expedition (1733–43) as a professor of history and geography. Whilst involved in the expedition, he differentiated Völker-Beschreibung as a distinct area of study. This became known as "ethnography," following the introduction of the Greek neologism ethnographia by Johann Friedrich Schöpperlin and the German variant by A. F. Thilo in 1767.[13] August Ludwig von Schlözer and Christoph Wilhelm Jacob Gatterer of the University of Göttingen introduced the term into the academic discourse in an attempt to reform the contemporary understanding of world history.[13][14]

Herodotus, known as the Father of History, had significant works on the cultures of various peoples beyond the Hellenic realm such as the Scythians, which earned him the title "philobarbarian", and may be said to have produced the first works of ethnography.

There are different forms of ethnography: confessional ethnography; life history; feminist ethnography etc. Two popular forms of ethnography are realist ethnography and critical ethnography. (Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, 93)

Realist ethnography: is a traditional approach used by cultural anthropologists. Characterized by Van Maanen (1988), it reflects a particular instance taken by the researcher toward the individual being studied. It's an objective study of the situation. It's composed from a third person's perspective by getting the data from the members on the site. The ethnographer stays as omniscient correspondent of actualities out of sight. The realist reports information in a measured style ostensibly uncontaminated by individual predisposition, political objectives, and judgment. The analyst will give a detailed report of the everyday life of the individuals under study. The ethnographer also uses standard categories for cultural description (e.g., family life, communication network). The ethnographer produces the participant's views through closely edited quotations and has the final work on how the culture is to be interpreted and presented. (Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, 93)

Critical ethnography: is a kind of ethnographic research in which the creators advocate for the liberation of groups which are marginalized in society. Critical researchers typically are politically minded people who look to take a stand of opposition to inequality and domination. For example, a critical ethnographer might study schools that provide privileges to certain types of students, or counseling practices that serve to overlook the needs of underrepresented groups. (Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, 94). The important components of a critical ethnographer are to incorporate a value- laden introduction, empower people by giving them more authority, challenging the status quo, and addressing concerns about power and control. A critical ethnographer will study issues of power, empowerment, inequality inequity, dominance, repression, hegemony, and victimization. (Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, 94)

According to Dewan (2018) the researcher is not looking for generalizing the findings; rather, she/he is considering it in reference to the context of the situation. In this regard, the best way to integrate ethnography in a quantitative research would be to use it to discover and uncover relationships and then use the resultant data to test and explain the empirical assumptions [15]

The ethnographic method is different from other ways of conducting social science approach due to the following reasons:

According to the leading social scientist, John Brewer, data collection methods are meant to capture the "social meanings and ordinary activities"[16] of people (informants) in "naturally occurring settings"[16] that are commonly referred to as "the field." The goal is to collect data in such a way that the researcher imposes a minimal amount of personal bias in the data.[16] Multiple methods of data collection may be employed to facilitate a relationship that allows for a more personal and in-depth portrait of the informants and their community. These can include participant observation, field notes, interviews, and surveys.

Interviews are often taped and later transcribed, allowing the interview to proceed unimpaired of note-taking, but with all information available later for full analysis. Secondary research and document analysis are also used to provide insight into the research topic. In the past, kinship charts were commonly used to "discover logical patterns and social structure in non-Western societies".[17] In the 21st century, anthropology focuses more on the study of people in urban settings and the use of kinship charts is seldom employed.

In order to make the data collection and interpretation transparent, researchers creating ethnographies often attempt to be "reflexive". Reflexivity refers to the researcher's aim "to explore the ways in which [the] researcher's involvement with a particular study influences, acts upon and informs such research".[18] Despite these attempts of reflexivity, no researcher can be totally unbiased. This factor has provided a basis to criticize ethnography.

Traditionally, the ethnographer focuses attention on a community, selecting knowledgeable informants who know the activities of the community well.[19] These informants are typically asked to identify other informants who represent the community, often using snowball or chain sampling.[19] This process is often effective in revealing common cultural denominators connected to the topic being studied.[19] Ethnography relies greatly on up-close, personal experience. Participation, rather than just observation, is one of the keys to this process.[20] Ethnography is very useful in social research.

Ybema et al. (2010) examine the ontological and epistemological presuppositions underlying ethnography. Ethnographic research can range from a realist perspective, in which behavior is observed, to a constructivist perspective where understanding is socially constructed by the researcher and subjects. Research can range from an objectivist account of fixed, observable behaviors to an interpretive narrative describing "the interplay of individual agency and social structure."[21] Critical theory researchers address "issues of power within the researcher-researched relationships and the links between knowledge and power."

Another form of data collection is that of the "image." The image is the projection that an individual puts on an object or abstract idea. An image can be contained within the physical world through a particular individual's perspective, primarily based on that individualâ€™s past experiences. One example of an image is how an individual views a novel after completing it. The physical entity that is the novel contains a specific image in the perspective of the interpreting individual and can only be expressed by the individual in the terms of "I can tell you what an image is by telling you what it feels like."[22] The idea of an image relies on the imagination and has been seen to be utilized by children in a very spontaneous and natural manner. Effectively, the idea of the image is a primary tool for ethnographers to collect data. The image presents the perspective, experiences, and influences of an individual as a single entity and in consequence, the individual will always contain this image in the group under study.

The ethnographic method is used across a range of different disciplines, primarily by anthropologists but also occasionally by sociologists. Cultural studies, (European) ethnology, sociology, economics, social work, education, design, psychology, computer science, human factors and ergonomics, ethnomusicology, folkloristics, religious studies, geography, history, linguistics, communication studies, performance studies, advertising, nursing, urban planning, usability, political science,[23] social movement,[24] and criminology are other fields which have made use of ethnography.

Cultural anthropology and social anthropology were developed around ethnographic research and their canonical texts, which are mostly ethnographies: e.g. Argonauts of the Western Pacific (1922) by Bronisław Malinowski, Ethnologische Excursion in Johore (1875) by Nicholas Miklouho-Maclay, Coming of Age in Samoa (1928) by Margaret Mead, The Nuer (1940) by E. E. Evans-Pritchard, Naven (1936, 1958) by Gregory Bateson, or "The Lele of the Kasai" (1963) by Mary Douglas. Cultural and social anthropologists today place a high value on doing ethnographic research. The typical ethnography is a document written about a particular people, almost always based at least in part on emic views of where the culture begins and ends. Using language or community boundaries to bound the ethnography is common.[25] Ethnographies are also sometimes called "case studies."[26] Ethnographers study and interpret culture, its universalities, and its variations through the ethnographic study based on fieldwork. An ethnography is a specific kind of written observational science which provides an account of a particular culture, society, or community. The fieldwork usually involves spending a year or more in another society, living with the local people and learning about their ways of life. Neophyte Ethnographers are strongly encouraged to develop extensive familiarity with their subject prior to entering the field; otherwise, they may find themselves in difficult situations.[27]

Ethnographers are participant observers. They take part in events they study because it helps with understanding local behavior and thought. Classic examples are Carol B. Stack's All Our Kin,[28] Jean Briggs' Never in Anger, Richard Lee's Kalahari Hunter-Gatherers, Victor Turner's Forest of Symbols, David Maybry-Lewis' Akew-Shavante Society, E.E. Evans-Pritchard's The Nuer, and Claude Lévi-Strauss' Tristes Tropiques. Iterations of ethnographic representations in the classic, modernist camp include Joseph W. Bastien's "Drum and Stethoscope" (1992), Bartholomew Dean's recent (2009) contribution, Urarina Society, Cosmology, and History in Peruvian Amazonia.[29]

