How to Fix Rocket League Error 68: Unable to Contact Matchmaking Server

Rocket League Error 68 blocks you from joining online matches with the message: “Start Search Fail. Unable to contact matchmaking server.” The error appears right after you click Search, sometimes with no warning and no obvious cause.

This guide covers the exact fixes that work, in the order you should try them.

What Causes Rocket League Error 68

Error 68 means Rocket League could not reach its matchmaking servers at that moment. It does not mean your account is permanently banned or that your system is broken. The four main triggers are:

• Server downtime or congestion on Psyonix’s backend, especially during peak hours or after a new season drops
• Leaver penalty ban triggered when you exit a match early, even accidentally
• Strict or Moderate NAT type blocking the connection handshake between your network and the matchmaking server
• Corrupted game files, usually caused by interrupted updates, unexpected shutdowns, or power surges

Fix 1: Check Rocket League Server Status

Before you change any settings, verify whether the matchmaking servers are actually down. If they are, every other fix will fail until Psyonix resolves the issue on their end.

Check these three sources:

1. @RL_Status on X (Twitter) for official server announcements
2. Epic Games Public Status page for backend service incidents
3. Downdetector for Rocket League for real-time user reports

If the outage is confirmed, you do not have a local problem. Wait until the servers recover, then queue again.

Fix 2: Wait Out the Leaver Penalty

Rocket League automatically bans players who exit matches early. The ban lasts 5 to 15 minutes depending on how many times you have left recently. The game does not always display the ban notice clearly. Instead of a proper warning, it throws Error 68.

If you left a match in the past 15 minutes, stop trying to queue. Wait out the full penalty window, then relaunch the game. Repeated queueing attempts during an active ban do not reset the timer.

Fix 3: Kill Launcher Background Processes Before Restarting

A simple restart often misses residual launcher processes still running in the background. These stale processes send corrupted handshake data to the matchmaking server and cause repeated Error 68 even after you reopen the game.

On PC:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Find and end Rocket League in the Processes list.
3. Also end Steam Client Bootstrapper (if on Steam) or EpicGamesLauncher (if on Epic).
4. Wait 10 seconds, then relaunch your game client normally.

On Xbox or PlayStation:

Fully quit Rocket League from the quick menu (do not just minimize it), wait 30 seconds, then power cycle the console completely before relaunching.

Fix 4: Restart Your Router and Switch to Ethernet

An unstable connection causes network timeouts that prevent your game from completing the matchmaking handshake. A router restart refreshes your IP lease and clears any temporary routing failures.

1. Power off your router for 30 seconds, then power it back on.
2. Wait for the connection to fully stabilize before launching Rocket League.

To confirm whether your home network is the actual source of the problem, connect to a mobile hotspot and try queuing. If the error disappears on hotspot, the issue is your home network.

For a permanent fix, use a wired Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. This eliminates packet loss and wireless instability that frequently causes Rocket League connection errors.

Fix 5: Verify Game Files

Corrupted or missing game files prevent Rocket League from communicating properly with the server. This is especially common after interrupted updates or OS-level crashes.

Epic Games Launcher:

1. Open Epic Games Launcher and go to Library.
2. Click the three dots (ellipsis) next to Rocket League.
3. Select Manage.
4. Click Verify and wait for the scan to complete.

Steam:

1. Open Steam and go to Library.
2. Right-click Rocket League and select Properties.
3. Click Local Files, then click Verify integrity of game files.

After verification finishes, relaunch the game and attempt to queue again.

Fix 6: Switch to Google Public DNS

Your ISP’s default DNS servers sometimes route game traffic inefficiently, increasing latency or dropping packets before they reach Psyonix’s servers. Switching to Google Public DNS forces a cleaner routing path.

On Windows:

1. Open Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced network settings.
2. Click your active adapter, then click Edit under DNS server assignment.
3. Set DNS to Manual, enable IPv4.
4. Set Preferred DNS to 8.8.8.8 and Alternate DNS to 8.8.4.4.
5. Click Save, then relaunch Rocket League.

On PlayStation:

1. Go to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection.
2. Choose your connection type and select Custom.
3. Set DNS manually: Primary 8.8.8.8, Secondary 8.8.4.4.

On Xbox:

1. Go to Settings > General > Network settings > Advanced settings.
2. Select DNS settings > Manual.
3. Enter Primary 8.8.8.8 and Secondary 8.8.4.4.

Fix 7: Set Your NAT Type to Open

A Strict or Moderate NAT type blocks the full bidirectional communication Rocket League needs for matchmaking. This is one of the most overlooked causes of persistent Error 71 and Error 88 as well.

To check your NAT type in Rocket League, go to Settings > Network in-game. If it shows Strict or Moderate, apply one of the following fixes through your router:

Enable UPnP (easiest method):

1. Log into your router admin panel (typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
2. Find UPnP under Advanced or NAT settings.
3. Enable it and save.
4. Restart the router, then recheck NAT type in-game.

Port Forwarding (more reliable):

Forward the following ports to your console or PC’s local IP address in your router settings:

After applying either method, restart your router and console, then relaunch Rocket League to confirm the NAT type changed to Open.

Fix 8: Check Platform Service Status

Sometimes the problem sits with your platform’s online service rather than Rocket League itself. Outages on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Steam, or Epic Games produce the same Error 68 symptom.

Check status directly:

• PlayStation Network: status.playstation.com
• Xbox Live: support.xbox.com/xbox-live-status
• Steam: steamstat.us
• Epic Games: status.epicgames.com

If your platform service shows a partial or full outage, wait for it to recover. Nothing on your device will resolve a platform-level incident.

Which Fix Works for Your Situation

Related Game Error Fixes

• Rocket League Error 71: How to Fix Connection Timeout and Server Issues on PC and Console
• How to Fix Rocket League Error 88: Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide
• How to Fix “Error While Communicating with Rocket League Servers”