Sony’s Astro Bot is making huge waves in the gaming industry by bagging many major awards. Developed by Team Asobi, the game features many iconic characters from PlayStation’s iconic IPs; however, it has become way too much, as the game may start to feel like a PlayStation museum rather than a game.
The game did a great job of reminding players of what Sony has achieved over the past few decades, but that shouldn’t be the sole reason behind its success, as many factors determine how good a game is.
The game’s director recently explained that he wants the game to have its own identity, but at the same time, it should also celebrate PlayStation’s legacy. If the game wants to establish its own identity, it needs to tone down the crossovers a bit and focus on those elements that make the game unique.
Astro Bot director wants the game to have its own identity
The director of the highly acclaimed Astro Bot, Nicolas Doucet, recently appeared for an interview with TheGamer to talk about the game’s future. During the conversation, Doucet explained that he wants the game to have its own identity instead of being a PlayStation celebration,
We want Astro to have its own identity, but at the same time, it’s also a very fun thing to be able to talk about the history of games – It’s always a balance. It was a balance this time, we’ll see what the future holds, but we always try to think about both at the same time.
What Team Asobi is currently focusing on is to make the game fun, but at the same time, it wishes to create some exciting crossovers to remind players of Sony’s legacy. Marketing the game through crossovers was fine, but they are clearly overdoing it.
Astro Bot is indeed perceived as a PlayStation celebration, despite having a great level design, visuals, and audio. The only way to get rid of this image is to focus on those elements that make the unique, something that doesn’t rely on using crossovers.
The success of Astro Bot indicates a shift in the gaming industry
With 195 Game of the Year nominations and wins, Astro Bot has become the most-awarded platformer game of all time. In terms of sales, it has exceeded all expectations and has proved to be a financial success for Sony. Astro Bot, being a family-friendly game, has captivated players of all ages, which indicates that Sony might shift its focus to games of this genre.
Astro Bot has been compared to Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy, which is another game that players of all ages can enjoy. Tapping into this genre can prove to be financially successful for Sony, so it won’t be surprising if Sony prioritizes another Astro Bot game instead of approving a new Infamous game. As for Astro Bot‘s future, the developers have some things in mind to expand its universe.
