(Image credit: Sony)
GOTY winner Astro Bot presents a delightful, family-friendly universe, but its path to realization involved developer Team Asobi navigating numerous rewrites. The game’s initial pitch and its concluding narrative both underwent significant transformation.
The first pitch for Astro Bot was drafted in May 2021, shortly after the development team started prototyping. As described by studio and game director Nicolas Doucet during a GDC panel attended by GamesRadar+, the concept underwent 23 versions before being showcased to top management.
Once the platformer’s proposal was set, it was delivered to PlayStation executives using vibrant phrases such as “happy gameplay,” “techno magic,” and “overflowing charm,” highlighting elements like art, animation, and music designed to captivate players.
Doucet remarked, “Generally speaking, we delivered the game quite close to the original pitch,” though this steadfast delivery wasn’t the initial trajectory. Later at GDC, Doucet revealed a previously intended, somber conclusion for Astro Bot: [spoilers to follow].
“In the game’s initial end, Astro was to sacrifice himself for the team,” Doucet shared, envisioning a poignant credits sequence dedicated to Astro’s rebuilding. This early version entailed an unsettling image of “a completely dismembered Astro, gaining the torso without the head,” an idea soon found too distressing for players.
Confronted with Astro’s grim depiction, Doucet noted, “some team members [were] really upset,” justifiably so. This led to several alternate endings, until Team Asobi achieved a “lighter approach with humor,” allowing players to reassemble Astro with the head always intact, thus maintaining the intended emotions.
An important reflection came from the debate itself, revealing the studio’s core values. Doucet concluded by acknowledging the team’s discovery of their “own DNA” through this creative process.
Astro Bot‘s director encapsulated a crucial message for the industry: “It’s OK to make a small game,” recognizing that “players today have a backlog of games” awaiting completion. This insight reflects a broader understanding of modern gaming habits.