{{short description|2020 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Rocket Arena | image = File:Rocket Arena cover art.jpg | developer = Final Strike Games | publisher = [[Electronic Arts]] | series = | engine = [[Unreal Engine 4]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Talens |first1=Jino |last2=Almeda |first2=Ray |title=Prepare for Blast Off! Rocket Arena Available Worldwide Today |url=https://ir.ea.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2020/Prepare-for-Blast-Off-Rocket-Arena-Available-Worldwide-Today/default.aspx |website=ea.com |access-date=4 July 2024}}</ref> | platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]]<br/>[[PlayStation 4]]<br/>[[Xbox One]] | released = July 14, 2020 | genre = [[Third-person shooter]]<br/>[[Hero shooter]] | modes = [[Multiplayer]] | director = | producer = | designer = | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = }}
'''''Rocket Arena''''' was a [[third-person shooter]] [[Online game|online video game]] developed by Final Strike Games and published by [[Electronic Arts]]. It was released for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Xbox One]] on July 14, 2020. The game received mixed to positive reviews, with praise for the gameplay, characters and visuals, while the lack of content received criticism. It was delisted from digital storefronts on November 18, 2023, and shut down on March 21, 2024.
==Gameplay== ''Rocket Arena'' is a 3v3 competitive multiplayer game played from a [[third-person perspective]]. At launch, the game features 10 maps and 10 playable characters, each of whom have different abilities. The player's main weapon is a [[rocket launcher]], though there are items that the players can pick up in the arena. The game does not feature a [[health (gaming)|health]] system and instead relies a system named Blast Meter. Whenever a player is hit by a rocket, their blast meter will fill up. A player with a full blast meter, when being hit by a rocket, will ricochet and fly out of the map, resulting in death. The player character is very mobile and has the ability to dodge other rockets, [[Triple jump (game mechanic)|triple jump]], and [[Rocket jumping|rocket jump]].
The game was released with 5 modes at launch: Knockout and Megarocket are variants to standard [[team deathmatch]] and [[Capture the Flag]] mode. Rocketball sees players attempting to blast a ball using rockets into another team's goal. In Treasure Hunt, a treasure chest will spawn in the middle of the map and once a player picks up the chest, their teammates need to defend them so that the chest would not be stolen by other players. The game also features a [[cooperative multiplayer]] mode named Rocketbot Attack in which three players fend off waves of bots controlled by [[artificial intelligence]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/rocket-arena-preview-its-back-and-more-smash-bros-y-than-ever|title=Rocket Arena Preview: It's Back and More Smash Bros.-y Than Ever|first=Stella|last=Chung|work=[[IGN]]|date=October 31, 2020|accessdate=February 14, 2021|archive-date=June 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617093552/https://www.ign.com/articles/rocket-arena-preview-its-back-and-more-smash-bros-y-than-ever|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Development== ''Rocket Arena'' is the debut title for Final Strike Games, whose core team previously worked at [[343 Industries]] and contributed to the multiplayer of ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. Initially the game was designed to be first-person, but the team switched it to third-person after implementing the dodge moveset.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/rocket-arena-preview-we-wanted-to-build-rockets-with-personality/|title=Rocket Arena preview: "We wanted to build rockets with personality"|first=Connor|last=Sheridan|work=[[GamesRadar]]|date=June 18, 2020|accessdate=February 18, 2021|archive-date=June 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619153137/https://www.gamesradar.com/rocket-arena-preview-we-wanted-to-build-rockets-with-personality/|url-status=live}}</ref> The game was showcased in May 2019 with it being a [[first-person shooter]] and had a closed beta from May 23 to May 29.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-arena-is-a-free-to-play-3v3-fps-where-no-one-ever-dies/|work=[[PC Gamer]]|title=Rocket Arena is a free to play 3v3 FPS where no one ever dies|first=Christopher|last=Livingston|date=May 16, 2019|accessdate=June 19, 2020|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810092934/https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-arena-is-a-free-to-play-3v3-fps-where-no-one-ever-dies/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was originally due to be published by [[Nexon]], but the publisher and developer Final Strike Games agreed to mutually part ways in July 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rocketarena.nexon.net/en/news/article/51685/rocket-arena-official-statement|work=[[Nexon]]|title=Rocket Arena Official Statement|date=July 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723160717/https://rocketarena.nexon.net/en/news/article/51685/rocket-arena-official-statement|archive-date=2019-07-23}}</ref> In June 2020, the game was announced to be coming out in July 2020. [[Electronic Arts]] published the game under its [[EA Originals]] program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/rocket-arena-preview-its-back-and-more-smash-bros-y-than-ever|work=[[IGN]]|title=Rocket Arena Preview: It's Back and More Smash Bros.-y Than Ever|first=Stella|last=Chung|date=June 19, 2020|accessdate=June 19, 2020|archive-date=June 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617093552/https://www.ign.com/articles/rocket-arena-preview-its-back-and-more-smash-bros-y-than-ever|url-status=live}}</ref> It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on July 14, 2020, with [[cross-platform play]] enabled. In September 2021, when Season 4 ended, some quality of life improvements were released. However, the game stopped getting updates and new seasons.