A typical ethnography attempts to be holistic[8][9] and typically follows an outline to include a brief history of the culture in question, an analysis of the physical geography or terrain inhabited by the people under study, including climate, and often including what biological anthropologists call habitat. Folk notions of botany and zoology are presented as ethnobotany and ethnozoology alongside references from the formal sciences. Material culture, technology, and means of subsistence are usually treated next, as they are typically bound up in physical geography and include descriptions of infrastructure. Kinship and social structure (including age grading, peer groups, gender, voluntary associations, clans, moieties, and so forth, if they exist) are typically included. Languages spoken, dialects, and the history of language change are another group of standard topics.[30] Practices of childrearing, acculturation, and emic views on personality and values usually follow after sections on social structure.[31] Rites, rituals, and other evidence of religion have long been an interest and are sometimes central to ethnographies, especially when conducted in public where visiting anthropologists can see them.[32]

As ethnography developed, anthropologists grew more interested in less tangible aspects of culture, such as values, worldview and what Clifford Geertz termed the "ethos" of the culture. In his fieldwork, Geertz used elements of a phenomenological approach, tracing not just the doings of people, but the cultural elements themselves. For example, if within a group of people, winking was a communicative gesture, he sought to first determine what kinds of things a wink might mean (it might mean several things). Then, he sought to determine in what contexts winks were used, and whether, as one moved about a region, winks remained meaningful in the same way. In this way, cultural boundaries of communication could be explored, as opposed to using linguistic boundaries or notions about the residence. Geertz, while still following something of a traditional ethnographic outline, moved outside that outline to talk about "webs" instead of "outlines"[33] of culture.

Within cultural anthropology, there are several subgenres of ethnography. Beginning in the 1950s and early 1960s, anthropologists began writing "bio-confessional" ethnographies that intentionally exposed the nature of ethnographic research. Famous examples include Tristes Tropiques (1955) by LÃ©vi-Strauss, The High Valley by Kenneth Read, and The Savage and the Innocent by David Maybury-Lewis, as well as the mildly fictionalized Return to Laughter by Elenore Smith Bowen (Laura Bohannan).

Later "reflexive" ethnographies refined the technique to translate cultural differences by representing their effects on the ethnographer. Famous examples include Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight by Clifford Geertz, Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco by Paul Rabinow, The Headman and I by Jean-Paul Dumont, and Tuhami by Vincent Crapanzano. In the 1980s, the rhetoric of ethnography was subjected to intense scrutiny within the discipline, under the general influence of literary theory and post-colonial/post-structuralist thought. "Experimental" ethnographies that reveal the ferment of the discipline include Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man by Michael Taussig, Debating Muslims by Michael F. J. Fischer and Mehdi Abedi, A Space on the Side of the Road by Kathleen Stewart, and Advocacy after Bhopal by Kim Fortun.

This critical turn in sociocultural anthropology during the mid-1980s can be traced to the influence of the now classic (and often contested) text, Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography, (1986) edited by James Clifford and George Marcus. Writing Culture helped bring changes to both anthropology and ethnography often described in terms of being 'postmodern,''reflexive,' 'literary,' 'deconstructive,' or 'poststructural' in nature, in that the text helped to highlight the various epistemic and political predicaments that many practitioners saw as plaguing ethnographic representations and practices.[34]

Where Geertz's and Turner's interpretive anthropology recognized subjects as creative actors who constructed their sociocultural worlds out of symbols, postmodernists attempted to draw attention to the privileged status of the ethnographers themselves. That is, the ethnographer cannot escape the personal viewpoint in creating an ethnographic account, thus making any claims of objective neutrality highly problematic, if not altogether impossible.[35] In regards to this last point, Writing Culture became a focal point for looking at how ethnographers could describe different cultures and societies without denying the subjectivity of those individuals and groups being studied while simultaneously doing so without laying claim to absolute knowledge and objective authority.[36] Along with the development of experimental forms such as 'dialogic anthropology,' 'narrative ethnography,'[37] and 'literary ethnography',[38] Writing Culture helped to encourage the development of 'collaborative ethnography.'[39] This exploration of the relationship between writer, audience, and subject has become a central tenet of contemporary anthropological and ethnographic practice. In certain instances, active collaboration between the researcher(s) and subject(s) has helped blend the practice of collaboration in ethnographic fieldwork with the process of creating the ethnographic product resulting from the research.[39][40][41]

Sociology is another field which prominently features ethnographies. Urban sociology, Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta University), and the Chicago School, in particular, are associated with ethnographic research, with some well-known early examples being The Philadelphia Negro (1899) by W. E. B. Du Bois, Street Corner Society by William Foote Whyte and Black Metropolis by St. Clair Drake and Horace R. Cayton, Jr.. Major influences on this development were anthropologist Lloyd Warner, on the Chicago sociology faculty, and to Robert Park's experience as a journalist. Symbolic interactionism developed from the same tradition and yielded such sociological ethnographies as Shared Fantasy by Gary Alan Fine, which documents the early history of fantasy role-playing games. Other important ethnographies in sociology include Pierre Bourdieu's work on Algeria and France.

Jaber F. Gubrium's series of organizational ethnographies focused on the everyday practices of illness, care, and recovery are notable. They include Living and Dying at Murray Manor, which describes the social worlds of a nursing home; Describing Care: Image and Practice in Rehabilitation, which documents the social organization of patient subjectivity in a physical rehabilitation hospital; Caretakers: Treating Emotionally Disturbed Children, which features the social construction of behavioral disorders in children; and Oldtimers and Alzheimer's: The Descriptive Organization of Senility, which describes how the Alzheimer's disease movement constructed a new subjectivity of senile dementia and how that is organized in a geriatric hospital. Another approach to ethnography in sociology comes in the form of institutional ethnography, developed by Dorothy E. Smith for studying the social relations which structure people's everyday lives.

Other notable ethnographies include Paul Willis's Learning to Labour, on working class youth; the work of Elijah Anderson, Mitchell Duneier, and Loïc Wacquant on black America, and Lai Olurode's Glimpses of Madrasa From Africa. But even though many sub-fields and theoretical perspectives within sociology use ethnographic methods, ethnography is not the sine qua non of the discipline, as it is in cultural anthropology.

Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, ethnographic research methods began to be widely used by communication scholars. As the purpose of ethnography is to describe and interpret the shared and learned patterns of values, behaviors, beliefs, and language of a culture-sharing group, Harris, (1968), also Agar (1980) note that ethnography is both a process and an outcome of the research. Studies such as Gerry Philipsen's analysis of cultural communication strategies in a blue-collar, working-class neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Speaking 'Like a Man' in Teamsterville, paved the way for the expansion of ethnographic research in the study of communication.

Scholars of communication studies use ethnographic research methods to analyze communicative behaviors and phenomena. This is often characterized in the writing as attempts to understand taken-for-granted routines by which working definitions are socially produced. Ethnography as a method is a storied, careful, and systematic examination of the reality-generating mechanisms of everyday life (Coulon, 1995). Ethnographic work in communication studies seeks to explain "how" ordinary methods/practices/performances construct the ordinary actions used by ordinary people in the accomplishments of their identities. This often gives the perception of trying to answer the "why" and "how come" questions of human communication.[42] Often this type of research results in a case study or field study such as an analysis of speech patterns at a protest rally, or the way firemen communicate during "down time" at a fire station. Like anthropology scholars, communication scholars often immerse themselves, and participate in and/or directly observe the particular social group being studied.[43]

The American anthropologist George Spindler was a pioneer in applying the ethnographic methodology to the classroom.

