Astro Bot has not seen the sort of mainstream success that other Sony platforming properties like Ratchet and Clank and LittleBigPlanet have, but it’s enjoyed a lot of critical acclaim. Both Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Astro’s Playroom have been received very well by critics and players alike, and there’s been no shortage of people who’re hoping to see more of the franchise soon.

So is an expansion or a sequel to Astro’s Playroom something that Asobi Team at SIE Japan Studio are working on? Speaking in an interview with Edge, SIE Japan Studio boss Nicolas Doucet said that though there’s been a lot of praise for the PS5 pack-in game, there are no plans for a follow-up yet, and whether or not that happens is something that will depend on the plyers.

“At this moment in time, there’s no plan for an extension of Astro’s Playroom, but I think it’s going to come down to the popularity of the game,” Doucet said. “So far we’ve heard a lot from the media, and it’s been very positive, and we’re really, really happy. But a lot of it is going to come down to the consumer experience.

“I think we need to hear from them too. And that’s going to happen post-launch, once the console is in the hands of consumers. But if the character has popularity, and if it proves that people are really having fun, [an extension or sequel] could be one avenue to follow.”

Doucet went on to say that the development team already has a lot of ideas for what to do with a new game (many centering around the DualSense controller and its unique features), before adding again that nothing has been finalized yet.

“In Team Asobi we’re always trying to come up with ideas from technology, and so there are lots of things we want to try and do around the controller,” Doucet said. “And as we make these prototypes, if one of them turns out to be a game idea in its own right, it could end up being a new direction that we take and we’ll run with it. So it could be one or the other, but at this moment in time I don’t really know.”

For what it’s worth, Astro’s developers have teased that the series “will be back soon with more news”, so there’s that.

Meanwhile, Astro’s Playroom is available on PS5, and comes pre-installed with every PS5. If you have PlayStation VR, you can also play Astro Bot Rescue Mission (and you should, because it’s incredible).

Astro Bot might not be Sony’s most high profile franchise right now, but the level of quality it has been hitting over the past couple of years has been extremely impressive, to say the least. 2017’s PSVR showcase Astro Bot Rescue Mission is one of the best platformers of its generation, and the charming little Astro’s Playroom has gotten the PS5 off to an excellent start, showcasing the impressive features of the DualSense perfectly.

But it seems the little bot isn’t done with us just yet. Astro’s Playroom is by no means a full-fledged game- but we might be in line for one soon. At least if creative director Nicolas Doucet’s words are anything to go by. Talking recently about the game in a recent update on the PlayStation blog, Doucet passingly suggested that we could be hearing more about the franchise not long from now, saying, “Astro will be back with news soon.”

That doesn’t necessarily suggest that a new game is on the way, but I certainly hope that’s the case. Astro games have a knack for being excellent, charming platformers, and a new full-fledged entry in the series would be hard to turn down.

Astro’s Playroom comes pre-installed on every PS5, and has launched in some regions of the world. It will release worldwide on November 19. Stay tuned for more coverage.

Though not the biggest first party game the PS5 is launching with, Astro’s Playroom is certainly one of the more interesting ones, not least because it’s been made specifically to showcase some of the PS5 and its controller’s biggest new features. Recently, various media outlets and influencers have gotten some hands-on time with the PS5 and the game itself, thanks to which some new details on both have been revealed of late.

Digital Foundry, for instance, recently uploaded a video (which you can view below), in which they confirmed the resolution and frame rate of the game. Astro’s Playroom, it seems, is running at a native 4K resolution and a consistent 60 frames per second, while it also seems like the game is making use of some ray-tracing features here and there.

There’s still some time left before the PS5 launches, so Astro’s Playroom might end up receiving even more optimizations, but this close to release, I’d say those numbers are pretty final (and rather impressive).

Astro’s Playroom will release exclusively for PS5 on November 12, and will come pre-installed with every PS5 console. The game will be around 4-5 hours long. You can check out some more gameplay footage through here.

It might not be the most high profile first party game the PS5 is launching it, but there’s still every reason to be looking forward to Astro’s Playroom. Developed to showcase the DualSense’s new abilities, including its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, if it’s as inventive, charming, and enjoyable as its predecessor, Astro Bot Rescue Mission was, it’ll end up being an excellent platformer.

Recently, in an interview with Famitsu, the game’s director Nicolas Doucet (via @Nibellion on Twitter) revealed some new details on the game. Astro’s Playroom will be about 4-5 hours long, and will be divided into worlds. The names of these worlds are Cooling Resort, GPU Jungle, SSD Speedway, and Memory Sky (though these names are machine translated, so the final names will probably be different).

Meanwhile, Doucet also states that the game will have plenty of collectibles and tributes and easter eggs from throughout the history of PlayStation for fans to seek out. The game will also have a time attack mode, as well as online ranking.

Given the fact that Astro’s Playroom is a free game that’ll be pre-installed on every PS5 that Sony sells, that sounds pretty good, especially if the game has platforming and levels as good as its predecessor.

Astro’s Playroom and the PS5 will both release on November 12 (or November 19, depending on where you are in the world). Recently, a leak claimed that the PS5 will have 664 GB of usable internal storage, of which Astro’s Playroom will take up 2.4 GB. Read more on that through here.

https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1313421089142460416

Astro Bot Rescue Mission, developed by Sony Japan’s Asobi Team, was touted as one of the best VR games ever made. So it only makes sense that Astro and his friends would make the jump to PlayStation 5. Hence we have Astro’s Playroom, which will come pre-loaded on the console. Check out the announcement trailer below.

Astro’s Playroom features four different worlds to explore, each teeming with different foes, puzzles and platforming challenges. The hook this time is experiencing the world using the PS5’s DualSense controller. When Astro is fighting against the wind, the controller’s haptic feedback will react accordingly.

Similarly, when shocked, the X button will seemingly vibrate to simulate that reaction. It’s a great touch but the fact that the game looks fun on its own is important. Astro’s Playroom will be available with PlayStation 5 when the console launches this holiday season. As always, stay tuned for more details and announcements.