As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that the rise of Astro Bot feels like a nostalgic echo of LittleBigPlanet’s glory days. Both series, though distinct in their own right, share a similar charm and family-friendly vibe that harks back to the golden age of PlayStation platformers.
Astro Bot, from PlayStation, carries on the tradition established by Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Astro’s Playroom. These titles, despite being warmly received, were seen more as tech demos and heartfelt tributes to PlayStation’s past than fully-fledged games. However, with Astro Bot evolving into a full-blown franchise, it appears that its gameplay is beginning to resemble another exclusive series from the PlayStation family.
The game series known as “LittleBigPlanet” was created by Media Molecule, a studio that later gained fame for “Dreams,” an open-source game engine on PlayStation. During the PS3 era, “LittleBigPlanet” stood out as Sony’s top platformer, carving a niche in a genre usually dominated by Nintendo, with games like “Mario” and “Donkey Kong” ensuring their continued success. The character “Sackboy: A Big Adventure,” released alongside the PS5, shifted the franchise slightly, although it still bore the influence of classic platformers such as “Super Mario 3D World.” For now, it seems that the “LBP” series has come to a halt, but with “Astro Bot” gaining popularity, there’s a chance it could become Sony’s primary platformer.
Astro Bot and LittleBigPlanet Are Cut from the Same Cloth
Family-Friendly Platformers Are Rare On PlayStation
On PlayStation, there are plenty of games suitable for kids, with classics such as Crash Bandicoot often brought up when talking about this topic. However, it’s uncommon to find more than one high-budget, exclusive platforming game on the console at a time. This is due to several factors, but the most evident is that Sony might not be keen on pouring too much capital into the genre since other types of games, such as live-service and open-world action titles, generally bring in more profits.
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but notice another potential reason behind the decision – brand unification. In the past, PlayStation has been known to introduce its mascots from the realm of platforming, with iconic characters like these gracing our screens: [mention notable examples]
- Crash Bandicoot
- Spyro
- Sack Boy
While there are other PlayStation characters like Nathan Drake and Kratos, those from more family-friendly games might be more appealing for marketing purposes because they’re not controversial and can easily adapt to various scenarios. For instance, Sackboy and Astro Bot don’t carry the same negative connotations as Joel from The Last of Us. This versatility makes them great representatives of the brand, able to appeal to all ages and be used in numerous games. From a business standpoint, having a mascot that fits multiple criteria is advantageous. Essentially, Sackboy and Astro Bot fit many of these criteria.
It’s noteworthy that LittleBigPlanet provides numerous PlayStation-themed elements through its cosmetic items and more, similar to Astro Bot, but with a more pronounced emphasis.
Why Astro Bot Could Be Replacing LittleBigPlanet
For a while now, LittleBigPlanet has been Sony’s go-to platformer series catering to families. It’ll be intriguing to observe if it can share space with Astro Bot moving forward, as Media Molecule is currently working on an unannounced project. Since handing over the reins for the Sackboy spin-off game and leaving LittleBigPlanet in the shadows for quite some time, it appears that the developer might be shifting focus. While Sackboy: A Big Adventure has its dedicated fanbase, no follow-up game has been confirmed since its launch four years ago, which could potentially signal the end of the LittleBigPlanet universe, at least temporarily.
Sony has the potential to maintain several exclusive platforming series at the same time, similar to what Nintendo has been doing for some time. However, given Nintendo’s brand focus on such games and Sony’s preference for catering to an older demographic with titles like God of War and The Last of Us, it might not be common. As exclusive, high-cost games become increasingly risky financially, it seems that diversifying across genres will be crucial for the company’s business plan. If there’s a single spot for a 3D platforming franchise on PlayStation, Astro Bot could potentially fill it.
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2024-09-06 23:33