Astro Bot fans are well-acquainted with the story behind the beloved sponge power-up, but did you know that Team Asobi also experimented with even more outlandish ideas? During GDC 2025, IGN attended a fascinating talk by Team Asobi's studio director, Nicolas Doucet, titled "The Making of 'ASTRO BOT'". Doucet provided a deep dive into the development process of the PlayStation mascot platformer, showcasing early prototypes and cut content that never made it into the final game.
Doucet kicked off his presentation by discussing the initial pitch for Astro Bot, crafted in May 2021, just months after Team Asobi began prototyping. He revealed that the pitch underwent 23 revisions before being presented to top management. The pitch was delivered in an adorable comic strip format, illustrating the game's main pillars and activities, which ultimately proved successful.
The creative process at Team Asobi involved extensive brainstorming sessions. Small groups of 5-6 individuals from various disciplines collaborated, jotting down their ideas on sticky notes. This method led to a vibrant brainstorming board, showcasing the team's creativity.
However, not every idea progressed to the prototyping stage. Doucet noted that only about 10% of their brainstormed concepts were actually prototyped. The emphasis on prototyping was significant, with team members from all departments encouraged to experiment with their ideas. For instance, audio designers created a theater within Astro Bot to test haptic controller vibrations corresponding to various sound effects, like different door openings and closings.
Prototyping was crucial for the team, with some programmers dedicated solely to exploring non-platforming concepts. This approach led to the development of Astro Bot's iconic sponge mechanic, which utilized the adaptive trigger for a fun squeezing action and ultimately became a core feature of the game.
Doucet shared an image showcasing several prototypes, including the balloon and sponge that made it into the game, alongside others like a tennis game, a walking wind-up toy, a roulette wheel, and a coffee grinder, which did not.
He also discussed how levels were chosen and designed around specific mechanics. The goal was to ensure each level offered unique gameplay and didn't feel repetitive. While the same power-up could be used across different levels, its implementation had to vary significantly to maintain freshness. Doucet presented images of a cut level themed around bird flights, which was ultimately removed due to its similarities to other levels using the monkey power-up.
Towards the end of his talk, Doucet touched on the game's final scene, warning of spoilers. In the original ending, players were to reassemble a completely dismembered Astro Bot, which proved too distressing for some. The final version opted for a more intact Astro Bot, enhancing player comfort.
Doucet's presentation offered a wealth of insights into the development of Astro Bot, a game that IGN praised with a 9/10 score, describing it as "A fantastically inventive platformer in its own right, Astro Bot is particularly special for anyone with a place in their heart for PlayStation."
