Team Asobi sheds light on the absence of Square Enix characters in Astro Bot for PS5, revealing a response that many had anticipated. Studio head Nicolas Doucet stopped short of confirming directly, but his reply to a query from Game File’s Stephen Totilo strongly suggests that Square Enix was not on board with the concept.
Did Square Enix decline to partake in Astro Bot PS5?
When it comes to third-party cameos, Doucet mentioned that “almost 100%” of the partners contacted by Sony were enthusiastic about being part of the project. He expressed surprise at the overwhelmingly positive response, as he had initially anticipated only about half of the partners Team Asobi hoped for would agree to participate.
“In the end, in fact, almost 100% are in, because these partners just raised their hand and said, ‘Absolutely,’” Doucet shared with Game File. When asked specifically about the absence of Square Enix characters, considering their significant history on PlayStation, Doucet responded, “It’s difficult to comment. We really respect the choice of each publisher.” This part of his statement is being interpreted as Square Enix turning down the offer, with some speculating that the publisher may have been seeking a substantial fee for the cameos.
Regardless of the reasons, the omission of Square Enix characters from Astro Bot is still a surprising development.