Bringing Astro Bot to Life with Team Asobi’s Nicolas Doucet

If there was one game everyone was excited about after Summer Game Fest, it was Astro Bot . This 3D platformer from Team Asobi was not only adorable but also a celebration of everything PlayStation, all in a package that was a blast to play. As the follow-up to the beloved Astro’s Playroom that came pre-installed on every PlayStation 5, Astro Bot finally gives the little robot a chance to spread its wings and show off what they are capable of.

From what I played at Summer Game Fest , Astro Bot is shaping up to be a visual feast, harnessing the power of the PS5 to deliver stunning visuals without sacrificing the buttery smooth 60 frames per second that platforming fans crave. But it’s not just about looks — the game aims to strike the perfect balance between accessibility for families and challenging gameplay for experienced players, and it is one of the most enjoyable games I had the pleasure of trying out at the event.

With this level of excitement, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with the Studio Director of Team Asobi , who has been at the helm of this exciting project. Under his leadership, the team has built on its expertise in creating charming, family-friendly experiences while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on PS5 hardware . With excitement and a drive to deliver the best game his team can, Doucet gave some insights about development and what fans should expect when they finally sit down and play the full Astro Bot experience when it hits later this year.

I played Astro Bot at Summer Game Fest, and I really enjoyed the scope and look of the game overall. I wanted to touch on the scope in general. During development, how did you determine the size of the game, and how closely did the end product match your original vision?

Nicolas Doucet: Okay, so when we started [ Astro Bot ], we knew what we wanted and had to do something big, transitioning from Astro’s Playroom to the big stage with lots of new power-ups and everything else we planned. Boss fights were a major topic of discussion. The idea was that every single planet you visit feels unique, and you take a strong memory from it. The size of the game was important, but we wanted to avoid unnecessary downtime. Instead of making a 20-30-hour game with some downtime, we aimed for 12-15 hours with a great tempo.

“…when we started [Astro Bot], we knew what we wanted and had to do something big, transitioning from Astro’s Playroom to the big stage with lots of new power-ups and everything else we planned.”

We all play games and have stacks of unfinished ones, so the size of the game was important, but it wasn’t an obsession. We didn’t insist on a 20-hour game. In fact, we cut quite a lot because some levels felt repetitive. If a power-up was used twice on two planets, using it again on a third planet didn’t bring anything new. Players would be happy to discover it the first time and enjoy the variety the second time, but by the third time, they would expect more. So, we decided to consolidate and bring back the ideas in a better way. We did this quite often, keeping Astro Bot reasonably sized while maintaining a good tempo.

When I played the game, I noticed that it was easy to understand the controls but much harder to master at every single level. It feels like a throwback to games of the 90s , where anyone could play, but they had a challenge. In development, how did you find that balance between making it too challenging for families to play together and too easy for parents to enjoy?

Nicolas Doucet: That’s a good question. We do some user testing, and for a long time, the whole game was tested. We had these challenges on the side reserved for more seasoned players. The main path, as we call it, addresses the issue of many games not being finished due to lack of time. It’s a shame, so we wanted to ensure people could play without too many obstacles, causing them to give up. We aim to provide a sense of achievement while guiding players to the end, enjoying every surprise. Right up to the very end, there are surprises that would be a shame to miss.

When we tested with some audiences, the feedback from platformer fans often indicated the game was too easy. So, we cranked up the challenges on the side. Families and kids can play the main game and have fun, but when they want to be challenged and test their skills, it needed to hit the mark. We hope the levels you played made you sweat enough. Balancing the difficulty has been a recurring conversation.

This ties back to the core controls of Astro. We aim for “easy to play, hard to master.” The controls are simple, using one stick and two buttons, with the trigger for power-ups occasionally. Despite the simplicity, combining these controls allows for complex actions, like extending jumps by spinning. These extra layers make a difference, especially in speed runs. Exploring this is interesting, as the team didn’t have much experience in this field. We had been making classic family games for many years. From Astro’s Playroom, we added this new element, making games for both families and seasoned players. Balancing [ Astro Bot ] for both audiences involves a lot of user psychology and makes for great conversations.

Now, I wanted to know, with the graphics and the fact that you’re using so much of the PlayStation 5’s power in this game, did you ever have to pull back on the visuals because they were hampering the overall fluidity of the experience, or did that all come naturally as you worked with Sony to build this game together?

Nicolas Doucet: Yeah, I think every game experiences that, and at some point, you will lose frames, regardless of what you do. For us, maintaining 60 frames per second [in Astro Bot ] is an absolute must. The game should never drop below 60. This is more important than resolution, graphics, or anything else. We focus on the feel-good aspect when you jump and run, protecting the tempo and melody perfectly. The physics, especially with interactive elements, require a lot of power, but it’s crucial for gameplay.

I’m glad you noticed this aspect. We don’t necessarily consider our game the most beautiful, but we strive for a different kind of beauty—simple elegance. In a platform game, it’s essential to clearly see where you’re supposed to go. You need to plan your path and identify surfaces you can jump on. Contrast is our top priority, followed by adding bevels and a bit of detail. If there’s too much detail, the game becomes noisy, and players can’t easily discern where to go.

Maintaining a simple, elegant look is vital for [ Astro Bot ] to feel good. Otherwise, it becomes stressful for players if they constantly have to figure out where they can and can’t go. This information overload can be overwhelming. We went through a phase where the game looked too messy because, naturally, given more power, developers add more elements. About a year ago, we started cleaning it up to find that simple elegance again.

Astro Bot from Team Asobi will be released exclusively for PlayStation 5 on September 6, 2024.