Rumor: One of PS5's Highest-Rated Exclusives Could Be Getting a Sequel

gamerant.com:

According to a new rumor, there's a chance that a new game in the Astro franchise could be releasing for PlayStation 5 at some point later this year. The Astro series started life as The Playroom on PS4, with the game designed as a tech demo to show off the capabilities of the DualShock 4 controller and the PlayStation Camera accessory. It was followed up by The Playroom VR, which filled a similar niche, but for Sony's original PlayStation VR headset.

The cute robots featured in these games were then given a starring role in Astro Bot Rescue Mission, a PlayStation VR-exclusive 3D platformer that released to widespread critical acclaim in 2018. That game was followed up by the PS5 pack-in title Astro's Playroom, which served as a love letter to PlayStation's history and also did a great job of showcasing the capabilities of the DualSense controller.

Astro's Playroom is one of the highest-rated PS5 exclusive games, with an impressive 84 overall rating. And now it seems that even more Astro could be on the way. Insider Jeff Grubb said, «I've heard maybe Astro does happen this year.» Considering the high-quality of the previous Astro games, it will be exciting to see what the next game in the series has in store. However, it's unclear what shape such a project might take.

With Astro's Playroom enjoying such a positive response, it's possible that the next Astro game expands on those concepts and delivers a bigger, traditional 3D platforming adventure. On the other hand, it's also possible that a new Astro game will instead serve as a direct follow-up to Astro Bot Rescue Mission and leverage the capabilities of Sony's PlayStation VR2 headset. Fans should keep in mind that Astro series developer Team Asobi has yet to announce its next project, so it's really all just speculation at this point.

If a new Astro game does drop in 2024, it could help fill the gap left by the lack of major first-party PlayStation games this year. Sony has said that there are no first-party