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[remember_spinal]

Thought this was interesting but Team Asobi is stating once again that they aren’t just going to be making platformers in a new interview with a French media outlet

https://www.cnc.fr/jeu-video/actual...s-nicolas-doucet-au-sein-du-jeu-video_1783176

In the near future, we have in mind to diversify a bit, because in the field of games for all ages, there are many things to explore. For the moment, we are 60 people in the studio and we are aiming for 100 as soon as possible. People from all walks of life are joining us. From video games of course, but also from American animation: DreamWorks, Pixar... I'm not allowed to tell you what we're working on right now, but the future of Team Asobi is being written!"

Seems like they have a lot in the works with some really good talent.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Another PlayStation studio expanding fast.
Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion but Astrobot is still one of the best experiences I had on PS5 and I can't wait what they do next

 

[Kuranghi]

Another PlayStation studio expanding fast.
Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion but Astrobot is still one of the best experiences I had on PS5 and I can't wait what they do next

Agreed mate, obviously though someone will be along soon to laugh at you and/or call you a piece of shit for having this opinion.

I honestly thought I had played for like 8-10 hours but it was only like 4.5 hours according to the time counter thingie. Even though the ball part was the weakest imo it still had great haptic effects and was relatively fun, the monkey was my favourite and the rocket a close second. I had so much fun finding all the museum objects and finding the secret references and then the reward for getting all of that was superb, you 100%'d it right?

 

[remember_spinal]

Another PlayStation studio expanding fast.
Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion but Astrobot is still one of the best experiences I had on PS5 and I can't wait what they do next

I can’t wait to see what Team Asobi does with a bigger team and more money, they are what I feel Media Molecule used to be.

 

[Fbh]

Nice.
I hope they get to make a proper big title for Ps5 and not just VR games.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I can’t wait to see what Team Asobi does with a bigger team and more money, they are what I feel Media Molecule used to be.

Yeah they are Sony’s Nintendo

Need to expand this team big time as their central Japanese studios. Their lead guy really understands all the special details required to make magical and charming games

Curious what else they could work on other than platformers

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Thanks I was worried. Not able to sleep well.

 

[Magic Carpet]

But they are making Platformers still right? I hope so, cause those Astrobot games are a total Joy.

 

[Labadal]

I do hope they at least make one platformer. Astrobot was a fun distraction.

 

[ANIMAL1975]

Wonderful! And we need other studios like Asobi, Housemarque, the former Team Ico,... bring back the old days with lots of different things to play in ps exclusives.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

They should make the next Ratchet and Clank game next. It would be really interesting to see them spend 4+ years on a title that will sell <2 million copies.

Platformers are cooked. Glad they know it.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Good news, Astrobot was kind of neat so I’m intrigued to see what they do next.

I do think people went a little gaga over Astrobot though; neat haptics and cute Easter eggs aside, it was a fairly unremarkable platform game.

Neat little pack in, not GOTY contender.

*shrugs*

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Good news, Astrobot was kind of neat so I’m intrigued to see what they do next.

I do think people went a little gaga over Astrobot though; neat haptics and cute Easter eggs aside, it was a fairly unremarkable platform game.

Neat little pack in, not GOTY contender.

*shrugs*

So wrong.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Agreed mate, obviously though someone will be along soon to laugh at you and/or call you a piece of shit for having this opinion.

I honestly thought I had played for like 8-10 hours but it was only like 4.5 hours according to the time counter thingie. Even though the ball part was the weakest imo it still had great haptic effects and was relatively fun, the monkey was my favourite and the rocket a close second. I had so much fun finding all the museum objects and finding the secret references and then the reward for getting all of that was superb, you 100%'d it right?

What do you get if you 100% it?

I’m never going to do that, but I am curious!

 

[nial]

Curious what else they could work on other than platformers

Some little RPGs? That would be pretty nice.

 

[Markio128]

I can’t wait to see what they are working on. TA are definitely one of the more creative Sony devs.

 

[bitbydeath]

I do hope they at least make one platformer. Astrobot was a fun distraction.

Probably have one coming out next year to go along with PSVR2.

 

[remember_spinal]

Yeah they are Sony’s Nintendo

Need to expand this team big time as their central Japanese studios. Their lead guy really understands all the special details required to make magical and charming games

Curious what else they could work on other than platformers

Rpg, kart racer, maybe something in the realm of splatoon or animal crossing

 

[Kuranghi]

What do you get if you 100% it?

I’m never going to do that, but I am curious!

Reading up on it... I think I'm being a dumb ass lol, its the T-Rex thing I was thinking of, I thought you needed 100% to do that part I presume you saw that?

The 100% reward is just the PS5 models.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Reading up on it... I think I'm being a dumb ass lol, its the T-Rex thing I was thinking of, I thought you needed 100% to do that part I presume you saw that?

The 100% reward is just the PS5 models.

Oh yeah, that was cool! The Easter eggs were the best part of the game.

 

[Three]

Nice.
I hope they get to make a proper big title for Ps5 and not just VR games.

They have mentioned experimenting for new hardware so very likely VR support but who knows it might be a hybrid game.

