The first Rocket League Championship Series took place in 2016. Psyonix announced the RLCS in March 2016, turning the game’s rapidly growing competitive scene into an official championship circuit.
The inaugural season culminated in finals held in August 2016 in Los Angeles. iBUYPOWER Cosmic defeated FlipSid3 Tactics to become the first RLCS champion, while the event offered a $55,000 prize pool. The season is commonly identified as RLCS Season 1.
A frequent mix-up is confusing the RLCS with earlier Rocket League competitions. Major League Gaming announced its Pro Rocket League tournament in September 2015, before the RLCS existed. The second RLCS season also occurred in 2016, so “the first RLCS” specifically means Season 1, not the first major Rocket League event or Season 2.
The competition later expanded from early league formats into regional events, international majors, and world championships. Its 2020 RLCS X format replaced traditional league play with a points-based circuit.