Sony's recent triumph with Astro Bot has sparked a renewed interest in the family gaming genre. Released in September 2024, Astro Bot has not only sold over 1.5 million copies but also clinched the coveted Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024. This success has led Sony to explore more opportunities within the family gaming sector.
PlayStation Wants To Expand In The Family Genre
Astro Bot Sold Over 1.5 Million Copies
Astro Bot's phenomenal performance since its launch has not gone unnoticed. The game's accolades at The Game Awards 2024, including wins in four categories such as Game of the Year and Best Family Game, have solidified its impact. During the Sony Q3 Earnings Announcement on February 13, 2025, Sony's President, CEO, and CFO Hiroki Totoki discussed these achievements and outlined future plans. He also celebrated the success of Helldivers 2, which won Best Ongoing Game and Best Multiplayer Game, signaling Sony's intent to diversify its portfolio further into family and live service games.
Totoki remarked, "The fact that titles in genres we are aiming to expand in the future, including titles for families and live service games, have received these awards is a major stride toward our building a broader title portfolio."
Family Genre Titles Under PlayStation
PlayStation has a rich history with family-friendly games, but recent years have seen fewer releases in this category. Notable series like Sly Cooper, Ape Escape, and Jak and Daxter have not seen new entries in over a decade. Meanwhile, iconic PlayStation franchises like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon have shifted to Xbox, leaving Ratchet & Clank and Little Big Planet as the mainstays in Sony's family gaming offerings, alongside the recent hit, Astro Bot.
In an interview with Famitsu in December 2024, PlayStation Studios CEO Hermen Hulst emphasized Astro Bot's significance to Sony. He stated, "Astro is very, very important to PlayStation," and praised the small team's ability to deliver a game that celebrates PlayStation's heritage.
Possibility Of Legacy IPs Returning
Astro Bot's inclusion of "dormant IPs" hints at a potential revival of PlayStation's legacy titles. Hulst highlighted the value of PlayStation's extensive IP portfolio, noting, "Our extensive IP portfolio is an important asset for PlayStation, and as part of our efforts to strengthen our portfolio, we continually explore opportunities to leverage our legacy IP as well as develop new franchises."
The reappearance of Ape Escape monkeys in the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater trailer, as well as the success of Sly Cooper on PlayStation Plus' Classics Catalog, suggests that Sony might be considering a return to its classic family genre games.
New Astro Bot Content Starting February 13, 2025
Five New Levels and Special Bots
Starting February 13, 2025, Astro Bot fans can look forward to a free update featuring five new challenging levels within the Vicious Void Galaxy. Announced by Team Asobi Studio Director Nicolas Doucet on PlayStation.Blog, the update includes:
- 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
These levels will be released every Thursday at 6:00 AM PT, 2:00 PM GMT, and 10:00 PM JST, from February 13 to March 13. Each level introduces a new Special Bot to rescue, and players can replay them in Time Attack mode with online rankings. Additionally, PS5 Pro players will enjoy the game at a smooth 60fps.
Astro Bot remains an exclusive title on PlayStation 5. For more details, visit our dedicated Astro Bot page.
