Fans of Astro Bot are well-acquainted with the game's iconic sponge power-up, but did you know that developer Team Asobi also experimented with even more whimsical concepts, such as a coffee grinder and a roulette wheel? These intriguing details came to light during IGN's coverage of GDC 2025, where Team Asobi's studio director, Nicolas Doucet, delivered a fascinating talk titled "The Making of 'ASTRO BOT'". In his presentation, Doucet delved deep into the creative journey of crafting the PlayStation mascot platformer, showcasing a variety of early prototypes and content that didn't make the final cut.
Doucet opened his talk by discussing the initial pitch for Astro Bot, which was drafted in May 2021, just months after Team Asobi started its prototyping phase. He revealed that the pitch underwent 23 revisions before being presented to senior management. The pitch was uniquely presented as an adorable comic strip, effectively highlighting the game's core concepts and activities. This approach evidently resonated well with the decision-makers.
Moving on, Doucet explained how the team brainstormed ideas. The process involved forming small, cross-disciplinary groups of 5-6 people who would then jot down their ideas on sticky notes, resulting in a visually striking brainstorming board. However, not all ideas progressed to the prototyping stage; only about 10% were developed further. Doucet emphasized the significance of prototyping, encouraging everyone, even those outside the game design department, to bring their ideas to life. For instance, audio designers created a theater within Astro Bot to experiment with haptic controller vibrations tied to various sound effects, like the different sounds of doors opening and closing.
Prototyping played a crucial role in the development of Astro Bot. Doucet shared that a dedicated team of programmers focused on prototyping non-platforming elements, which led to the creation of the sponge mechanic. This feature, where players could squeeze the sponge using the adaptive trigger, proved fun and was ultimately incorporated into the game.
Doucet showcased an image featuring various prototypes, including those that made it into the game, like the balloon and sponge, as well as those that didn't, such as a tennis game, a wind-up toy, a roulette wheel, and a coffee grinder.
Doucet also touched on the level design process, emphasizing the goal of ensuring each level offered unique gameplay experiences. While reusing power-ups across levels was not prohibited, the team aimed to vary their application to maintain a fresh feel. For example, a cut level themed around bird flights was discarded due to its similarities with the "Go-Go Archipelago" level and another level in Astro's Playroom.
"In the end, it was decided that the overlap was not healthy enough to create variety, and we just cut this level entirely," Doucet explained. "We'll never know if that level would have been popular. But in hindsight, I think it's a good thing that we got to spend that time elsewhere."
In the final segment of his talk, Doucet discussed the game's concluding scene, which contains **spoilers for those who haven't completed Astro Bot**. In the original version, players were presented with a completely dismembered Astro, consisting only of a torso, which caused some distress among testers. The team opted for a less fragmented version of Astro for the final release.
Doucet's presentation provided a wealth of insights into the development of Astro Bot. In previous discussions with IGN, Doucet has shared details about the game's creation process. Astro Bot received a 9/10 in our review, where we described 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."
