Munich. From 4th November, BMW Esports is giving the global
Rocket League community the unique opportunity to lift off virtually
with the new BMW M240i (combined consumption 8.8 – 8.1 l/100 km
according to WLTP, combined CO2 emissions: 200 – 185 g/km
according to WLTP) in the action-packed video game, before the car
is launched. From Thursday, the car will be available to all gamers
to purchase for a whole week. In the BMW Freestyle Tournament,
25,000 US dollars are up for grabs, while in the BMW Rocket League
Open the top European Rocket League pros will do battle for the win
and a total prize fund of 100,000 US dollars.
Rocket League, developed by US company Psyonix, offers a unique
hybrid of arcade football and action-packed driving pleasure – making
it the perfect fit for the dynamic, extroverted BMW M240i. Cars that
can drive, jump and even fly, require a high level of gaming
intelligence, strategic thinking and fast reactions.
“Flying, rocket-powered cars that you can play football with is
something that I dreamed about when I was young,” said Stefan Ponikva,
VP BMW Brand Communication and Experience. “Rocket League makes this
dream come true for its huge community. The virtual Rocket League
arenas are the perfect playground for a young target audience
enthusiastic about the digital world – and therefore for BMW Esports
as well. For the first time, we are bringing our own car to the pitch.
The driving characteristics of the new BMW M240i make it a brilliant
fit for Rocket League and Esports as a whole. We’re also supplying
cool designs and additional in-game items in collaboration with
Psyonix. I’m confident that Rocket League gamers – both amateurs and
pros alike – will have a great deal of fun with the car.”
BMW Esports is Title Sponsor of the BMW Rocket League Open, one of
the most important events in the Rocket League Championship Series
(RLCS) on 6th and 7th November. The BMW Freestyle Tournament gets
underway on 4th November, in which invited contestants go head to head
in knock-out rounds, exclusively with the virtual BMW M240i. The
winner of the tournament, who will be determined as part of the BMW
Rocket League Open programme, will receive 10,000 US dollars out of
the overall 25,000 US dollar total prize pool for the event. The
community has a week (4th to 10th November) to purchase the virtual
version of the new BMW M240i sporting the ‘United in Rivalry’ livery
for thrilling Rocket League matches.
As the top model in the BMW 2 Series, the BMW M240i impresses with
its vehicle concept that is consistently geared towards dynamism, its
athletic, extroverted design, powerful engines and high-quality
chassis technology. The compact, agile two-door car appeals to exactly
the young target audience that has a strong representation in the
Rocket League community. The BMW M240i has an in-line six-cylinder
petrol engine with 275kW/374bhp. Rocket propulsion is only available
as standard in the virtual version for the moment.
The BMW Freestyle Tournament will be shown live on the BMW Esports
Twitch channel on 4th November from 18:00 CET: www.twitch.tv/bmwesports.
About BMW Esports.
BMW has been collaborating with five of the world’s best teams as a
partner in the classic League of Legends game since 2020. Cloud 9,
FNATIC, FunPlus Phoenix, G2 Esports and T1 fly the BMW colours in the
biggest events in the industry. The highlight of the first
collaborative season in 2020 was the Worlds, in which G2 esports and
FNATIC made it to the knock-out stage of the finals in the battle of
the world’s best teams. G2 Esports even made it to the semi-final. The
Dota 2 specialists OG Esports are a new addition to the ‘United in
Rivalry’ squad as of 2021. The involvement in Esports gives BMW
completely new touch points with a dynamic, rapidly growing community;
making Esports an important future field for BMW marketing activities.
BMW has prominent representatives in sim racing as well, and has
integrated BMW SIM Racing into its racing programme as a standalone
pillar. The BMW SIM Cups attract the world’s best sim racers, who do
battle for wins, titles and attractive cash prizes in virtual BMW
racing cars. BMW SIM Racing teams are taking part for the first time
in 2021. BS+COMPETITION, G2 Esports, Team GB and Team Redline
represent BMW on various simulation platforms.
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly
facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries. In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million
passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The
profit before tax in the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion on
revenues amounting to € 98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the
BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees. The success of the BMW
Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible
action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage
and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource
management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain
through production to the end of the use phase of all products.
About Rocket League
Winner or nominee of more than 150 “Game of the Year” awards, Rocket
League is one of the most critically-acclaimed sports games of our
generation. Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style
soccer and vehicular mayhem with easy-to-understand controls and
fluid, physics-driven competition. Available on Nintendo Switch™,
PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox
Series X|S, and PC on Epic Games Store, Rocket League includes nearly
endless customization possibilities, a fully-featured offline season
mode, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and
special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely.
To learn more about Rocket League, please visit www.RocketLeague.com.
About Psyonix™
Based in San Diego, CA, Psyonix is a critically-acclaimed video game
developer and a leading expert in Unreal Engine technology. For more
than 15 years, the studio has been a driving force behind some of the
most successful games in the industry, including Gears of War, Mass
Effect 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Bulletstorm, Unreal Tournament III,
Unreal Tournament 2004, and the award-winning Sports-Action hit,
Rocket League®. Psyonix joined the Epic Games family in 2019.