Highlights
Sony has filed trademarks for Astro Bot, suggesting that a new game in the franchise could be in development.
Astro's Playroom garnered critical praise for its innovative implementation of the DualSense controller and its nostalgic callbacks to PlayStation's history.
According to reports, Team Asobi, the renowned developers of the Astro Bot series, are currently undertaking their most ambitious project to date, with speculations on whether it will involve the beloved Astro Bot characters.
Sony has recently applied for trademarks for Astro Bot, suggesting the potential development of a new game in the franchise. The Astro series by Sony has mainly served as tech demos to showcase the capabilities of their hardware. It began with The Playroom, which demonstrated the features of the PlayStation Camera and the PS4's DualShock 4 controller, and was followed by Astro Bot Rescue Mission for the original PlayStation VR headset.
The most recent addition to the series is Astro's Playroom, which was released as a bundled launch title for the PlayStation 5. Astro's Playroom is a short yet delightful 3D platformer that primarily aims to showcase the unique features of the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller. Upon its release, Astro's Playroom received critical acclaim, with many praising its innovative use of the DualSense controller and its nostalgic references to PlayStation's history.
The good news for Astro's Playroom fans is that a new game in the series might be in development. Sony has recently filed a trademark for Astro Bot in Europe, indicating their continued plans for the franchise. No further details have been disclosed at this time. There is a possibility that these plans could involve a traditional game featuring the adorable robot characters or even a sequel to the VR game Astro Bot Rescue Mission. Fans will have to wait and see what Sony does with the trademark. It is also possible that Sony may not take any action, resulting in the Astro Bot franchise remaining inactive.
Although it is uncertain whether a new Astro Bot game will materialize, fans can expect a new project from developer Team Asobi. This new project is reputed to be their largest undertaking thus far. Its association with the Astro Bot characters remains unknown, but given that every game produced by Team Asobi has featured these characters, it would not be surprising if the tradition continues in their next game.
Since the launch of The Playroom in 2013, Team Asobi has been consistently releasing new projects every few years. They introduced The Playroom VR in 2016 and followed it up with Astro Bot Rescue Mission in 2018. In 2023, Astro's Playroom was released alongside the PS5 console. Based on this release pattern, fans are eagerly anticipating a new game from Team Asobi. However, it is possible that the scale of the new game, which is expected to be the studio's largest to date, has caused a slight delay.
