PlayStation 5 gamers surprised with delightful early Christmas freebie

This is just the present I was hoping to find under the proverbial tree.

Team Asobi has unveiled a brand new Astro Bot level and best of all, it’s launching today.

What a year it’s been for Team Asobi.

The studio’s platformer is up for a whopping seven trophies at tonight’s Geoff Keighley-fronted Game Awards, including for the coveted Game of the Year accolade.

It’s my personal GOTY, but it’ll be interesting to see if the wider gaming community agrees.

I awarded Astro Bot a perfect score of 10 in my original review, writing, “To call it a ‘game of the year’ contender felt too small an appraisal. What Team Asobi have crafted is a joyful and wonderfully immersive masterpiece that builds upon the foundations established in Astro’s Playroom to create an end product that is unlike anything else I’ve ever played.”

And the fun didn’t end when the game launched.

Team Asobi has since supported Astro Bot with five speedrunning levels - one of which I still need to master (Those monkey arms are no joke?!).

If racing against the clock isn’t your speed though, no pun intended, you’ll be thrilled to discover that the new ‘Winter Wonder’ level is pure straight-forward, low-stakes platforming fun.

Astro Bot is a must-play if you haven’t tried it yet.

The ‘Winter Wonder’ level is completely free to download. The only catch is that you need to have completed the game to get involved.

“Since we want it to remain a little surprise, we will not say too much, but you should expect a fun-filled level with shiny presents, a good dose of jingle bells, and brand-new special bots to add to your crew,” teased Team Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet.

He added, “This winter update was made with every user in mind, meaning it is a celebration enjoyable for children and adults alike. So, no hair-pulling challenge this time.”

I can’t wait to find out who those special bots are.

The level will drop at 6pm PT today, which is unfortunately 2am GMT on Friday 13 December for those of us in the UK.

“That’s all from us. This year has been a very special journey for us at Team Asobi, and we thank you for joining us. Until next time, we wish you a very relaxing and restful end of the year,” Doucet continued.

And while that could be a simple ‘goodbye for now’ as we head into the festive period, I can’t help but worry that this might be the end of the Astro Bot chapter.