Anthropologists such as Daniel Miller and Mary Douglas have used ethnographic data to answer academic questions about consumers and consumption. In this sense, Tony Salvador, Genevieve Bell, and Ken Anderson describe design ethnography as being "a way of understanding the particulars of daily life in such a way as to increase the success probability of a new product or service or, more appropriately, to reduce the probability of failure specifically due to a lack of understanding of the basic behaviors and frameworks of consumers."[44] Sociologist Sam Ladner argues in her book,[45] that understanding consumers and their desires requires a shift in "standpoint," one that only ethnography provides. The results are products and services that respond to consumers' unmet needs.

Businesses, too, have found ethnographers helpful for understanding how people use products and services. Companies make increasing use of ethnographic methods to understand consumers and consumption, or for new product development (such as video ethnography). The Ethnographic Praxis in Industry (EPIC) conference is evidence of this. Ethnographers' systematic and holistic approach to real-life experience is valued by product developers, who use the method to understand unstated desires or cultural practices that surround products. Where focus groups fail to inform marketers about what people really do, ethnography links what people say to what they doâ€”avoiding the pitfalls that come from relying only on self-reported, focus-group data.

The Ethnographic methodology is not usually evaluated in terms of philosophical standpoint (such as positivism and emotionalism). Ethnographic studies need to be evaluated in some manner. No consensus has been developed on evaluation standards, but Richardson (2000, p.Â 254)[46] provides five criteria that ethnographers might find helpful. Jaber F. Gubrium and James A. Holstein's (1997) monograph, The New Language of Qualitative Method, discusses forms of ethnography in terms of their "methods talk."

Ethnography, which is a method dedicated entirely to field work, is aimed at gaining a deeper insight of a certain people's knowledge and social culture.

Ethnography's advantages are:

However, there are certain challenges or limitations for the ethnographic method:

Gary Alan Fine argues that the nature of ethnographic inquiry demands that researchers deviate from formal and idealistic rules or ethics that have come to be widely accepted in qualitative and quantitative approaches in research. Many of these ethical assumptions are rooted in positivist and post-positivist epistemologies that have adapted over time but are apparent and must be accounted for in all research paradigms. These ethical dilemmas are evident throughout the entire process of conducting ethnographies, including the design, implementation, and reporting of an ethnographic study. Essentially, Fine maintains that researchers are typically not as ethical as they claim or assume to be â€” and that "each job includes ways of doing things that would be inappropriate for others to know".[49]

Fine is not necessarily casting blame at ethnographic researchers but tries to show that researchers often make idealized ethical claims and standards which in are inherently based on partial truths and self-deceptions. Fine also acknowledges that many of these partial truths and self-deceptions are unavoidable. He maintains that "illusions" are essential to maintain an occupational reputation and avoid potentially more caustic consequences. He claims, "Ethnographers cannot help but lie, but in lying, we reveal truths that escape those who are not so bold".[50] Based on these assertions, Fine establishes three conceptual clusters in which ethnographic ethical dilemmas can be situated: "Classic Virtues", "Technical Skills", and "Ethnographic Self".

Much debate surrounding the issue of ethics arose following revelations about how the ethnographer Napoleon Chagnon conducted his ethnographic fieldwork with the Yanomani people of South America.

While there is no international standard on Ethnographic Ethics, many western anthropologists look to the American Anthropological Association for guidance when conducting ethnographic work.[51] In 2009 the Association adopted a code of ethics, stating: Anthropologists have "moral obligations as members of other groups, such as the family, religion, and community, as well as the profession".[52] The code of ethics notes that anthropologists are part of a wider scholarly and political network, as well as human and natural environment, which needs to be reported on respectfully.[52] The code of ethics recognizes that sometimes very close and personal relationship can sometimes develop from doing ethnographic work.[52] The Association acknowledges that the code is limited in scope; ethnographic work can sometimes be multidisciplinary, and anthropologists need to be familiar with ethics and perspectives of other disciplines as well.[53] The eight-page code of ethics outlines ethical considerations for those conducting Research, Teaching, Application and Dissemination of Results, which are briefly outlined below.[54]

The following are commonly misconceived conceptions of ethnographers:

According to Norman K. Denzin, ethnographers should consider the following eight principles when observing, recording, and sampling data:

According to Writing at CSU [62] this type of research attempts to identify and explain complex social structures within the study group.


differences between ycja and criminal code of canada

Young persons, ages 12 to 17, may be charged with offences under the Criminal Code, are prosecuted in much the same way as adults  under the Criminal Code, and are subject to the same laws of evidence. However, sentencing, procedure and evidence law are modified to some extent by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Depending on the severity of the crime, the Crown Prosecutor may argue for a youth to receive an adult sentence after the age of 14. In this case, the judge will make the decision. Under the Young Offenders Act, the youth would be transferred to adult court in order to receive an adult sentence. This is no longer the case. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) the young person would receive the adult sentence in youth court.[5][6][NB 1]

Criminal Code (Canada)

The Criminal Code[1] (French: Code criminel[2]) is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in Canada. Its official long title is "An Act respecting the criminal law" (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, as amended). Section 91(27) of the Constitution Act, 1867 establishes the sole jurisdiction of Parliament over criminal law in Canada.

The Criminal Code contains some defences, but most are part of the common law rather than statute. Important Canadian criminal laws not forming part of the code include the Firearms Act, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Canada Evidence Act, the Food and Drugs Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the Contraventions Act.

One of the conveniences of the criminal code was that it constituted the principle that no person would be able to be convicted of a crime unless otherwise specifically outlined and stated in a statute. This legal document has played a major part in Canada's history and has also helped form other legal acts and laws, for example the  Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.[3]

The Criminal Code was first enacted in July 1892 after being a pet project of the Minister of Justice of the time, Sir John Sparrow David Thompson.[4] It was based on a drafted code called "the Stephen Code", written by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen as part of a Royal Commission in England in 1879, and influenced by the writings of Canadian Jurist George Burbidge. Canada's criminal code followed much of England's 1878 bill. However Canada wanted to have a more precise legal document that outlined all criminal laws.

The main body of the Criminal Code is divided into the following major components:

The main body is followed by schedules (i.e. appendices) relating to some of the above-mentioned Parts and a series of prescribed legal forms, such as Form 5 which sets out the proper legal wording for a search warrant.

The Criminal Code has been revised numerous times, including the consolidation of federal statutes that occurred during 1955 and 1985. One of the major revisions of the code occurred with the passage of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968–69, whose provisions included, among other things, the decriminalization of homosexual acts between consenting adults, the legalization of abortion, contraception and lotteries, new gun ownership restrictions as well as the authorization of breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers.

The criminal code has changed as society has advanced. The introduction of technology has pushed for new laws to be passed. For example laws against the use of cellphones while driving as well as cyber crimes. The Criminal Code, in its present form, is part of the 1985 consolidated statutes with further major amendments since that year.

