Sony has announced that following the overwhelming success of "Astro Bot" will focus more on family games in the future. The platform title, which won in four categories at the Game Awards 2024, including "Game of the year" and "Best Family Game", has inspired the Group to further expand the family genre. PlayStation President Hiroki Totoki said in a conference call confident about the quarterly results that Astro Bot will pave the way for similar titles.
Family games offer great potential
"The success of Astro Bot at The Game Awards 2024 has confirmed that the family genre is a huge opportunity for PlayStation. We have already created a great adventure with Astro Bot and we are determined to continue this success and develop more family games"explained Totoki. The title not only won in the most prestigious categories, but also prevailed against strong competition. It is particularly noteworthy that Astro Bot sold 1.5 million units worldwide in the first nine weeks after its release, which is a considerable success - especially as a significant proportion of the buyers were new players.
For PlayStation studio boss Hermen Hulst in particular, the Astro Bot-brand as a symbol of everything PlayStation stands for. "It's fascinating that a small team has created such a big game that has become a real flagship for our platform." said Hulst. In fact, the Astro Bot-series has carved out a unique place in the modern gaming world with its innovative blend of platform action and humorous charm. It is not only a fan favorite, but also a refreshment in a genre that is less in focus today.
There is more than Super Mario
The success of Astro Bot could also be seen as a turning point for the family game genre in the modern gaming landscape. While the big names like Super Mario continue to dominate, has Astro Bot has shown that there is room for new and creative ideas. The success of the game speaks for itself: in Europe, it surpassed Astro Bot practically every other 3D platform game of the last ten years - except for the top dog from Nintendo.
With the expansion of the family portfolio, Sony not only wants to appeal to the next generation of gamers, but also strengthen the relationship with existing fans. Astro Bot could be the first of many titles that show that PlayStation can offer more than just the classic blockbuster games. It will be exciting to see how the family genre develops under PlayStation's leadership - and what other innovative titles players can expect.
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