Sony's Astro Bot: A Family-Friendly Gaming Strategy

In a recent episode of the PlayStation podcast, SIE CEO Hermen Hulst and Astro Bot game director Nicolas Doucet shed light on the pivotal role Astro Bot plays in PlayStation's strategy to expand into the "family-friendly" gaming market.

Astro Bot Is “Very, Very Important” For PlayStation in Expansion to “Family-Friendly” Market

PlayStation Wants You to Smile and Laugh with Their Games

Nicolas Doucet, game director at Sony's Team Asobi, has ambitious plans for Astro Bot, aiming to establish it as a flagship title on PlayStation that appeals to players of all ages. From the outset, the team's vision was to elevate Astro Bot into a character that could stand alongside PlayStation Studios' iconic franchises. Doucet emphasized, "I think there's a bigger meaning to all of this—I think it's to really capture the 'all ages' category."

During the podcast, Doucet, alongside SIE CEO Hermen Hulst, expressed his desire for Astro Bot to reach "as many people as possible," including both seasoned gamers and those new to gaming. He noted, "whether they are gamers or first-time gamers, because they're going to be perhaps, kids, who'll have [Astro Bot] as their first game they ever play." The ultimate goal, according to Doucet, is to bring joy and laughter to all players, making Astro Bot a game that truly puts a smile on everyone's face.

Doucet describes Astro Bot as a "back-to-basics" game, focusing more on gameplay than on narrative. He explained, "As a result, the heartbeat of the player—the experience that you have—from start to finish is something we [wanted] to calibrate." The game aims to provide a relaxing and enjoyable experience, with Doucet stating, "being able to relax in front of games and have a good time" is crucial. He further emphasized, "making people smile—laugh, even; not just smile—laugh with the game is really, really important."

When asked about PlayStation's plans to develop more family-friendly titles, CEO Hulst affirmed that it is "massively important" for PlayStation Studios to explore various genres, with a particular focus on the family market.

Hulst shared insights into the early discussions about platformers, noting, "It’s interesting that Nico and I, at the beginning of the project, talked a little bit about platformers—so many of the great ones come out of Japan and I was kind of joking with him saying ‘let’s see some of those best games coming out of the country that you operate out of and see the bar’, and I’m just so excited that they’re delivering that now." He praised Team Asobi for crafting a game that "plays like some of the best in that genre," highlighting its accessibility to players of all ages, from newcomers to seasoned veterans.

"Astro is very, very important to PlayStation," Hulst stated. "Obviously we had the pre-install with the PlayStation 5 that millions and millions have embraced and loved, and I think that’s becoming a little bit of a platform to launch this new game now." He added, "It's become a great game in itself, but it has [also] become a celebration of everything PlayStation at this point," further noting that it's becoming synonymous with PlayStation's innovation and legacy in single-player gaming.

Amid Concord Flop, Sony Says It Needs More Original IP

During the same podcast episode, Hulst discussed the diversity of PlayStation's game portfolio, emphasizing that the platform now reaches a broader audience. "Game launches are massively important and they’re different for every team," Hulst explained. "In my new role as a CEO of the Studio Business Group at SIE, I look a little bit more at the business aspect of a launch," adding that targeting various genres, especially the family market, is crucial.

"PlayStation has a bigger community than it’s ever had and I think our portfolio of great games is more diverse now," he said, noting that the launch of Astro Bot celebrates what PlayStation has excelled at over the years—joy and collaboration.

In a recent Financial Times interview on September 4, Sony's chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida acknowledged the company's need for more original IPs developed from the ground up. "Whether it’s for games, films or anime, we don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning," Yoshida admitted. Chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki added, "We’re lacking the early phase (of IP) and that’s an issue for us," pointing out Sony's past success with established IPs like Gran Turismo, Bloodborne, Ghost of Tsushima, and now Astro Bot.

Financial analyst Atul Goyal noted that Sony's focus on original IP is a natural step in its evolution into a fully integrated media company. "One thing that you need is IP, that is step one," Goyal said. "And if you don’t start creating or buying in those that do, then the risk is someone else will do it. So the risk is not doing anything."

Yoshida's comments came just before the shutdown of Sony's first-person hero shooter, Concord, which lasted only two weeks before receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews and disappointing sales. In a recent post, Sony and Concord developer Firewalk announced that the game would be taken offline indefinitely to "determine the best path ahead" and "explore options, including those that will better reach our players." The team stated on the PlayStation Blog, "While we determine the best path ahead, Concord sales will cease immediately and we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased the game for PS5 or PC." Before its shutdown, Concord was set to be part of Amazon's Secret Level series, though future plans remain uncertain.