''Rocket Arena'' was delisted from digital storefronts without prior warning on November 18, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/ea-game-delisted-rocket-arena/|title=EA Game Suddenly Delisted With No Prior Announcement|first=Dalton|last=Cooper|work=[[GameRant]]|date=November 18, 2023|accessdate=November 20, 2023|archive-date=November 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118202846/https://gamerant.com/ea-game-delisted-rocket-arena/|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 14, 2023, EA and Final Strike Games announced that Rocket Arena would be shutting down its servers on March 21, 2024, whilst also announcing in-game events leading up to that date.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arts |first=Electronic |date=2023-12-13 |title=Rocket Arena Sunset Announcement |url=https://www.ea.com/games/rocket-arena/news/sunset-announcement |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Electronic Arts Inc. |language=en}}</ref>
==Reception== ''Rocket Arena'' received generally mixed reviews upon release according to [[review aggregator]] [[Metacritic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rocket-arena/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|title=Rocket Arena for PC reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|accessdate=February 18, 2021|archive-date=June 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619093126/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/rocket-arena|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rocket-arena/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4|title=Rocket Arena for PlayStation 4 reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|accessdate=February 18, 2021|archive-date=June 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620224214/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/rocket-arena|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rocket-arena/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one|title=Rocket Arena for Xbox One reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|accessdate=February 18, 2021|archive-date=October 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023160712/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/rocket-arena|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{Video game reviews | MC = PC: 73/100<ref name="mc-pc">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rocket-arena/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Rocket Arena for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2021-08-23 |archive-date=2021-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619093126/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/rocket-arena |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PS4: 68/100<ref name="mc-ps4">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rocket-arena/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=Rocket Arena for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2021-08-23 |archive-date=2021-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620224214/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/rocket-arena |url-status=live }}</ref><br />XONE: 71/100<ref name="mc-xone">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/rocket-arena/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Rocket Arena for Xbox One Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2021-08-23 |archive-date=2020-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023160712/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/rocket-arena |url-status=live }}</ref> | PSQ = {{Rating|5|10}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mini Review: Rocket Arena - Competent Shooter May Be Fun for Free {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/rocket_arena |website=[[Push Square]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927152340/https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/rocket_arena |url-status=live }}</ref> | PCGUS = 78/100<ref>{{cite web |last1=Park |first1=Morgan |title=Rocket Arena review |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-arena-review/ |website=[[PC Gamer]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927152341/https://www.pcgamer.com/rocket-arena-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | GI = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Tack |first1=Daniel |title=Rocket Arena Review - Ballistic Banality |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/review/rocket-arena/rocket-arena-review-ballistic-banality |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927152341/https://www.gameinformer.com/review/rocket-arena/rocket-arena-review-ballistic-banality |url-status=live }}</ref> | GSpot = 6/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barbosa |first1=Alessandro |title=Rocket Arena Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rocket-arena-review/1900-6417512/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927152342/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/rocket-arena-review/1900-6417512/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | GRadar = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Rocket Arena: "I'll Keep Riding This Rocket Wherever It Goes" {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/rocket-arena-review/ |website=[[GamesRadar]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927152437/https://www.gamesradar.com/rocket-arena-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | PCGN = 7/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Boudreau |first1=Ian |title=Rocket Arena review - keeping it simple |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/rocket-arena/review |website=[[PCGamesN]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927152439/https://www.pcgamesn.com/rocket-arena/review |url-status=live }}</ref> | USG = 3/5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cryer |first1=Hirun |title=Rocket Arena Review: A Fleeting Blast From the Past |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/rocket-arena-review |website=[[USgamer]] |date=23 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021}}</ref> }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.ea.com/games/rocket-arena}}
[[Category:Third-person shooters]] [[Category:Action games]] [[Category:Inactive multiplayer online games]] [[Category:Hero shooters]] [[Category:2020 video games]] [[Category:Electronic Arts games]] [[Category:Windows games]] [[Category:PlayStation 4 games]] [[Category:Xbox One games]] [[Category:Unreal Engine 4 games]] [[Category:Video games developed in the United States]] [[Category:Online games shut down in 2024]] [[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2023]]