Astro Bot Success Inspires PlayStation to Focus More on Family Friendly Games

Sony's plans for more family-friendly games are fueled by the remarkable success of Astro Bot. Read on to discover more about Astro Bot's achievements and PlayStation's potential revival of legacy IPs.

PlayStation Expands into the Family Genre

Astro Bot Surpasses 1.5 Million Copies Sold

Since its September 2024 release, Astro Bot has been a phenomenal success, selling over 1.5 million copies and earning the coveted Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024. This triumph has spurred PlayStation to further explore the family-friendly gaming market.

During Sony's Q3 Earnings Announcement on February 13, 2025, President, CEO, and CFO Hiroki Totoki discussed Astro Bot's impact and future plans. He highlighted the game's four Game Awards 2024 wins, including Game of the Year and Best Family Game, alongside Helldivers 2's success (Best Ongoing Game and Best Multiplayer Game). Totoki emphasized that these wins represent significant progress in expanding PlayStation's portfolio into family and live service games.

PlayStation's Family-Friendly History

PlayStation boasts a history of family-friendly titles, though many have seen limited recent activity. As noted by The Gamer, franchises like Sly Cooper, Ape Escape, and Jak and Daxter haven't seen new entries in over a decade. The loss of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon to Xbox further limits PlayStation's current family-friendly offerings, leaving primarily Ratchet & Clank, LittleBigPlanet, and the recent Astro Bot success.

In a December 2024 interview with Famitsu, PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst underscored Astro Bot's importance to Sony, calling it "very, very important" and praising the small team's achievement in creating such a significant and celebrated game.

The Potential Return of Legacy IPs

Astro Bot's success, featuring several previously dormant PlayStation IPs, highlights the potential for reviving classic franchises. Hulst previously emphasized the value of PlayStation's extensive IP portfolio, stating that they continually explore opportunities to leverage legacy IPs and develop new franchises.

The recent Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater trailer showcased the return of Ape Escape monkeys, previously featured in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The success of Sly Cooper on PlayStation Plus' Classics Catalog, becoming one of the platform's highest-rated games, further supports the potential for revisiting these beloved franchises. While no official announcements have been made, the signs point towards PlayStation potentially tapping into its family-friendly legacy IPs.

New Astro Bot Content Arriving February 13, 2025

Five New Levels and Special Bots

Starting February 13, 2025, Astro Bot players can enjoy a free update featuring five new levels, including the level from the PlayStation XP Tournament Final in London. These levels comprise the new Vicious Void Galaxy and will be released weekly:

• February 13: Tick-Tock Shock
• February 20: Thrust or Bust
• February 27: Cock-A-Doodle-Doom
• March 6: Hard to Bear
• March 13: Armored Hardcore

All updates will be available every Thursday at 6:00 AM PT, 2:00 PM GMT, and 10:00 PM JST.

Team Asobi Studio Director Nicolas Doucet highlighted that, unlike the Winter Wonder update, these levels offer a greater challenge, testing players' jumping skills. Each level includes a new Special Bot to rescue, and Time Attack mode with online rankings will be available upon completion. PS5 Pro players will also benefit from a 60fps experience.

Astro Bot is available exclusively on PlayStation 5. Visit our Astro Bot page for more information.