Sony captured the hearts of gamers seventeen years ago with this PlayStation 3 title. It had creativity, charm, and a sheer sense of fun that reminded me of Nintendo games. The worlds felt so alive and vibrant, and that was just the ones in the base game. My favorite feature was the imaginative sandbox that allowed me and other players to craft and share custom levels. I spent countless afternoons platforming and solving puzzles in this game and its sequels. To this day, some of my fondest memories are in this platforming classic, but sadly, memories are all they will ever be.
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Today, the gaming landscape has shifted dramatically. LittleBigPlanet is one of my favorite platforming games, but it has seemingly disappeared from Sony’s collection. What was once a mascot for the brand has been relegated to the past, replaced with a shiny new face in Astro Bot. For longtime fans, there’s a bittersweet feeling knowing that the era of Sackboy has quietly passed.
Why LittleBigPlanet Was a PS3 Game Changer
The original game was released in 2008 and immediately stood out as more than just another platformer. It went beyond navigating levels, defeating enemies, or solving puzzles. It emphasized creativity, collaboration, and community like few platforming games did. I loved being able to create levels and share them with others, or downloading and completing levels others had made. Playing LittleBigPlanet felt like being part of a creative movement, and Sackboy’s charm brought this whimsical title to life.
It was the combination of user-generated content and social integration that made the game truly unique. Players were both the consumer and creator. The intuitive controls were simple enough to understand but deep enough for designers to craft intricate, mind-bending levels. The shared library of levels ensured there was a never-ending flow of content to play, even years later, including in the sequels.
LittleBigPlanet was already an amazing game, but the two sequels gave even more life and creativity to the game. My favorite part of games is being able to create my own content, something that made the LittleBigPlanet series and Halo: Reach some of my favorite games. I wish more games, like Gears of War, had copied these creative elements. And as much as I love Astro Bot, it can’t compare to LittleBigPlanet in this regard.
Sony’s Decision to Pull the Plug on LittleBigPlanet
Despite its success and widely beloved mascot, Sony has all but moved on from Sackboy. The last true game was Sackboy: A Big Adventure on the PlayStation 4. But even this feels like a different game from the original trilogy. Sadly, Media Molecule, the minds behind LittleBigPlanet, have also left it behind. As if this wasn’t bad enough, Sony has removed LittleBigPlanet 3 from PS Plus, making this series even less accessible to new players.
This is a hard pill to swallow for me, as I spent years creating and sharing levels across the series. It feels like a business decision to end support for Sackboy rather than an organic one that would accompany the end of an era. Had Sony wanted to, a new LittleBigPlanet game could have gone on to great success on the PlayStation 5. The latest hardware and technology would make the platforming elements shine, but open new doors for community-led creative tools.
LittleBigPlanet is one of the most beloved games on the PS3, but it has no home today. The last game released in 2020, and Sackboy has recently been a cameo bot in Astro Bot, but that’s it. Fans have shared their desire for a new game or a rerelease of the trilogy, but Sony doesn’t seem to have any plans to answer these pleas. PlayStation is instead focusing on its newest mascot, Team Asobi’s Astro Bot.
Astro Bot Is the Silver Lining for Sackboy Fans
That said, while I am devastated by Sackboy’s decline, Astro Bot is possibly the best silver lining fans could ask for. It is one of my favorite games of all time, and easily one of the best 3D platformers (sorry, Nintendo). It is among the most high-quality platforming experiences thanks to its stunning visuals, mechanically tight controls, and overwhelming charm. While it lacks the creative aspects of it, the core game is better than that of the LittleBigPlanet series.
The impact and influence of LittleBigPlanet is undeniable in Astro Bot. What started as a free game, Astro’s Playroom, turned into a full-fledged game. Sony may have pulled the plug on Sackboy, but its new adorable mascot has a bright future. Team Asobi and Sony already have plans to continue Astro Bot, but have left this open-ended. My greatest hope is that a level editor is added in a post-launch update, or that Astro Bot 2 launches with creative tools.
Sony has moved, and while I do miss Sackboy, Astro Bot is an incredible replacement. I miss the creative tools and sense of community that came from level sharing, but the gameplay is just so fun and the worlds so engaging. I, and many other PS3 players, will always remember LittleBigPlanet fondly, but look forward to the bright future of Astro Bot. Hopefully, this includes spin-off titles like LittleBigPlanet Racing, because I want to see so much more from Team Asobi.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
