Astro Bot Studio Head Tells Developers That It’s Okay to Make Small Games

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Team Asobi has been enjoying a good deal of success due to their latest platformer, “Astro Bot.” At the Game Developer’s Conference 2025, the studio’s leader, Nicolas Doucet, discussed how the relatively smaller size of “Astro Bot” compared to many AAA games actually helped the game, and why more studios should feel comfortable working on scaled-down projects.

In his GDC presentation, Doucet discussed how modern gamers often have a collection of unfinished games due to the surge in digital distribution over the past decade and frequent discounts provided by platforms like Steam or Humble Bundle. As a result, players accumulate multiple games without rushing to complete them, making it challenging for larger games to gain traction. On the other hand, smaller games might have a greater chance of grabbing the audience’s attention.

As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate Doucet’s perspective on the advantages of developing smaller games. For creators like me, smaller projects mean tighter control over the creative process – from concept to completion. This not only makes game development more manageable, but it also ensures that the final product is polished and cohesive. In essence, crafting compact games benefits both gamers and developers alike by delivering high-quality experiences in a more streamlined fashion.

Doucet expressed that right from the beginning, they had an approach that it’s acceptable to create a concise game, even a relatively small one. For us, this implies we have the ability to manage every aspect of the project thoroughly, speaking from a development perspective. But it’s not just about us; for players, who often have a pile of unfinished games, the idea of a game that can be completed is a very convincing argument.

To give credit where it’s due, Astro Bot is a game that is remarkably dense with content, and most players should expect to complete it within the range of 12 to 15 hours. Doucet mentioned the possibility of extending playtime through optional features, but for Team Asobi, this wasn’t a main focus.

In a July 2024 interview, Doucet stated, “This game involves gathering numerous characters, but it’s not primarily about that. We never emphasized that it must be 20 to 30 hours of playtime. Instead, we aim to create a game with consistent pace and each level of equal quality, avoiding stretches that might seem excessively long.

As a die-hard gaming enthusiast, let me share my excitement over Astro Bot’s triumphant debut on the PS5 in September! This captivating platformer has truly made waves, garnering both critical acclaim and impressive sales numbers. With over 1.5 million copies sold within mere months of its release, it’s no wonder that even Sony president Hiroki Totoki expressed his desire to roll out more family-friendly games like this one!

Besides examining our own assessment (available for review here), one indication of the high acclaim that “Astro Bot” received from critics is evident in its standing as the highest-rated game on Metacritic in the year 2024.

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2025-03-21 15:11