Sony’s PlayStation Reveals Plans for a Family-Friendly Fall

Later this year, PlayStation will publish two games, Astro Bot and LEGO Horizon Adventures, aiming to win over younger players.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Well it's a not bad plan imo

[-Foxtrot]

"But with some major titles delayed and fewer projects in the pipeline due to a pivot to “service” games that went awry"

Awry? I would never have guessed...

[OtterX]

I do feel like not including co-op on Astrobot is a bit of a misstep though.

My 7 year old daughter has been getting more and more into co-op games with me as she's gotten old enough to actually start showing some gaming skill. She absolutely loved playing Sackboy's Adventure recently with me. I just feel like this could have been a great opportunity by Sony to capitalize on local family gaming bc that's usually a space that Nintendo dominates.

I'm still definitely picking up Astrobot though! It looks perfect otherwise. We'll still have fun passing the controller.

We'll for sure be playing Lego Horizon Adventures together! I already showed her the trailer and she got excited.

[Gamble20]

That would completely change the development of the game to incorporate. It would be fun, and would have been cool. I wouldn’t call it a misstep though.

[OtterX]

Yea, I considered that and I understand. But I believe the team is talented enough that they could have found other exciting and clever ways to incorporate co-op.

But this is the game they wanted to make and I'm still excited for it.

"Misstep" was probably not the right word. I do think Sony needs to consider more local co-op if they want to break into family gaming more.

[Jingsing]

Sony definitely need to fill a gap with the younger audience when it comes to games but they should do it in a way that makes these games appeal to adults too.

[DarXyde]

Eh, everyone's different.

The need to appeal to adults feels a bit like the Toy Story 4-ification of media. Sure, you'll get newcomers in a younger audience while speaking to the generation that grew up with a franchise (or in this case, hobby), but why? Just make it "family friendly" and don't worry about the adult appeal.

I guess it's different for everyone, but gaming and reading for me are about escapism. Retaining my sense of wonder and never growing up more than I need to. Mature humour for example can be cool if done subtly and sporadically, but not too much to beat you over the head with real life stress. There's a reason you don't do your taxes or refinance your home in video games.

Extreme example, of course. Just saying a game made for kids without relating to adults doesn't bother me at all. To each their own though, mate.

[-Foxtrot]

Yeah I mean when I was younger I played games that clearly weren’t made for a young kid…I still enjoyed them and got the hang of them.

When you are kid usually anything looks cool to play if it’s well done or presented.

I remember playing GTA Vice City when it released and I was 10.

Even Pokemon games used to be harder rather than the hand holding these days. In Ruby / Sapphire it had you trying to figure out braille

You’re better off creating games everyone can play which is what Astrobot feels they are doing.

[Cockney]

Little Big planet nailed this 1st time, the gameplay and humour in that game tickled me.
The nods to nostalgia in this game is sure to appeal to us older folk, it was the same with the astrobot pack in game, pure nostalgic bliss

[Psychonaut85]

That’s awesome man! Bringing up the next generation of gamers. I feel similarly, in my case it’s my girlfriend, but there’s not a huge variety of couch coop games anymore, especially not for younger audiences. Kinda sad.

[Einhander1972]

That's great, I hope you have fun!

Ya know, PlayStation has a feature where you can use two controllers as if they were one. While I get that it's not co-op but it makes it so you don't have to swap the controller.

https://www.playstation.com...

Maybe that would be neat for the two of you to mess around with.

[TwoPicklesGood]

Great, exactly what us PS5 gamers want! /S

[Zeke68]

Please don't speak for the rest of us....You have no clue what everyone playing on PS5 wants or not...

[purple101]

please don't assume sarcasm, you have no clue as to wether it was, or not /S -teehee

[Profchaos]

Family friendly games don't mean only for kids some people forget that astrobot is something a young kid can enjoy but it's also a fun game a lot of adults would enjoy.

It's why I still like Mario all these decades later it's a nice change of pace from games like the last of us from time to time

[Zeke68]

I'm 55 and I will play the new Astrobot day one. A great game is a great game imho.

[Zenzuu]

It's a much better plan the live service games one.

Family-Friendly doesn't just means for kids. Regardless how old we are, we all love gaming and majority has that inner child in them, so the plan still applies to us older gamer as well.