Don’t delete Astro Bot from PS5 before DLC

As great as Astro Bot is, we can all agree that it’s on the short side. While it works to the game’s benefit in terms of pacing and keeping everything fun and fresh the entire way through, it also leaves us wanting more. Even if you go for the Platinum Trophy by collecting every bot, you would be hard-pressed to spend much more than ten hours total with the game. Once you’re done, you could be tempted to delete it off your PS5 to make room for whatever the next game is you’re eager to play. However, Team Asobi has just given you the perfect excuse to keep the game on your homescreen for a while longer.

Announced at the September State of Play, Astro Bot is already getting some DLC to give you even more to do in its charming little universe. DLC was already expected, especially after we saw how much content Astro’s Playroom got in the lead-up to Astro Bot’s launch, but we didn’t know what it would look like or when to expect it. Thankfully, you won’t have to wait long, so let’s go over all the details revealed about this upcoming DLC.

The Speedrun and Special Bots Add-On DLC is on the way

A fantastic way to open a showcase

PlayStation decided to hit us with one of the best announcements right off the bat during the State of Play. Hot off the heels of Astro Bot’s amazing critical reception, these little bots opened the show with a trailer showcasing its first DLC. While brief, it was more than enough to convince me to keep the game installed on my PS5 until I get my hands on it. Here’s a quick rundown of everything the trailer revealed will be included in this DLC:

• 5 new speedrun challenge levels
• Online leaderboards
• 10 new VIP bots to rescue

Speedrun levels will be brand-new stages, not simply time trials added to existing ones, and apparently feature a “cheeky bird” you will race against to the finish. These, plus the leaderboard feature, will add some much-needed replay-ability and friendly competition to the game. Astro Bot already had a ton of focused, single-life stages meant to be beaten in a single run but lacked any way to show off and compete with your friends for the fastest times.

The most exciting part of the DLC will be the 10 new VIP bots themed around characters from other game franchises. The trailer only spoiled two of them: a Helldiver from Helldivers 2, and Eve from Stellar Blade. Unless there are multiple Helldivers in the same vein we had several Hellgast, that leaves eight more bots to discover.

The DLC is coming soon, and for the perfect price

The reason I urge you not to delete Astro Bot isn’t just because some DLC is on the way, but because it’s not only imminent, but free. That’s right, just like all the little expansions Astro’s Playtroom got, this first (and hopefully not last) expansion will be totally free. As for when you can expect to start collecting more bots and setting new speedrun records, well, that’s a bit unclear.

All Team Asobi stated was that it was coming in Fall 2024, which we’re technically already in. If I had to guess, it could come in late October or November, but we have to wait for official confirmation to be sure.