Highlights
- An insider hints at a new Astro Bot game announcement from Sony in the next two weeks.
- Previous Astro Bot games garnered critical acclaim for innovative gameplay and DualSense controller use.
- Speculation swirls around a potential PlayStation event in late May, which could possibly see a new Astro Bot game being unveiled.
A credible insider has claimed that Sony may be gearing up to announce a new Astro Bot game in the coming weeks. Rumors surrounding an imminent PlayStation event have been swirling heavily in the past few days, and Team Asobi's beloved robotic mascot could be a part of the proceedings.
The first Astro Bot game, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, launched in 2018 on PlayStation VR and immediately became a fan favorite. It was followed up by 2020's Astro's Playroom, which was a free pre-included game for the PS5. The charming platformer accrued significant critical acclaim and delighted players with its innovative use of the DualSense controller, as well as its homages to past PlayStation consoles and games. Since then, developer Team Asobi has been developing a new game, which the studio claims will be its biggest project to date.
PlayStation Seemingly Teases May 2024 Showcase Event
Sony potentially teases a 2024 PlayStation Showcase scheduled for May, which could reveal the company's long-term plans for the PS5 generation.
As it seems, fans could soon get to see what the studio has been working on, as a new report from reliable leaker billbil-kun writing for Dealabs claims that Team Asobi is planning to unveil the next Astro Bot game in the next 15 days. The report alleges that the game could simply be dubbed Astro Bot, although the leaker isn't too sure of this. It's also been claimed that one of the new characters in the game will be a robotic fennec fox that "shares some resemblances" with Astro, and that a part of the game will be playable in a desert environment. This may validate an earlier rumor that alleged an Astro Bot sequel was in development.
The Next Astro Bot Game Might Skip an Important Platform
Details surrounding a release window or launch platforms were unavailable in the report, although the leaker speculates that the game will be released only on PS5, and skip PlayStation VR2 entirely. Considering Astro Bot Rescue Mission was one of the best games for the original PSVR headset, the upcoming Astro Bot game potentially forgoing Sony's current-generation VR headset would be surprising, especially when PlayStation VR2 is reportedly struggling sales-wise. However, it's ultimately an assumption from the leaker, so a VR2 launch for the next Astro Bot game shouldn't be ruled out.
More importantly, though, the rumored announcement of a new Astro Bot game coincides with speculation surrounding a PlayStation event at the end of May. Industry insiders like Jeff Grubb and Nick Baker have hinted at an event happening around May 28, with the exact format (State of Play or PlayStation Showcase) yet to be confirmed. Dealabs' recent report about Firewalk Studio's PS5 shooter Concord being revealed in the same timeframe as the Astro Bot title also lends potential credence to the notion of some type of PlayStation event being announced imminently. If the rumors are to be believed, then the upcoming week should be very interesting for PlayStation fans.
