Update 9/6/24: The Astro Bot Limited Edition PS5 Controller is currently only available at Antonline in a bundle with the game, or at GameStop, but you need a Pro membership to buy it. You can check the links below to see if it may have come back in stock at one of the other retailers.
Astro Bot is one of the best PS5-exclusive games of the year, according to just about everyone who's played it so far. To go along with the game, Sony has released a new Astro Bot-themed PS5 DualSense wireless controller. It’s hard to find in stock anywhere, but if you can, it costs $79.99.
PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller Astro Bot Limited Edition
- Check at Amazon – $79.99
- Check at Antonloine – $79.99
- Check at Best Buy – $79.99
- Check at GameStop – $79.99
- Check at PS Direct – $79.99
- Check at Target – $79.99
- Check at Walmart – $79.00
The controller is white and blue, just like the adorable robot it’s based on. The touchpad has Astro Bot eyes on it (IGN has received confirmation that they're not animated, despite being shown moving in the trailer). The shapes on the face buttons and the arrows on the D-pad are done in a lighter blue color that looks quite nice, if you ask me.
As for the game itself, it’s a continuation of the world and character created for a mini-game included in The Playroom VR for PS4. Developer Team Asobi followed this up with the PSVR-exclusive Astro Bot Rescue Mission, followed by the PS5 pack-in game Astro’s Playroom. Apparently the people demanded more, which brings us to the full-sizezd upcoming PS5 game (you can preorder Astro Bot now).
Astro Bot is a much bigger game than its predecessors, with dozens of levels to run, jump, and hover your way through. Like the previous installments, it will feature lots of PlayStation Easter eggs, with robot versions of characters like Kratos and the hero of Bloodborne showing up.
From our Astro Bot review: "Astro Bot made me smile from beginning to end. A collection of endlessly inventive levels and fantastically fun abilities, it delivers joy in spades, never once becoming even remotely dull or repetitive. And while you don’t need a long history with Sony systems to enjoy it, it is especially a delight for those with a piece of PlayStation in their heart as a treasure trove full of playable nostalgia awaits. Taking the PS5 marketing mantra that “play has no limits” more seriously than you’d expect, Team Asobi has crafted a mascot platformer that goes near enough toe-to-toe with Nintendo's best efforts, and that's about as high a compliment as I can give it."
Sounds like a good time. And if you're in the market for another PS5 controller, the Astro Bot limited edition one looks like a winner.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Threads.