Astro Bot went through 20+ iterations of concepts before the project was approved and the team moved on to create the best game of 2024
The development of the Astro Bot platformer by Team Asobi went through 23 concept iterations before receiving approval from PlayStation management. The game's director, Nicolas Doucet, said during a panel at GDC 2025 that the initial pitch was created in May 2021, and only after numerous revisions was it presented to top management.
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During the development process, the team sought to create a game with "joyful gameplay", "techno-magic", and "excessive charm" that would reflect the art, animation, and music that make players smile. Doucet noted that the final product was quite close to the original concept.
Interestingly, one of the original endings of the game involved the self-sacrifice of the protagonist, Astro, which included his dismemberment. This caused a negative reaction in the team, and as a result, the ending was changed to a lighter one.
Astro Bot, released in September 2024, quickly gained popularity, receiving a score of 94/100 on Metacritic and becoming the highest rated game of the year. In addition, the game was named Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024.
Source: GamesRadar