 

[crackajack]

60 people is really not much. Quick google search tells me Sony Japan had once 200. If they want to do more games, maybe even simultaneous, they definitely have to grow much bigger. But please don't become again Sony Japan, where supposedly tons of prototypes were in the works but not much got finished.

 

[GymWolf]

Hopefully they can make something i give a fuck about instead of platforms and tech demos.

 

[John Wick]

60 people is really not much. Quick google search tells me Sony Japan had once 200. If they want to do more games, maybe even simultaneous, they definitely have to grow much bigger. But please don't become again Sony Japan, where supposedly tons of prototypes were in the works but not much got finished.

Yeah that number is pathetic. You need at least 200 for a decent AAA 4 year turnaround. Absolutely shite decisions by good old Jimbo.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Its still a small team that can do one game at a time. Sony needs to invest more in them and xdev

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Yeah that number is pathetic. You need at least 200 for a decent AAA 4 year turnaround. Absolutely shite decisions by good old Jimbo.

Sony Japan had 200 people and weren't doing anything.
Numbers only mean so much when a studio doesn't work.

Team Asobi is hiring...Jimbo can only do so much

 

[John Wick]

Sony Japan had 200 people and weren't doing anything.
Numbers only mean so much when a studio doesn't work.

Team Asobi is hiring...Jimbo can only do so much

Jimbo is clueless. They should have bought From and merged it with Sony Japan. His defocus from Japan is the reason why Sony Japan was completely lost.
As usual Jimbo only reacts to what others are doing. Sony have missed out on some great developers because of this clueless twat.

 

[AV]

Jimbo is clueless. They should have bought From and merged it with Sony Japan. His defocus from Japan is the reason why Sony Japan was completely lost.
As usual Jimbo only reacts to what others are doing. Sony have missed out on some great developers because of this clueless twat.

They bought 14% of From and From will use that cash injection to expand, develop new IPs, and you bet your ass there'll be yet another Sony exclusive from them on the way.

These are very measured decisions. Not everything needs to be a complete takeover and merger.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Jimbo is clueless. They should have bought From and merged it with Sony Japan. His defocus from Japan is the reason why Sony Japan was completely lost.
As usual Jimbo only reacts to what others are doing. Sony have missed out on some great developers because of this clueless twat.

Dude....Jim Ryan wasn't CEO with the PS3 or PS4 gen. This problem didn't start in 2019, lmao.

 

[yurinka]

I can’t wait to see what Team Asobi does with a bigger team and more money, they are what I feel Media Molecule used to be.

To name a few, Team Asobi staff did work on The Last Guardian, Puppeteer, and the Gravity Rush or Knack games.

Jimbo is clueless.

Jimbo is the most successful CEO of a console maker in gaming history.

They should have bought From and merged it with Sony Japan.

It's Kadokawa who decides if they sell or not and to who they sell.

His defocus from Japan is the reason why Sony Japan was completely lost.

They are are making more money than any console maker in gaming history, PS4 and PS5 have record engagement levels for the point of their lifetime and Sony is selling more games for their consoles than any console maker in gaming history. They aren't lost at all.

As usual Jimbo only reacts to what others are doing. Sony have missed out on some great developers because of this clueless twat.

What Japanese development companies stopped releasing games for PS since Jimbo started? Because I see all of them continuing there and releasing a good amount of PS exclusives every year.

60 people is really not much. Quick google search tells me Sony Japan had once 200.

After decades and dozens of games without getting a single sales hit, they did change their management, fired some people and did split them into two different studios:

The internal development part merged into Team Asobi, the 2nd party publishing part branched off to a new Japanese XDEV studio that now is part of the global XDEV team (which also handles stuff like certification, localization, PR, social media, etc) instead to reporting to a local gamedev studio (same as they did years before in EU and USA) to be in charge of their Asian 2nd party games.

So a good chunk of that missing people are in the other studio.

 

[Wandering Leopard]

Either Asobi or Asobo need to change their name.

 

[Physiognomonics]

I hope they'll try to do Sony's Animal crossing. Please just no "story driven", "cinematic experience" or shooting game anymore as we have enough of those.

 

[Daneel Elijah]

Jimbo is clueless. They should have bought From and merged it with Sony Japan. His defocus from Japan is the reason why Sony Japan was completely lost.
As usual Jimbo only reacts to what others are doing. Sony have missed out on some great developers because of this clueless twat.

From Software is owned by Kadokawa Corporation since 2014. But yes I would love to see them give us playstation exclusives like Bloodborne and Déraciné.

 

[fart town usa]

I do hope they at least make one platformer. Astrobot was a fun distraction.

Rescue Mission on PSVR.

It's a shame that game is locked to VR but it's also the best way to experience it. Playroom is great but man, Rescue Mission is straight up phenomenal. It's crazy too cause the platforming isn't anything special, but it's charming beyond belief and just damn fun across the board. It's the game I have people play when they want to try VR, it's just instant smiles.

 

[nial]

I hope they'll try to do Sony's Animal crossing

I can see this happening, something like the Doko Demo games.