By means of legal challenges under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, numerous sections of the Criminal Code have been struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada as infringing on a constitutional right as defined in this 1982 constitutional document.  The offending sections are usually removed altogether, or heavily qualified, when new laws are passed.  In other instances, such as Section 287 regarding qualified abortions, the Canadian Parliament does not repeal (i.e. erase) the infringing section from the text of the Criminal Code and so the remaining text is simply null, void and unenforceable by the police and the criminal justice system.

Before the terrorist attack against the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the Criminal Code contained almost no specific reference to terrorism.  After that event, the Canadian Parliament passed Bill C-36, the Anti-terrorism Act (S.C. 2001, c.41) which received royal assent on December 18, 2001.  This statute added an entire new component to the Criminal Code.  Falling between Part II and Part III is now Part II.1 – Terrorism, which contains numerous provisions regarding the financing of terrorism, the establishment of a list of terrorist entities, the freezing of property, the forfeiture of property, and participating, facilitating, instructing and harbouring of terrorism.

If the young person is given an adult custody sentence, he/she will attend a youth facility until becoming an adult at the age of 18. At this time it will be decided if the youth is transferred to an adult facility, or if he/she is to remain at the youth facility until the age of 20. If an adult sentence is given, the young person's name will be published and he/she will receive a permanent adult criminal record.

In 2012, Bill C-10 made amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act regarding youth and adult sentences.[7][NB 2]


what film is the song my guy in

Her version of the song was used in the film "More American Graffiti" (1979)

My Guy

"My Guy" is a 1964 hit single recorded by Mary Wells for the Motown label. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the song is a woman's dedication to the goodness of her man ("There's not a man today who could take me away from my guy").

At the session for the "My Guy" backing track the studio musicians were having issues completing the intro: with the musicians having been playing all day and a half-hour scheduled studio time left, trombonist George Bohanon pointed out to keyboardist Earl Van Dyke that the opening measure of "Canadian Sunset" could be perfectly juxtaposed on the intro's chord changes, and Van Dyke, the session bandleader, expediently constructed an intro incorporating the opening of "Canadian Sunset" and also the "left hand notes" from "Canadian Sunset" composer Eddie Heywood's rendition of "Begin the Beguine". Van Dyke would recall: "We were doing anything to get the hell out of that studio. We knew that the producers didn't know nothing 'bout no 'Canadian Sunset' or 'Begin the Beguine'. We figured the song would wind up in the trash can anyway".[1]

When Wells recorded her vocal she sang over the song's outro with a huskiness evoking the line delivery of Mae West: Wells would recall: "I was only joking but the producers said 'Keep it going, keep it going'."[1]

"My Guy" became the biggest hit ever for Wells, Motown's first female star, and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart on 16 May 1964.[2] The song led the Cashbox magazine R&B chart for seven weeks.[3] "My Guy" was also Wells' last hit single for Motown, except for duets she recorded with label mate Marvin Gaye. An option in her recording contract let Wells terminate the contract at her discretion after she reached her twenty-first birthday on May 13, 1964. Encouraged by her ex-husband, Wells broke her Motown contract and signed with 20th Century Fox in hopes of higher royalties and possible movie roles. However, Wells' career never again reached the heights it had at Motown, and she never again had a hit single as big as "My Guy".

In the United Kingdom, "My Guy" peaked at number five in June 1964.

"My Guy" has three times returned to the "Billboard" Hot 100 first as rendered by Petula Clark whose rendition featured on her 1971 album Now peaked at #70 crossing over from the Easy Listening chart where it reached #12. In 1980 Amii Stewart and Johnny Bristol recorded a medley of "My Guy" and another Motown classic, the Temptations' "My Girl": "My Guy - My Girl (Medley)" peaked #63 in the U.S. - #76 R&B - and #39 UK. The track was re-issued in 1986 with Bristol's vocal being replaced by Deon Estus: this version reached #63 UK. Sister Sledge remade "My Guy" for their 1982 album self-produced album The Sisters: Kathy Sledge, the group's usual lead singer, would recall - "I had very little input [into the album], but I did push for 'My Guy'."[4] Issued as the album's lead single, "My Guy" afforded Sister Sledge their third Top 40 hit although with a #23 peak its chart impact was well below that of the group's precedent hits "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "We Are Family" (both 1979), which had respective chart peaks of #9 and #2. "My Guy" also afforded Sister Sledge a fifth and final Top 20 R&B hit its R&B chart peak being #14. The Sister Sledge version of "My Guy" had its strongest impact on the Easy Listening chart where it rose as high as #2. Sister Sledge performed "My Guy" on the episode of the CBS-TV sitcom The Jeffersons entitled My Guy, George taped 17 January 1984 and broadcast 4 March 1984: in the guise of struggling musical act the Satin Sisters, Sister Sledge wooed George Jefferson to act as their manager by singing him an a cappella rendition of "My Guy" with the lyrics modified to flatter Jefferson.

"My Guy" has twice reached the C&W chart in renderings by Lynda K Lance (#46 C&W/ 1971) and by Margo Smith (#43 C&W/ 1980).

The song has also been recorded by Lucia Altieri (it) (rendered in Italian as "Non Ti Scuso Piu"), Aretha Franklin, Nancy Holloway (fr) (rendered in French as "Bye Bye"), Claudine Longet, Barbara McNair, Melba Moore, Dara Sedaka, and Helen Shapiro. Mary Wells herself re-recorded the song in a funk rendition for her 1984 album, I'm a Lady.

More than via any straightforward remake, "My Guy" has had its highest profile since the Mary Wells original through its appearance on the soundtrack of the Whoopi Goldberg film Sister Act (1992) in a rendition that substitutes "My Guy" with "My God," transforming the song into a faux-gospel number. In 1999, "My Guy" was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In 2008, the Los Angeles-based rock group Warpaint performed a version of the song on their EP Exquisite Corpse (EP) under the title "Billie Holliday".


what show says that some bad hat harry

Bad Hat Harry Productions is an American film and television production company founded in 1994 by director Bryan Singer. It has produced such films as The Usual Suspects and the X-Men film series, as well as the television series House. The name is an homage to Steven Spielberg and comes from a line uttered by Roy Scheider in the 1975 feature Jaws. Martin Brody says to an elderly swimmer who teases him about not going in the water, "That's some bad hat, Harry." The logo, introduced in 1997, is taken from the police lineup scene of The Usual Suspects.

Bad Hat Harry Productions


is rocket league on xbox one 2 player

Described as "soccer, but with rocket-powered cars", Rocket League has one to four players assigned to each of the two teams, using rocket-powered vehicles to hit a ball into their opponent's goal and score points over the course of a match. The game includes single-player and multiplayer modes which can be played both locally and online, including cross-platform play between the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows versions, as well as cross-play between Xbox One, Switch, and Windows versions. Later updates for the game enabled the ability to modify core rules and added new game modes, including ones based on ice hockey and basketball.

Rocket League

Rocket League is a vehicular soccer video game developed and published by Psyonix. The game was first released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4 in July 2015, with ports for Xbox One, macOS, Linux, and Nintendo Switch being released later on. In June 2016, 505 Games began distributing a physical retail version for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment taking over those duties by the end of 2017.

Rocket League is a sequel to Psyonix's Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, a 2008 video game for the PlayStation 3. Battle-Cars received mixed reviews and was not a major success, but gained a loyal fan base. Psyonix continued to support themselves through contract development work for other studios while looking to develop a sequel. Psyonix began formal development of Rocket League around 2013, refining the gameplay from Battle-Cars to address criticism and fan input. Psyonix also recognized their lack of marketing from Battle-Cars, and engaged in both social media and promotions, including offering the title as a free download for PlayStation Plus members on release, to market the game.

