Astro Bot DLC roadmap: New VIP Bots, speedruns, more

Screenshot from the Astro Bot controller reveal video.Sony/Team Asobi

Astro Bot DLC is on the way and we’ve got the early rundown on what to expect. With speedruns returning, more VIP Bots to track down, and plenty more, there’s tons to be excited about.

Four years after Astro’s Playroom charmed PS5 owners upon release, the new PlayStation mascot has arrived in full force. Astro Bot is a certified Game of the Year contender as our own review painted it as one of Sony’s best first-party exclusives in years.

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However, the fun doesn’t stop now the game is out. Developers are still working hard to bring even more content to Astro Bot in future updates, and while it’s early days yet, we do have some initial details to run with.

So if you’re eager to keep the party going, here’s what you can expect from Astro Bot DLC in the coming months.

Astro's Ship in Astro BotTeam Asobi
A number of additional VIP Bots are on the way in future Astro Bot updates.

Upcoming Astro Bot DLC

First up, it’s worth noting future Astro Bot content is set to be free. As confirmed in an interview with Quest Daily, Game Director Nicolas Doucet assured upcoming DLC is “going to be free.”

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As for when the first batch of content is set to arrive, no clear release date was set in stone, though Doucet was confident in stating it was “going to come this year.”

Let’s take a look at some of the specifics.

Speedrun mode returns

Speedrun mode is returning in Astro Bot as part of upcoming DLC plans. This was confirmed in the Quest Daily interview as Doucet hyped up the feature’s return.

“It’s not going to be a huge amount, but it will be focusing on one of the features people enjoyed in Astro’s Playroom – that was the speedruns. 

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“There were some speedruns and the levels were quite short, but it was the fact you could replay and keep shaving time off.”

Astro's Playroom speedrunsTeam Asobi
Speedruns were added soon after Astro’s Playroom launched, and now they’re coming to Astro Bot as well.

So fans can expect to see similar in Astro Bot later this year. There’s no quite telling how many speedrun levels we might see, but each stage is sure to come with its own leaderboards much like they did in Astro’s Playroom. 

VIP Bots on the way

Alongside the speedrun mode, Doucet also teased more Bots to rescue once the DLC begins rolling out. Exactly where these VIP Bots may appear, or how many of them are scattered across the galaxy again, all remains unclear for now.

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What we do know is these VIP bots cover a number of iconic characters “we didn’t include yet.”

Eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot a few possibilities in the game’s credits. The likes of Ubisoft were thanked as credits rolled, notably for their inclusion of Assassin’s Creed, Beyond Good & Evil, along with Rayman. As it stands, no Bots from those series are in the game, so there’s every chance they serve as some VIPs in the DLC.

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Furthermore, Rise of the Ronin and Stellar Blade were also mentioned, as a few more recent games, along with Croc and Worms for two classics.

Eve, Adam and Lily standing next to one anotherSHIFT UP
Stellar Blade could be coming to Astro Bot with some new VIPs to rescue.

This could spoil the surprise of all future Bots arriving as part of the future update, but there’s always a chance a few extra secrets make the cut.

For now, that’s everything we know about DLC plans for Astro Bot. If the game sells beyond expectations, however, there’s always a chance fans get a little more love down the line. We’ll just have to see what Team ASOBI has in store for Astro Bot’s next adventure.

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