 

[radewagon]

At this point, I think Pixar and Disney have more to gain from landing employees from Team Asobi than the other way around.

 

[AV]

Jimbo is clueless. They should have bought From and merged it with Sony Japan. His defocus from Japan is the reason why Sony Japan was completely lost.
As usual Jimbo only reacts to what others are doing. Sony have missed out on some great developers because of this clueless twat.

This didn't age very well did it?

 

[[Sigma]]

 

[Kazdi]

Cant wait to see what are they cooking for PSVR2. Astrobot rescue mission wasnt called mario 64 of VR for nothing. That pre installed Astrobot game on PS5 could be converted to VR also.

 

[John Wick]

This didn't age very well did it?

Really? Which of those was made in house by Sony? Japanese 3rd party haven't disappeared overnight has it? Also I doubt it's Jimbo making these deals as he's too stupid

 

[AV]

Really? Which of those was made in house by Sony?

What does that matter? They put out a showcase with two games from Bandai Namco, one from Ryu Ga Gotoku and one from Team Ninja. Not exactly a "defocus from Japan".

If Jim wasn't the one greenlighting these projects then he also can't be held accountable for this "defocus" that started before his tenure. If anything he seems to be REfocusing efforts.

Couldn't care less about a CEO but there's some weird hateboners on here for the guy.

 

[DeepEnigma]

What does that matter? They put out a showcase with two games from Bandai Namco, one from Ryu Ga Gotoku and one from Team Ninja. Not exactly a "defocus from Japan".

If Jim wasn't the one greenlighting these projects then he also can't be held accountable for this "defocus" that started before his tenure. If anything he seems to be REfocusing efforts.

Couldn't care less about a CEO but there's some weird hateboners on here for the guy.

He needs to be more of a smooth talker and wear gaming t-shirts.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

2016 - PSVR Launches with Playroom
2018 - AstroBot Rescue Mission Launches
2020 - Astro's Playroom Launches with PS5
2023 - ???????

They are due for a game to release in 2023. I am guessing it's a PSVR2 supported title (unsure if it's exclusive or not). I hate not knowing about what Sony has in the works for 2023 and beyond.

 

[Hobbygaming]

Wonderful! And we need other studios like Asobi, Housemarque, the former Team Ico,... bring back the old days with lots of different things to play in ps exclusives.

Don't forget Pixelopus and Media Molecule

 

[Flutta]

Another PlayStation studio expanding fast.
Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion but Astrobot is still one of the best experiences I had on PS5 and I can't wait what they do next

How can Astro butt be the best experience you’ve had on PS5? What are you twelve?

Glad for Asobi. Hope it’s a fleshed out AA/AAA game.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I hope they'll try to do Sony's Animal crossing. Please just no "story driven", "cinematic experience" or shooting game anymore as we have enough of those.

This actually makes a ton of sense for Asobi, especially if it comes to PC as well. Might even be an option for Sony for GaaS.

 

[March Climber]

Even if they don't end up having a long life span as a studio, I hope they create enough fun and unique video games in different genres to bring a lot of joy to Sony fans, like what Smilebit did for Sega and Original Xbox before their studio closed down.

 

[remember_spinal]

Even if they don't end up having a long life span as a studio, I hope they create enough fun and unique video games in different genres to bring a lot of joy to Sony fans, like what Smilebit did for Sega and Original Xbox before their studio closed down.

If anything i think they will be one of the longest lasting small studios along with haven and media molecule. They fulfill a niche that other sony studios don’t and Hermen Hulst has been on record saying their goal with the first party studios is to increase diversity of games.

Team Asobi stressed the fact that they have a third of the studio dedicated to R&D and doing new experimental stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised if Media Molecule and Pixelopus are the same even though we haven’t heard much from the latter in a few years.

 

[midnightAI]

Astro butt

What are you twelve?

Hmmmmm......

(on topic, Astrobot oozes charm, something most games fail to replicate)

 

[Mibu no ookami]

If anything i think they will be one of the longest lasting small studios along with haven and media molecule. They fulfill a niche that other sony studios don’t and Hermen Hulst has been on record saying their goal with the first party studios is to increase diversity of games.

Team Asobi stressed the fact that they have a third of the studio dedicated to R&D and doing new experimental stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised if Media Molecule and Pixelopus are the same even though we haven’t heard much from the latter in a few years.

I've talked a lot about Media Molecule and where the studio could go next.

I think they're hampered by their size. They're a really small studio. Obviously, Dreams is extremely well received and with Sony's new multiplatform push it makes even more sense for Dreams to come to PC and maybe PSVR. Hell it should come to the switch and mobile as well. But Media Molecule can't do all of that.

Most of their games have been co-developed with other studios and they've never done their own multiplatform release.

There were 5 years in between the release of Tearaway and Dreams. If they decided to create Dreams on PC sometime in 2020 or 2021, I'd expect at the earliest we'd see it would be 2023 or 2024.

First, you have to have an internal discussion and decision to release on PC. Then you have to find a partner studio to make it. Then you actually have to make it. Meanwhile, they're still focused on improvements to the PS4 game. It's a tough one for a studio that size.