Rocket League was critically praised, earning positive reception for its improvements upon Battle-Cars, its graphics and multiplayer gameplay, though some critics were skeptical of the game's physics engine. The game earned a number of industry awards, and saw over six million sales and 40 million players by the beginning of 2018. Rocket League has also been adopted as an eSport, with professional players participating through ESL and Major League Gaming, along with Psyonix hosting their own competitions through the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS).

Rocket League's gameplay is largely the same as that of its predecessor, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. Players control a rocket-powered car and use it to hit a ball that is much larger than the cars towards the other team's goal area to score goals, in a way that resembles a soccer game, with elements reminiscent of a demolition derby.[1][2] Players' cars have the ability to jump to hit the ball while in mid-air. The players can also pick up a speed boost by passing their cars over marked spaces on the field, enabling them to quickly cross the field, use the added momentum to hit the ball, or ram into another player's car to destroy it; in the latter case, the destroyed car respawns moments later. A player may also use a boost when in the air to propel themselves forward in flight, allowing players to hit the ball in the air. Players can also perform quick dodges, causing their car to do a short jump and spin in a given direction, which can be used to nudge the ball or gain positioning advantage over the other team.[3]

Matches are typically five minutes long, with a sudden death overtime if the game is tied at that point.[4] Matches can be played from between one-on-one up to four-on-four players, as well as casual and ranked.[5] Rocket League also includes a competitive ranked online mode, where players compete in various tiered ranks within game seasons, with victories or losses raising or lowering a player's rank, respectively.[6] The game includes a single-player "season" mode, with the player competing with computer-controlled players. An update in December 2016 introduced "Custom Training" sequences that can be created by players and shared with others on the same platform; players are able to specify the ball's path and the presence and skill of opponents on the field as to practice specific shots-on-goal over and over.[7]

A few months after it was released, Psyonix released an update that adds game modes known as "mutators", modifying some aspects of gameplay, such as increased or decreased gravity, ball size, ball speed and bounciness.[8] For the 2015 holiday season, another update replaced mutator matches with an ice hockey-inspired mode (called "Snow Day"), played on an ice rink and the ball replaced with a hockey puck with different physics.[9] Positive reception to the ice hockey mode led to it being extended for a few weeks after the holiday season. Snow Day was permanently added to the mutator settings for private matches and exhibition games on February 10, 2016.[10][11] "Hoops", a game mode based on basketball, was added on April 26, 2016.[12][13][14][15] A separate "Rumble" mode, which incorporates unusual power-ups, such as the ability to freeze the ball in place or cause a single opponent to have difficulty controlling their car, was added on September 8, 2016, as well as including with the update the new "Crates" system.[16] An update in December 2016, known as "Starbase ARC" (based on Psyonix' mobile game ARC Squadron)[17] added support for custom arenas for Windows players supported through Steam Workshop, along with other new content.[18]

A new game mode, Dropshot, was added in a March 2017 update. It takes place on an arena without any goals and a field made of hexagonal tiles, and uses a ball that becomes electrified after successful strikes or passes. Players use the ball to mark tiles on the opposing's side of the field while the ball is electrified; marked tiles are then removed from the field when the electrified ball hits them, or marked tiles in contact with it, creating a goal for the team. Once a team scores, the floor on that side resets to normal (while the floor on the scoring team's side retains any existing damage).[19][20]

Starting in mid-2018, Pysonix will introduce the Rocket Pass, a type of battle pass. Each Pass, which lasts a few months, will have challenges and other opportunities through playing Rocket League that allow the player to increase the tier of the Pass, from which new unique customization options tied to that Pass can be unlocked. While the base Pass will be free to all players, a flat-cost premium Pass can be purchased which accelerates the rate the Pass can level up.[21]

Psyonix had previously developed Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars in 2008 for the PlayStation 3. That title itself bore out from previous modifications that Psyonix' founder, Dave Hagewood, had done for Unreal Tournament 2003 by expanding out vehicle-based gameplay that Epic Games had already set in place in the engine into a new game mode called Onslaught.[22] For this, Hagewood was hired as a contractor by Epic for Unreal Tournament 2004 specifically for incorporating the Onslaught mode as an official part of the game.[23] Hagewood used his experience at Epic to found Psyonix. Among other contract projects, Psyonix worked to try to find a way to make racing the Unreal vehicles in a physics-based engine enjoyable. They had toyed with several options such as race modes or mazes, but found that when they added a ball to the arena to be pushed by the vehicles, they had hit upon the right formula, which would become Battle-Cars.[23] Further to the success was the addition of the rocket-powered cars; this originally was to be a simple speed boost, but with the physics engine, they were able to have the vehicles fly off and around the arena, furthering the possibilities for gameplay.[23][24]

As Psyonix finished development of Battle-Cars, the studio had tried to gain access to a publisher by selling their game as "soccer, but with rocket-powered cars", but none of the publishers seemed interested.[23] Ultimately, they opted to self-publish the title on the PlayStation Network with almost no marketing.[25] Though the title was downloaded more than two million times, it was not considered very successful even after the studio cut the price.[22][25] The studio continued on to other projects, though kept the idea of building on Battle-Cars as an option, recognizing the game had a small but dedicated fan-base that provided them with ideas for expansion.[22][23] These other projects, which including contract work for AAA titles, including Mass Effect 3 and Gears of War, helped to fund the development of Rocket League.[26]

Full development of Rocket League started around 2013 and took around two years and under $2 million to develop, though they had tested various prototypes of a Battle-Cars sequel in the years prior, including an unsuccessful attempt at pitching the game's idea to Electronic Arts in 2011.[25][27][28] Psyonix used some of the feedback from Battle-Cars to fine-tune the gameplay in Rocket League. A key requirement for Psyonix was to increase the game's frame rate from 30 to 60 frames-per-second, a known criticism from Battle-Cars and essential for newer hardware, according to Corey Davis, the design director at Psyonix.[29] Hagewood recognized that Battle-Cars was considered "too hardcore" with the game becoming too inaccessible to novice players against skilled ones.[30] They eased up on some aspects to make it more approachable, such as by slowing the pace of the game and allowing players of all skill levels to reasonably compete against each other while promoting team-based gameplay.[23][30] Though they tried to add elements like power-ups, they found these to be too distracting to gameplay.[22] They also explored other changes such as making the game more gritty, akin to Monday Night Combat, developing several mini-games related to handling of the car, working on making the graphics give a sense of scale to the players to give the impression they were controlling full-sized vehicles rather than radio-controlled cars, and creating an open world structure where the player would drive between stadium and stadium to participate in matches.[27][29][31] Instead, the team opted to strip the game to its core, focusing on more visual elements to enhance the title.[22] From Battle-Cars, Psyonix recognized very few players actually went online, and developed Rocket League's single-player season mode to encourage players to try online matches once they completed it.[31]

