PlayStation Shifts Focus to Family Games After Astro Bot Success

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 isn't just a single victory; it's a catalyst for PlayStation's expansion into 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 emphasized these wins as significant steps in broadening PlayStation's game portfolio, particularly within the family and live-service genres.

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 are ripe for revival. 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 current family-friendly flagships.

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 success, featuring several dormant PlayStation IPs, highlights the value of Sony's extensive IP portfolio. Hulst previously stated that leveraging legacy IPs and developing new franchises are key to strengthening PlayStation's portfolio.

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, becoming one of the highest-rated games on the PlayStation Store, further demonstrates the potential of these legacy titles. While no official announcements have been made, the signs point towards PlayStation exploring its family-friendly back catalog.

New Astro Bot Content Arriving February 13, 2025

Five New Levels and Special Bots

Starting February 13, 2025, Astro Bot players can enjoy a free update featuring five new levels, including the level from the PlayStation XP Tournament Final in London. These levels comprise the new Vicious Void Galaxy, with one level released each Thursday:

• 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 at 6:00 AM PT, 2:00 PM GMT, and 10:00 PM JST.

Team Asobi Studio Director Nicolas Doucet revealed 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 upon completion. PS5 Pro players will also experience the game at 60fps.

Astro Bot is available exclusively on PlayStation 5. Visit our Astro Bot page for more details.