To celebrate the launch of ASTRO BOT, we recently had the chance to chat with Team ASOBI Studio Director, Nicolas “Nico” Doucet, and Sony Interactive Entertainment’s CEO of the Studio Business Group, Hermen Hulst, to talk all things Astro and what it takes to create and deliver an instant classic title for PlayStation Studios. Below is an abridged transcript of our conversation with Hermen and Nicolas.

Nico, How are you and the studio marking its launch? Any specific celebrations planned?

Nicolas Doucet [ND]: We are going to have a party in the studio. We invited a lot of people, not only the dev team, but also a lot of people that have helped get the game together. So we’re looking forward to a really nice party.

Hermen, you’re no stranger to game launches. How different are your game launch celebrations?

Hermen Hulst [HH]: Game launches are massively important and they’re different for every team. In my new role as a CEO of the Studio Business Group at SIE, I look a little bit more at the business aspect of a launch. Astro is a massive game for PlayStation and has a particular interest to me. I am just as close to the studios as I’ve always been and Nico has kindly invited me to meet so many of his team members. We’ve played together and we’ve talked about the game and so I’m very close to it and I couldn’t be more excited.

What do you each want players to take away from Astro Bot?

ND: When we embarked on making Astro, it was about the continuation of Astro’s Playroom, going to the big stage and elevating Astro to becoming a character we could be proudly presenting next to the amazing franchises from PlayStation Studios.

So when I hear your question, my thought is that I really want to have as many people as possible enjoy the title, whether they are existing gamers or first time gamers. There’s going to be kids who have this game and that’s the first game they ever play. And to be able to really put a smile on people’s faces…I think that’s really the greater goal that we have with Astro Bot.

HH: That’s exactly it, Nico.You’ve made a game that puts a smile on your face. I’ve had the privilege to play it with you in Tokyo and I’ve had the privilege of playing it here at home for a bit. And let me tell you, it is very easy to pick up and it’s just impossible to put down. It is so much fun. I want people to know that.

Hermen, given the outpouring of enthusiasm around the title and the character, are you considering putting more resources behind the development of more family-friendly titles?

HH: I think it’s massively important that PlayStation Studios develops games in various genres and the family market is really important for us to focus on.

At the beginning of the project we talked a little bit about platforms. So many great ones have come out of Japan…[Team ASOBI’s] delivering a massive game that plays like some of the best in that genre. And again, it is so accessible that the audience for that will range from new players to young players, but also, players of my age that keep enjoying challenges.

How important is Astro to the overall PlayStation Studios’ portfolio?

HH: Astro Bot is very important to PlayStation. Obviously, we had [Astro’s Playroom] pre-installed with PlayStation 5 that millions of people have embraced and loved. It’s remarkable that a relatively small team…is able to deliver a game that is so big and it’s really become a great game in itself, but it’s kind of become a celebration of everything PlayStation…It’s kind of and an easter egg fiesta and it’s becoming synonymous with our innovation and our legacy in single player gaming that we have at PlayStation Studios.

How have you seen Team ASOBI change in that time, and Hermen, how have you seen PlayStation change?

ND: For us, these last five years, particularly the last four years making Astro’s world, has been the moment we really took flight. From being a small team to really being a full studio. On the back of Astro’s Playroom, we were a team of about 30 people. Today we’ve doubled that while also being very careful about everybody that we brought onto the team. For us, it’s really important that every individual coming into the team is really bringing something special and unique. But still following the fundamentals of what a small, flexible and agile team can do. I’d like to think that even if we got up to 100 people, we would still be able to maintain that.

HH: PlayStation has a bigger community than it’s ever had and I think our portfolio of great games is more diverse now. But with the launch of Astro, I think what we’re doing is celebrating what PlayStation has made great over the years…it’s a celebration of joy and of collaboration. It’s been heartwarming for me to see how Nico and his team have worked together with some of the best IP creators in the industry, many of which work at PlayStation Studios to bring to life a game that is so fun and brings a smile to people’s faces that makes this launch so wonderful.

For more details into the origin of ASTRO BOT, which PlayStation IP joins Astro on his adventure, and to hear more about the key game development pillars from Team ASOBI, listen to the full PlayStation Podcast here.