Psyonix's team were aware of past difficulties that they had with Battle-Cars and other racing games with online play and client-side prediction, and the issues that would arise from that with Rocket League's fast-paced play style. To solve this, the physics in the game are based on using the Bullet physics engine within the Unreal Engine 3's PhysX engine, which tracks the movement of all the cars and actors, allowing them to periodically re-synchronize the game state across players based on the stored physics states, which enabled players to have quick reactions from their client.[31] At the time of Battle-Cars, Psyonix could not afford a dedicated server network and were forced to rely on individual hosts, which could lead to poor performance with slow Internet connections. With Rocket League, Psyonix was able to put a dedicated server network in place, writing their own service protocols to interface with Sony's and Valve's online services so as to enable cross-platform play, as well as improving matchmaking capabilities.[23][29] Psyonix's previous experience in contract work for AAA titles had exposed them to the larger developers' approach to release and quality control, and they were able to apply those principles and aim for the same level of quality requirements in the final release of Rocket League.[30]

Psyonix had at one point considered having Rocket League as a free-to-play title with microtransactions, inspired by Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2's free-to-play models.[27] Though they had put in efforts to establish a free-to-play model, Psyonix decided instead to switch to a traditional sale method, and offer only cosmetic elements as downloadable content, assuring that no players would have any additional advantage beyond their own skill.[29] The name Rocket League was selected in part to reduce the size of the game's title in order to appear fully in digital storefronts, and also served to be an easier to remember name as well as a more mature-sounding title than Battle-Cars, according to Hagewood;[22] speaking on Rocket League's development in March 2016, Davis opined that Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars was "the worst game name of all time".[29]

Rocket League has been one of the leading titles in supporting cross-platform play between personal computers and multiple consoles. Dunham sees cross-platform play helps establish a stable player base and avoid the snowball effect that can cause isolated player bases on individual platforms to wane, particularly in the transition from one console generation to the next.[32][33]

Though the Xbox One version lacked this feature at launch,[34] Microsoft in March 2016 announced that Rocket League would be the first game in a new initiative they were taking to enable cross-play between Xbox One and Microsoft Windows players who have Xbox Live accounts;[35] this cross-platform play feature was added in an update in May 2016.[35][36] Microsoft has stated that they offer other networks, such as Sony's PlayStation Network, the ability to integrate with Xbox Live to allow full cross-platform compatibility for titles like Rocket League. Dunhan noted that this cross-platform idea had been something they asked Microsoft about when Rocket League was set for an Xbox One release, but he stated that Microsoft did not seem to be on board with it. Only after they had neared the release date would Microsoft take the initiative to offer the title as one for their new cross-play efforts and started working towards this possibility in the game.[37] Psyonix determined the required technical steps needed to enable cross-platform play and have tested it in closed environments, and were only waiting for the legalities of cross-connecting players between different networks before proceeding.[38][33] this work also includes how they would be able to distribute updated content patches in a unified and more frequent manner to enable them to continue to expand the game for at least another 9 months.[32] In a July 2016 interview with IGN, Dunham stated they had done all the technical work and could enable cross-platform play between the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions "within a few hours" of Sony's approval.[39] As of March 2017, the company is ready to enable this feature, but was still waiting for the console manufacturers to come to the required agreements to allow it.[40]

With the announcement of the Switch version, Psyonix affirmed that it would support cross-platform play with PC and Xbox users. Sony still opted not to participate in this; PlayStation global marketing head Jim Ryan said that while they are "open to conversations with any developer or publisher who wants to talk about it", their decision was "a commercial discussion between ourselves and other stakeholders".[41] Dunham says that in contrast to Microsoft or Nintendo, who agreed to allow cross-platform play within a month and with the day of Pysonix' request, respectively, Sony has been asked on a nearly daily basis about this support and have yet to receive any definitive answer.[33]

The cross-platform party play feature is planned for an update in mid-2018. This will allow players to create in-game friend lists across platforms and play in matches with them. This will be limited by the current cross-platform limitations: while Windows players can add friends from other Windows users and Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch users, PlayStation 4 users will be limited to Windows and PlayStation 4 users.[21]

The original soundtrack for Rocket League was released both physically and digitally on July 1, 2015.[42] It contains original compositions by Psyonix sound designer Mike Ault, as well as contributions by Ault's electronic music group, Hollywood Principle.[43] New songs were added to the game with post-release updates, including "Chaos Run Theme" by Kevin Riepl, "Escape from LA (Instrumental)" by Abandoned Carnival and Ault, and a remix of Hollywood Principle's "Breathing Underwater" by Ether. These songs were later compiled in the second volume of the soundtrack, which was released on July 7, 2016.[44] iam8bit published a three-disc vinyl version of the soundtrack, consisting of the above two volumes, in late 2016.[45] The game's 2nd anniversary update included a musical content pack featuring releases from the EDM label, Monstercat.[46] The label have also released a series of standalone albums featuring the music, titled Rocket League x Monstercat.[47][48][49]

Psyonix plans to continue to support Rocket League with downloadable content (DLC), intending to keep all gameplay updates as free and only charging for cosmetic items.[50] In November 2015, a free update added the ability to "Mutate" a match, allowing for a number of different custom presets and match settings, including a low gravity mode and a cubed ball, among other improvements and additions.[8] Through this, Psyonix is able to offer custom game playlists to test out new modes or for holiday-themed events. For example, during the latter part of December 2015, Psyonix introduced an ice hockey-based mutation alongside a special event featuring holiday-themed decorative items, replacing the normal ball with a hockey puck, and changing the floor to ice.[8][9][51] This mode proved very popular and was permanently added to the standard playlists on February 24, 2016.[52] In February 2016, a new game playlist called "Rocket Labs" was added to offer new experimental maps to players as a means to gauge feedback and interest in a map before adding it to the game's standard map playlist.[53] In April 2016, the developers added the basketball-based playlist to the standard playlists.[14] A new "Rumble" mode, which adds unique power-ups on various maps, was released in September 2016.[30][54]

The game's first DLC pack, titled Supersonic Fury, was released in August 2015, along with new arena Utopia Coliseum.[55] It contains exclusive cosmetics, including two new cars, rocket boosts, wheels, five paint finishes, and twelve decals for both new cars. The same month, it was announced that Rocket League would be ported to macOS and Linux later that year, in order to run natively with SteamOS hardware; Rocket League and Portal 2 were part of incentives for those that pre-ordered a Steam Link, a Steam Controller, or a Steam Machine.[56][57] The game's second DLC pack, titled Revenge of the Battle-Cars, was released in October 2015.[58] The DLC adds two more cars from Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, along with exclusive cosmetics for both. In another event, players had a chance to collect six Halloween-themed items from October 18 to November 2.[59] The game's third DLC pack, titled Chaos Run, was released in December 2015. The DLC added two more cars, along with more cosmetics. A new arena, called "Wasteland", was released for free alongside the DLC. The map is notable for being the first non-standard arena to be released, having a different size and shape than the others and inspired by the Mad Max films, the first of which Psyonix plans to release over time.[60][61]

In June 2016, a new arena, Neo Tokyo, based on the Rocket Labs layout Underpass, was added to the game via an update. The update also introduced cosmetic items awarded at the end of matches with various rarity grades, and gave players the ability to trade multiple items of the same type and rarity grade to obtain an item of a better rarity grade. Also included in the patch are a number of painted and certified items, the latter of which are cosmetic items with statistics-recording tags, and eight new achievements.[62][63] Psyonix added the ability for players to trade items with other players within the "Rumble" update, including item and crate drop systems comparable to Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, in which players have the chance to gain locked crates from playing in competitive matches. Players are able to purchase keys to open these crates through microtransactions, revealing special decorative items for their cars.[54] Players can opt-out of this feature to disable crate drops. Though items received in crates are tradable within the game, these items cannot be sold on the platform's respective marketplaces so as to prevent issues in the same vein as the Counter-Strike skin gambling controversy.[54][64] The funds from microtransactions would be used to support the eSports tournaments organized by Psyonix.[54] In October 2016, a major update titled "Aquadome" launched, featuring a new arena placed under the sea, along with two new premium water-themed cars, and a new crate containing new items and seven new achievements.[65]

