There’s a new Ford F-150 competitive version, completely unrelated to the new 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor.

America's best-selling pickup will be featured as a newly available vehicle, from February 20 through 28, for the popular soccer-inspired sports game Rocket League. A high-speed, automobile take on soccer, with two teams trying to use their vehicles to drive their ball into the opposing teams’ goal.

This didn't happen simply because someone's kid in executive leadership at Ford loved the game. Ford also announced the Ford news company — Blue Oval, is sponsoring the Rocket League Championship Series Winter Majors e-sports tournament. Yes, Ford wants a presence in the US competitive gaming market. And expect other vehicle manufacturers to follow suite, as they look to attract the next generation of consumers.

Ford incorporated help of game interface design experts to help create the new digital speedometers and SYNC 4 interfaces for upcoming 2021 and future models. So this isn't the company's first foray into the gaming world and it's benefits to automobile infotainment.

Ford's designers collaborated with Rocket League's developer Psyonix to make sure the F-150 represented a fusion of it’s real world counterpart and the game’s whimsical aesthetic . The result is a vehicle that's rounder than the real thing but has identifiable features like the headlights and window shape, while brandishing tropical fruit wheels. The virtual pick-up will also come with two sets of wheels, engine audio, a themed boost, and a player banner.

“It had to be an F-150 but one that fits within Psyonix’ extreme virtual world pairing soccer and mayhem,” “F-150 is already the most popular truck in the real world, and this F-150 Rocket League Edition is poised to be the most popular truck in the gaming world, too. It’s Built Ford Tough meets gaming.” — said Ehab Kaoud, chief designer, Ford trucks.

This crossover between the real world F-150 and Rocket League also follows Ford’s collaboration in Europe between Team Fordzilla, the company’s e-sports team, and the gaming community there, which led to the creation of the P1 Project virtual race car in 2020.

Gaming events like the Rocket League Winter Majors are being pursued by Ford as a marketing opportunity for advertisement.

With a Ford F-150 set to appear between matches during the tournament to repair the pitch, repaint boundary lines, and two away damaged vehicles. The company will also be giving away a real 2021 F-150 as a prize during the Rocket League Freestyle Invitational where players will show off their best tricks for a panel of judges.

The Rocket League Championship Series Winter Majors Driven by Ford continues every weekend in February and can be viewed on both Rocket League’s Twitch and YouTube channRocket League Championship Series Winter Majors Driven by Fordels.

• South American Winter Major: Feb. 13-14
• European Winter Major: Feb. 20-21
• Ford + Rocket League Freestyle Invitational: Feb. 24 and Feb. 28
• North American Winter Major: Feb. 27-28

From it’s increased investments in electric vehicles to it’s current marketing into the e-sports sector, Ford Motor Company is proving itself to the adaptable Ford Tough company it always has been. We’re looking forward to seeing some of the best competitive gamers in the US drive a ball down the field with Ford’s best-selling truck in style and will be keeping up on future Ford moves in the competitive gaming market.