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

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 enjoyed 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 invest in 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 2024 wins, including Game of the Year and Best Family Game. He also cited the success of Helldivers 2, winner of Best Ongoing Game and Best Multiplayer Game. Totoki emphasized these wins as significant steps towards broadening PlayStation's game portfolio, particularly in family-friendly and live service titles.

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 have been dormant. The departure of classic IPs like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon to Xbox leaves Ratchet & Clank and LittleBigPlanet, along with the recent Astro Bot, as PlayStation's primary family-friendly offerings in recent years.

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 inclusion of various PlayStation characters, some from dormant IPs, hints at a possible resurgence of these beloved franchises. Hulst previously highlighted PlayStation's extensive IP portfolio as a valuable asset, emphasizing the company's ongoing exploration of opportunities to leverage legacy IPs alongside new franchises.

The recent trailer for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater features the return of Ape Escape monkeys, previously seen in the original 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 a revival. While no official announcements have been made, this suggests a potential focus on reviving family-friendly titles.

New Astro Bot Content Arriving February 13, 2025

Five New Levels and Special Bots

Astro Bot players can look forward to a free update starting February 13, 2025. In a PlayStation.Blog post on February 13th, Team Asobi Studio Director Nicolas Doucet announced five new levels, including one from the PlayStation XP Tournament Final in London, within a new Vicious Void Galaxy.

The new 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.

Doucet noted that unlike the Winter Wonder update, these levels will be more challenging, testing players' jumping skills. Each level introduces a new Special Bot to rescue, with Time Attack mode and online rankings available after completion. 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 details.