Psyonix was able to make licensing agreements to include vehicles and decorative items from other franchises within the game. On launch, the PlayStation 4 version included Sweet Tooth's car from the Twisted Metal series.[66] As a separate DLC, the DeLorean time machine from the Back to the Future film franchise, was released on October 21, 2015, corresponding with Back to the Future Day.[67] The Xbox One release includes platform-exclusive Gears of War and Halo-themed vehicles.[68] In 2016, Psyonix announced their wish to include KITT from the 1980s television series, Knight Rider.[69] The Batmobile, as seen in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was offered as a playable vehicle in March 2016,[70] while Dominic Toretto's Dodge Charger from the film The Fate of the Furious was added to tie in with the film's release in April 2017.[71] An update released in July 2017 introduced a new arena celebrating the one-year anniversary of the game, along with cosmetic items based on the American animated show Rick & Morty.[72] Alongside the theatrical release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Pysonix released Jurassic Park and Jurassic World-themed content, including a Jurassic Park-themed Jeep Wrangler car model.[73]

In September 2015, Psyonix held a cross-promotion with Torn Banner Studios, adding two free new flags themed after Torn Banner's Chivalry: Medieval Warfare.[74] At the same time the "Chaos Run" DLC was released, Psyonix added free cosmetics and accessories from the Portal series by Valve Corporation.[61][75] Themed content based on Goat Simulator and Euro Truck Simulator were added to the game in April 2016 as part of cross-promotional deals with those games.[76] Other themed promotional content includes decorative items based on The Witcher and Worms W.M.D.[77] With the release of the basketball game mode in 2016, Psyonix partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA), offering flags with all 30 NBA team logos as car customization items.[14] In February 2017, two iconic Hot Wheels cars were added to the game, along with other cosmetic items based on the brand.[78][79][80]

Rocket League was officially announced as the sequel to Battle-Cars in February 2014.[81] Building on the effects from the lack of marketing with Battle-Cars, Psyonix developed a different marketing approach to Rocket League. This included engaging with YouTube and Twitch.tv video game streamers with early release copies to help spread the word, recognizing that clips from the game would be readily shared through social media.[25][29] They also opened the game to early alpha and beta testing for several months following the game's announcement.[82][83] Davis noted that they otherwise did not spend any money on traditional marketing approaches.[29]

They had originally planned to release the game around November 2014, but had missed this deadline to implement better matchmaking and servers, high frame rates, and removing the free-to-play elements.[27] The game was released publicly on July 7, 2015 for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows.[84] Davis considered this serendipitous, as this moved the game out from a busy period of many major releases during the holiday season to the relatively quiet mid-year period, reducing the amount of competition from other titles.[29] Further, the game on release was made part of Instant Game Collection on the PlayStation 4 and free to PlayStation Plus subscribers; within the week, Psyonix had seen more than 183,000 unique players, exceeding their server capacity and requiring them to improve on their network code to handle the influx of players.[22][85] Davis estimated there were 6 million downloads of the game from this promotion, and considered this the "best decision we ever made".[29]

Psyonix and Xbox announced at The Game Awards 2015 that the game would be ported to Xbox One,[68] and it was released on February 17, including all previous DLC packs for free, with the exception of the Back to the Future DLC pack, which is available for purchase separately, and the PlayStation 4-exclusive items.[86]

Ports for macOS and Linux were released as a beta on September 8, 2016.[56] A retail version of Rocket League, in form of the game's Collector's Edition, was announced in February 2016, and was released in Europe on June 24, 2016 and in North America on July 5, 2016.[87][88][89] The Collector's Edition is published and distributed by 505 Games, and includes the first three downloadable content packs for free, as well as four additional cars to be available as digital download on July 18: Aftershock and Marauder (both from Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars), as well as Esper and Masamune.[87][90] In October 2017, Psyonix announced that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment would begin to publish an updated version of the game for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles by the end of that year, which includes additional content for both versions.[91]

The PlayStation 4 version was patched in February 2017 to offer PlayStation 4 Pro support, allowing for 4K resolution and constant 60 frames-per-second rendering at 1080p for one and two-player split-screen players; three and four-player split screen will render up to 60 frames-per-second when possible. Similar rendering improvements were also made to the standard PlayStation 4 to approach constant 60 frames-per-second for most arenas and modes.[92][80]

After reviewing the feasibility of doing so, Psyonix announced that Rocket League would also be released for the Nintendo Switch, as revealed during Nintendo's press conference during E3 2017. It was released later that year on November 14, and includes Nintendo property customization options, including Mario, Luigi, and Metroid-inspired car designs, and supports cross-platform play with the PC and Xbox One versions.[93][94][95][96][97] Due to the Switch's lack of natural support for Unreal Engine 3, some compromises had to be made in the porting process, such as by reducing the graphical quality to 720p. Despite having to do custom work to make the game run smoothly on the Switch, Psyonix's Jeremy Dunham was impressed with the work that had been done before release.[98]

Austin, Texas-based studio Panic Button Games assisted Psyonix with the Xbox One[99] and Nintendo Switch ports,[100] and graphical updates to support the PlayStation 4 Pro.[101][102] In April 2017, Psyonix announced that they had partnered with Tencent to bring a free-to-play version of Rocket League to the Chinese gaming market, with users able to purchase cosmetic items through microtransactions.[103]

Because of the continued growth of the game's player base, Psyonix's Dunham said they do not anticipate creating any sequel to the game,[104] and instead are expecting to continue to add new features to the game over several years' time, calling this an "infinite support window".[95] A small team within Psyonix was set up to explore new features and gameplay ideas to continue to expand Rocket League.[40]

Psyonix teamed with Internal Drive to provide Rocket League as part of the latter's iD Tech summer educational camps for children, using the game for both recreation and for teaching elements of game design.[105] In 2017, the game served as a sponsor of WWE pay-per-view events Backlash, Great Balls of Fire, and SummerSlam.[106][107] The following year, the companies announced a further partnership, with WWE cosmetic items introduced to the game in April.[108][109]

Psyonix partnered with Zag Toys to produce a series of pullback toy cars based on the Rocket League vehicles, which released in June 2017. Some of these included a redeemable code that can be used within the game for unique customization items.[110][111] The developers also filmed television advertisements for Rocket League that started airing the same month. Alongside these ads, Psyonix offered free copies of Rocket League alongside purchase of selected Nvidia graphic cards.[112] Hot Wheels will release a real-life RC car game set based on the game in late 2018. It will feature two RC cars from the game that are controlled through Bluetooth devices, a play field, a ball containing infrared sensors for scoring purposes, and charging devices.[113]

Psyonix had observed the popularity of Rocket League matches on Twitch.tv and other live streaming platforms, and in February 2016, were looking to use the game more in eSports.[114] In March 2016, Psyonix announced the first Rocket League Championship Series; the finals took place in August 2016 with a $55,000 prize pool.[115][116] More than $1 million in revenues from the sale of in-game crates and cosmetic items were used to fund additional competitive events throughout the year, including smaller competitions at major gaming conventions and support for community-run competitive events.[117]

