Sony's Astro Bot Embraces Nintendo's Family-Friendly Approach

In a recent episode of the PlayStation podcast, SIE CEO Hermen Hulst and Astro Bot game director Nicolas Doucet delved into the significance of Astro Bot for PlayStation, shedding light on the company's strategic direction in the gaming industry.

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-owned Team Asobi, has set ambitious goals for Astro Bot, aiming to establish it as a premier game on PlayStation that appeals to all ages. From the outset, the team envisioned elevating Astro Bot to stand alongside PlayStation Studios' renowned franchises. "I think there's a bigger meaning to all of this—I think it's to really capture the 'all ages' category," Doucet remarked.

During the podcast, Doucet, alongside SIE CEO Hermen Hulst, emphasized their desire for Astro Bot to reach "as many people as possible," including both seasoned gamers and first-time players. "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," Doucet explained. The ultimate goal, he added, is to "put a smile on all of these people's faces."

Doucet described Astro Bot as a "back-to-basics" game, focusing more on gameplay than storytelling. "As a result, the heartbeat of the player—the experience that you have—from start to finish is something we [wanted] to calibrate," he said. He further stressed the importance of relaxation and enjoyment in gaming, stating, "making people smile—laugh, even; not just smile—laugh with the game is really, really important."

When asked about investing more resources into family-friendly titles, CEO Hulst affirmed its importance, stating that it's "massively important" for PlayStation Studios to develop games across "various genres" with a significant focus on the "family market."

Hulst praised Team Asobi's efforts, noting the game's accessibility and appeal to players of all ages. "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," Hulst said. He added that Astro Bot is "so accessible," which enhances its appeal to a broad audience, "from new players to young players [and] also players of my age."

"Astro is very, very important to PlayStation," Hulst emphasized. "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 further described Astro Bot as not only a great game in itself but also a "celebration of everything PlayStation," becoming synonymous with the company's legacy in single-player gaming.

Amid Concord Flop, Sony Says It Needs More Original IP

In the same podcast episode, Hulst discussed the diversification of PlayStation's game portfolio over the years, reaching broader audiences. "Game launches are massively important and they’re different for every team," he said. "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, particularly the family market, is crucial for PlayStation Studios.

"PlayStation has a bigger community than it’s ever had and I think our portfolio of great games is more diverse now," Hulst noted. He highlighted that with Astro Bot's launch, they can celebrate and deliver on "what PlayStation has made great over the years—it’s a celebration of joy and of 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 scratch. "Whether it’s for games, films or anime, we don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning," Yoshida stated. Chief financial officer Hiroki Totoki added that Sony has historically been more successful in globalizing established IPs popular in Japan, such as Gran Turismo, Bloodborne, Ghost of Tsushima, and now Astro Bot.

Financial analyst Atul Goyal, as reported by Financial Times, suggested that Sony's focus on new IPs 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 shortly before the shutdown of Sony's first-person hero shooter, Concord, which launched to negative reviews and poor sales. Only two weeks after its release, Concord was taken offline indefinitely to "determine the best path ahead" and "explore options, including those that will better reach our players," according to a PlayStation Blog post. Sony and Concord developer Firewalk announced immediate cessation of sales and offered full refunds to all purchasers on PS5 and PC. Prior to its shutdown, Concord was set to be part of Amazon's Secret Level series, though its future remains uncertain.