Astro Bot: Cut Content Revealed - Bird Flight Level and Headless Astro

Fans of *Astro Bot* are familiar with the iconic sponge power-up, but did you know that developer Team Asobi explored even more unconventional ideas? At GDC 2025, IGN attended a talk by Team Asobi's studio director, Nicolas Doucet, titled "The Making of 'ASTRO BOT'". During this insightful session, Doucet delved into the creation process of the PlayStation mascot platformer, showcasing a range of early prototypes and cut content that didn't make the final cut.

Doucet began by discussing the initial pitch for *Astro Bot*, which was drafted in May 2021, shortly after Team Asobi started prototyping. He revealed that there were 23 revisions to the pitch before it was presented to top management. The pitch was presented in an adorable comic strip format, illustrating the game's main pillars and activities, which ultimately proved to be successful.

Next, Doucet explained how the team generated ideas through extensive brainstorming sessions. Team Asobi formed small groups of 5-6 people, mixing individuals from different disciplines. Each member contributed ideas on sticky notes, resulting in a visually impressive brainstorming board.

Not all ideas progressed to prototyping, with only about 10% making it through, according to Doucet. However, this still led to extensive prototyping. He emphasized the importance of prototyping across all departments, including an example where audio designers prototyped haptic controller vibrations within a theater inside Astro Bot, corresponding to different sound effects like door openings and closings.

Doucet highlighted the significance of prototyping by mentioning that some programmers were dedicated to experimenting with non-platforming elements. This approach led to the creation of the sponge mechanic, which utilized the adaptive trigger and was eventually integrated into the game.

Doucet shared an image showcasing numerous prototypes, some of which were not included in the final game. These ranged from a balloon and sponge (which were used) to intriguing ideas like a tennis game, a walking wind-up toy, a roulette wheel, and a coffee grinder.

He also discussed how levels were selected and designed around specific mechanics, ensuring that each level offered unique gameplay and avoided repetition. Doucet provided examples of cut levels, such as one themed around bird flights that was deemed too similar to existing levels using the monkey power-up.

In the closing segment of his talk, Doucet discussed the game's final scene, offering **Spoilers** for those who haven't completed *Astro Bot*. Originally, players were to reassemble a completely dismembered Astro, but feedback led to a less distressing version in the final game.

Doucet's presentation offered a wealth of insights into the development of *Astro Bot*. IGN has previously interviewed Doucet about the game's creation, and our review awarded *Astro Bot* a 9/10, praising it as "A fantastically inventive platformer in its own right, Astro Bot is particularly special for anyone with a place in their heart for PlayStation."