Soon after release, Rocket League became an officially sponsored eSport, joining ESL.[118] In September 2015, Major League Gaming (MLG) announced the first season of the Pro Rocket League, which was held in September through early October.[119] A $75,000 Rocket League tournament was held outside U.S. Bank Stadium at the Summer X Games in July 2017,[120] with the finals streamed live on ESPN3.[121] NRG Esports claimed their first live Rocket League championship by winning the tournament, defeating Gale Force eSports in the final.[120][122] As NBC's first foray into eSports, NBC Sports Group, in conjunction with Faceit, ran its own $100,000-prize pool tournament which was broadcast across its eight worldwide regions in Julyâ€“August 2017.[123] Starting in September 2017, Psyonix and Tespa, a collegiate eSports organizer, held the first collegiate tournament for teams to win a share of $50,000 in scholarships.[124] In December 2017, Turner Sports organized a US$150,000 ELEAGUE Cup event for eight teams was broadcast live on streaming media, with a three-part series of shows detailing some of the teams' path to the Cup and some of the match results, which aired on TBS later in the month.[125][126]

Rocket League, upon release and throughout its lifetime, has been given positive reviews by video game critics.[d] Positive feedback was aimed towards the game's multiplayer gameplay, and its graphics and visuals, especially in comparison to Battle-Cars; later reviews praised the player experience in the game.[d] Criticism was mostly aimed at the game's physics engine, though a consensus on the topic has been mostly unclear, with some defending the engine.[d] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the game received an average score of 86 and 85 for its original PC and PlayStation 4 releases respectively, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[129][128] Similar scores were attained by the game's later ports.[127][130]

In a review of Rocket League's beta preview, Ozzie Mejia of Shacknews praised Psyonix's approach to updating Battle-Cars using the PlayStation 4's hardware, describing the graphics as "brilliantly detailed" and "crisp" and noting its consistent frame rates throughout.[2] Robert Summa of Destructoid shared Mejia's view that the game was "fun option for anyone looking to mix their racing and sports games together", himself describing that the game was "addictive and fun as hell."[2][140]

After its release, 'Mr. Pinkerton' of Metro corroborated these views, stating that "despite the basic visuals thereâ€™s an impressive attention to detail." While criticizing it's "Moon-like" physics engine, Pinkerton summarized the game as "a superb multiplayer game", complimenting its perceived success at creating an arcade-style association football game after what he felt were many failed attempts for other developers, citing the Mario Strikers games as one example.[135] In addition to Pinkerton, reviewers from Polygon, PlayStation Universe, and Videogamer.com shared positive views towards multiplayer gameplay in Rocket League.[139][134][133] Ben Kuchera of Polygon writing that the game "introduces a well-known concept and then adds a complication." Kuchera disagreed with Pinkerton and asserted that the game's physics were "internally consistent", and summarized his experience with the game as "joyful" and rewarding in its progression.[133] The game's physics engine continued to be a point of contention in later reviews, including Steven Burns' review for Videogamer.com, in which he shared his opinion that the speed of the ball should have been increased in certain modes to compensate for the "floaty" physics.[134] Neil Bolt of PlayStation Universe shared a similar view, writing that the physics "causes frustration in 4v4 bouts where everyone ends up huddling under the slow-descending ball for long periods."[139]

In a review for PC Gamer, Matt Elliott defended the physics engine by pointing out the "[nice] contrast" between the fast player-controlled cars and the slower-moving ball, colorfully describing that the ball "gormlessly invites impact like a punchable cousin."[132] Elliott also wrote positively of the multiplayer gameplay, comparing the "destruction" mechanic to the Burnout series, and praising the overall player experience.[132] In complimenting the game's points system, Elliott recounted, "the most valuable players I encountered were workmanlike wingers who selflessly chugged along the flanks, crossing the ball for greedy goalhunters like me. It stops players from clustering in the same spots and reinforces the concept that Rocket League is a team game."[132] Alec Meer of Rock Paper Shotgun, in a restrospective review written two years after its release, shared similar feelings about the player experience in Rocket League. Meer claimed that the game remained "very open, friendly, and accessible to new players across all ages, in contrast to other games with online longevity that tend to be dominated by expert players and difficult to breach by new ones."[141]

On July 11, 2015, Psyonix announced that there were around 120,000 concurrent players across both Windows and PlayStation 4.[142][143] By the end of July, the game had been downloaded over 5 million times,[144] and had 179,000 concurrent players.[145][146] Psyonix stated that Rocket League's quick paced success far exceeded their expectations.[147]

Psyonix announced that over one million copies of the game had been sold on Steam by August 2015.[148] By the end of 2015, the game had been downloaded over eight million times, and grossed over $50 million.[149][150] In February 2016, Psyonix stated Rocket League has earned $70 million in revenues with at least four million copies sold, not including downloads on the PlayStation system;[151] they have tracked at least 12 million unique players of the game, including both purchases and during free play offers such as its availability on the PlayStation Plus membership program.[69] Within three weeks of its release for the Xbox One, Psyonix observed at least one million unique players for that system.[152] By July 2016, a year after its release, Psyonix reported more than 6.2 million sales of the game across all platforms, including 5.5 million purchases of DLC, with more than $110 million in revenue; 40% of these sales have been for the PlayStation 4 version with the remaining split roughly equally between PC and Xbox One. Psyonix has tracked more than 25 million unique players by January 2017, averaging 1.1 million players a day, and reaching 220,000 concurrent players at one point.[50][76][153][154][155] Sony stated that Rocket League was the most-downloaded title from the PlayStation Store in 2016.[156] By the beginning of 2018, the number of players had risen to over 40 million.[157]

By March 2017, Psyonix reported that Rocket League had sold more than 10.5 million copies across all platforms, and had 29 million registered players, with about a fourth of that having played during February 2017.[104] Dunham estimated that 70% of the game's players have purchased some of the DLC offered for the game.[40] Pysonix reported that by April 2017, they have sold more than 1 million units of 505 Games' physical retail edition, alongside the 9.5 million from digital sales.[158]

After the E3 2015 event, Rocket League received multiple nominations and won several awards, including PlayStation Universe's "Best Sports Game of E3"[136] and Gaming Trend's "Best Multiplayer Game of E3".[137]

At The Game Awards 2015 in December, Rocket League won the award for Best Independent Game and Best Sports/Racing Game, and was nominated for Best Multiplayer.[138] At the 2015 National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers (NAVGTR) awards, the game won Control Precision & Game, Original Sports and was nominated for Art Direction, Fantasy.[159] At the D.I.C.E. Awards in February 2016, Rocket League also won the award for Sports Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement for Online Gameplay and the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award.[160] Rocket League was awarded the Best Design at the 2016 Game Developers Choice Awards.[161] At the 2016 SXSW Gaming Awards, Rocket League was awarded the "Excellence in Multiplayer" prize.[162] Rocket League won three BAFTA Games Awards for Multiplayer, Sports, and Family,[163] and was nominated for two others, Best Game and Game Design.[164] It also won the following year for the BAFTA's Evolving Game award.[165][166]

In 2017, the game was nominated for "e-Sports Game of the Year" and "Still Playing" at the Golden Joystick Awards,[167] and for "Best Spectator Game" in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards.[168]  It won the award for "Best Post-Launch Support" in Game Informer' 2017 Sports Game of the Year Awards.[169]