Astro Bot

Development

Development of Astro Bot began shortly after Astro's Playroom was completed, taking roughly three years with a team of about 60 people. It is reportedly Team Asobi's largest game. Unlike its predecessors, the game was named without a subtitle, which creative director and producer Nicolas Doucet said signified a new beginning for the series. In an interview with Edge magazine, Doucet stated that Team Asobi considered an open world structure but chose a level-based one because it gave the most control over variety.

The main levels were designed to be relatively easy for accessibility, while optional levels were made much more difficult for experienced players. In an article with Variety, Doucet explained that ideas unused in Playroom, such as a chainsaw demo, were implemented in Astro Bot by adding a sci-fi touch to fit the game's friendlier theme. The overhauled game engine improved visuals and physics, and introduced over 70 unique species of wildlife, including polar bears, elephants, and small insects.

Marketing and release

Sony announced Astro Bot during its State of Play livestream on May 30, 2024. A release trailer and behind-the-scenes footage hit the PlayStation YouTube channel on August 30, 2024. The game came out exclusively for PlayStation 5 on September 6, 2024. The 400th issue of Edge magazine had ten different front covers, each spotlighting a different V.I.P. Bot.

Buyers could choose from three editions: digital standard, physical standard, or digital deluxe. Preordering any version unlocked rewards. The digital standard edition gave an in-game outfit based on PaRappa the Rapper, a Dual Speeder graffiti skin, and two PlayStation Network avatars. The digital deluxe edition added two outfits (one gold, one inspired by Bloodborne’s Yharnam hunter), two controller skins, ten avatars, and a download code for the soundtrack and digital art gallery.

Playable demos were set up at Summer Game Fest, EVO, ChinaJoy, PAX West, and Tokyo Game Show, where a giant replica Gatcha machine handed out four different Astro Bot t-shirts. A DualSense controller styled after the Dual Speeder was announced on July 29, 2024, with preorders starting August 9. A bundle pairing a PlayStation 5 (standard or digital-only) with a digital copy of Astro Bot launched on March 13, 2025, in the United States and Europe.

Reception

Astro Bot received universal acclaim on Metacritic, with 99% of critics recommending it on OpenCritic, and was ranked the highest-rated game of 2024 on both sites. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a total score of 36 out of 40. Simon Cardy of IGN compared the game to a theme park and Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, praising its use of the DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. GameSpot's Mark Delaney commended the level design for rewarding players who stray from the main path, and noted that Astro's abilities elevated gameplay without losing control, though he found underwater controls unintuitive.

Critics positively compared the game to Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Odyssey, as well as to Nintendo series such as Arms, Pikmin, and Splatoon. Masahiro Sakurai praised the game on Twitter. Some criticism focused on a perceived lack of innovation and the use of video game character likenesses. Cole Kronman of Kotaku wrote that the game was polished but did little to separate itself from its inspirations.

James Lucas of TheGamer compared the game to a graveyard, arguing that referencing certain series highlighted how long it had been since their last entries.