By Sagar V. Mankar Sony’s charming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Astro Bot, has achieved an impressive milestone by selling 1.5 million copies in less than two months since its launch. The announcement came as part of Sony’s latest financial results, highlighting the game’s success since its release on September 6.
This delightful platformer, crafted by Sony’s in-house studio Team Asobi, builds upon the success of its predecessor, Astro’s Playroom, which was released in 2020. The latest installment has not only won over critics but has also captured the hearts of players worldwide. At Metacritic, it boasts a strong critic score of 94 and a user score of 9.3, with both particularly praising its appeal to PlayStation enthusiasts. Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai also praises the game for its short and satisfying gameplay.
While these numbers might seem modest compared to some blockbuster titles – like Helldivers 2’s record-breaking 12 million copies in 12 weeks – Astro Bot’s performance is actually quite remarkable for a family-friendly platform game.
In European markets, the game’s launch significantly outperformed other notable releases in the genre. Compared to Sonic Frontiers (2022), Astro Bot’s initial sales were 34% higher, and it exceeded Crash Bandicoot 4’s (2020) launch figures by an impressive 52%, as per Circana reports.
To put these achievements in perspective, consider Sega’s recent release, Sonic x Shadow Generations, which reached one million sales on its launch day. However, it’s worth noting that Sonic’s latest adventure was available across multiple gaming platforms, while Astro Bot remains exclusive to the PlayStation 5, making its sales figures even more noteworthy.
Team Asobi hasn’t been resting on their laurels since the game’s launch. They’ve consistently enhanced the player experience through various updates, introducing exciting speedrun challenges and expanding the game’s collection of rescuable cameo characters. At launch, players could discover 173 different bot cameos representing characters from PlayStation’s rich gaming history. However, observant fans have noted one particular absence from this impressive roster – Cloud from Final Fantasy 7.
As for the future of PlayStation Studios, Sony has announced plans to release a major single-player title every year, beginning with Ghost of Yotei, the eagerly awaited sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, slated for 2025.