Developer Psyonix have teamed up with streaming giants Twitch to create a five-figure league in an attempt legitimize the game as an esport.

When it launched last July, Rocket League had fans of competitive gaming drooling. A dynamic mix of football and racing with a very high skill ceiling, Psyonix’s product offered an experience that seemed to have a chance of becoming the next big esport. Twitch numbers in the first month were good, supporting that theory, but soon the game trickled down to the bottom of the list.

The esports scene never picked up either. Although several established brands signed up teams and companies such as Gfinity and ESL took it upon themselves to host regular cups, the prize pools remained humble, not large enough to draw much interest. 

This could all be about to change, judging by Psyonix’s latest announcement. Over a three-month period, teams of three will go through open qualifiers and monthly championships before a big international clash at the end of the season. Each of the two online finals will feature a $10,000 prize pool, with the remaining $55,000 being poured into the concluding main event. Registrations open March 25 and will be open to teams from both Europe and North America.