Sony's plans to expand its family-friendly game offerings 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 achieved phenomenal success, selling over 1.5 million copies and earning the prestigious 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 highlighted Astro Bot's four Game Awards wins (including Game of the Year and Best Family Game), and the success of Helldivers 2 (Best Ongoing Game and Best Multiplayer Game). Totoki stated, “The success of titles in genres we aim to expand, including family games and live service titles, demonstrates significant progress in building a broader game portfolio.”
PlayStation's Family-Friendly History
PlayStation boasts a rich history of family-friendly titles, many of which haven't seen new installments in over a decade. As noted by The Gamer, franchises like Sly Cooper, Ape Escape, and Jak and Daxter remain largely dormant. The loss of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon to Xbox further underscores the need for PlayStation to revitalize this sector. Currently, Ratchet & Clank and LittleBigPlanet, alongside the recent Astro Bot, represent PlayStation's recent forays into family-friendly gaming.
In a December 2024 interview with Famitsu, PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst emphasized Astro Bot's significance: “Astro is very, very important to PlayStation. It’s remarkable that a small team delivered such a significant game; it’s become a celebration of everything PlayStation.”
The Return of Beloved IPs?
Astro Bot's success, featuring several previously dormant PlayStation IPs, hints at a potential resurgence of classic franchises. Hulst previously highlighted the value of PlayStation's extensive IP portfolio, stating, "Our extensive IP portfolio is a key asset, and we continually explore opportunities to leverage legacy IP and develop new franchises."
The recent Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater trailer showcased the return of Ape Escape monkeys, originally featured in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The success of Sly Cooper on PlayStation Plus' Classics Catalog, achieving high ratings on the PlayStation Store, further strengthens the case for revisiting these beloved titles. While no official announcements have been made, the signs point towards PlayStation actively considering this possibility.
New Astro Bot Content Arrives February 13, 2025
Five New Levels and Special Bots
Starting February 13, 2025, Astro Bot players will receive a free update featuring five challenging new levels within the Vicious Void Galaxy, including the level from the PlayStation XP Tournament Final in London. These levels 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, in a PlayStation.Blog post, highlighted the increased difficulty of these levels, designed to test players' jumping skills. Each level introduces a new Special Bot to rescue, with subsequent Time Attack mode availability and online rankings. PS5 Pro players will also enjoy a boosted 60fps experience.
Astro Bot is available exclusively on PlayStation 5. Visit our Astro Bot page for more information.
