Astro Bot Director Advocates For Making Small Video games, Arguing Quality Over Quantity

The developer behind Astro Bot has a handbook for all new staff that incorporates the next phrase: “We purpose for high quality, not amount.” Staff Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet confirmed off this slogan at a Recreation Builders Convention session final week, the place he argued, “It is okay to make a small sport.”

GameDeveloper reviews that Doucet shared how this method helped Staff Asobi thrive with Astro Bot, certainly one of GameSpot’s 10 finest video games of 2024. Moreover, the 3D platformer has racked up nominations and awards at GDC and the DICE Awards. “The prospect of a sport you may truly full is a very, actually constructive argument [for small games],” Doucet mentioned. “That meant being okay with the sport being 12 hours, but when it had been eight hours–and the eight hours had been fantastic–we would have settled for that to succeed in constant high quality.”

Following a “much less is extra” method helped Staff Asobi preserve Astro Bot from ballooning in all types of how. For occasion, Doucet reportedly informed viewers members that the sport’s narrative has fewer than 5,000 phrases and cinematics high out at roughly 12-and-a-half minutes. This implies gamers are in management over 98% of the time in Astro Bot.

Making smaller video games might additionally assist rein in budgets for builders. Earlier this yr, Naughty Canine co-founder Andy Gavin said that as we speak’s big-budget video games can value $300-$500 million. This has led to folks like former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden saying AAA sport growth is unsustainable.

Final month, Astro Bot obtained PS5 Professional assist and 5 new ranges which have rolled out weekly by this month, ending with Armored Hardcore on March 13. For extra, try GameSpot’s Astro Bot evaluation.