Honestly, nobody expected Sony to go back and update a pack-in tech demo from 2020, but here we are. If you’ve been living under a rock, Team Asobi dropped a series of updates for Astro’s Playroom leading up to the massive 2024 Astro Bot release. They didn't just add a few stickers; they hid four extremely specific, riddle-locked "Special Bots" that you can actually carry over into the new game.
It is a genius move. It turns the pre-installed PS5 showcase into a literal recruitment ground.
But these aren't your typical "walk into them and they're yours" collectibles. They’re cryptic. They require you to know PlayStation history, or at least how to use Google. If you’re trying to track down the Astro's Playroom secret bots and you're tired of running in circles around the GPU Jungle, I've got the actual steps right here. No fluff.
Why These Bots Actually Matter
Before we get into the "how," you should know the "why." These four bots—representing Bloodborne, Returnal, Gran Turismo, and Ape Escape—become part of your starting crew in the full-sized Astro Bot game. Once you free them in Playroom, they’ll hang out in the Mission Control room (that new Labo Basement area). When you fire up the 2024 sequel, they’re already there.
It’s a nice little "thank you" to the fans who 100% completed the original tech demo. Plus, it adds five new trophies to your collection. Who doesn't want more Platinum progress?
The Bloodborne Bot (Lady Maria) - GPU Jungle
This was the first one they dropped, and it’s tucked away in the Renderforest stage of the GPU Jungle. You can't just stumble onto her; you have to trigger a specific sequence.
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First, head to the very first area of Renderforest. Look for the Bloodborne Hunter bot standing near a bush. To get the Special Bot (which is Lady Maria) to appear, you have to stand in the leafy bush right behind that Hunter bot. After a second, a glass capsule rises from the floor.
Now comes the riddle. The capsule shows a clock.
You need to climb up the nearby trees—the ones with the PS1 discs as leaves—until you find a tiny clock carved into a trunk at the very top. Stand right in front of it and press the Options button. Instead of the menu, you’ll get a screen asking for a date. The answer is 24-11-2015. Why? Because that’s the release date of the Bloodborne: The Old Hunters DLC. Input that, and she’s free.
The Returnal Bot (Selene) - SSD Speedway
This one is in the Deep Dataspace level. It’s arguably the easiest to find but the most annoying to solve if you’re impatient.
Reach the third or fourth checkpoint, right where you get the machine gun. If you look off the edge to the left of the big chest, you’ll see the capsule. To make it appear, you just have to walk near that ledge.
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The riddle involves an astronaut. To solve it, you need to find the little toy astronaut hidden on a thin platform nearby. Stand in the glowing circle next to the astronaut. Now, the trick: you have to let one of the green slime-spitting enemies hit you while you're standing there. It feels counter-intuitive, but being "reborn" (or just respawning) while in that circle mimics the loop of Returnal. Do it right, and Selene joins your squad.
The Gran Turismo Bot - Cooling Springs
This one had the community stumped for a minute. You need to head to Bot Beach.
There are four teal starfish hidden in the sand. You have to step on them in a specific order, or nothing happens.
- Under the thin pier on the far right.
- Near the water by the Kratos/Atreus easter egg.
- Under a palm tree on the right side of the main building.
- All the way on the left side of the beach, near the big blue pipe.
Once you hit them in order, the bot appears. But you're not done. You need to find a blue shell near the giant blue pipes where the wind blows. Hit it to reveal a steering wheel. Stand on the wheel, open your map (Options), and follow the d-pad pattern shown on the bot's capsule. It’s a long sequence: Up, Left, Down, Down, Left, Down, Down, Right, Up, Right, Down, Right, Up, Up, Right, Up, Left, Left.
Yeah, it's a lot. Just take it slow.
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The Final Piece: Ape Escape in Memory Meadow
The last bot is in Gusty Gateway. At the very start, you’ll find a little canister with a net inside. Carry that thing all the way across the tightropes to the first checkpoint.
Look for a blue glow in the clouds off the edge. Chuck the canister at it. Boom—the monkey bot appears.
He wants bananas. You have to play through the level until you reach the rock wall with the PS1 cloud platforms. Climb up there and you'll find a tree with a bot eating grapes. Hit that tree a bunch of times until a bunch of bananas fall out. Grab them, run all the way back to the monkey, and then you have to play a game of "Simon Says."
The bot will dance. You have to match the moves using the D-pad. Usually, the combo is Left, Up, Down, Right, but watch his movements just in case. If you mess up, you have to go get the bananas again. It's tedious, but once you finish, you get the "Four the Players" trophy.
Getting Them Into Astro Bot
Once you have all four, they’ll be waiting in the Labo. There’s no complex "transfer" process. As long as you have the save data on your PS5, the 2024 Astro Bot game will recognize them.
It's a cool way to bridge the gap between the free demo and the full experience. Most people miss these because they assume Playroom was a "one and done" game from years ago. If you want that 100% completion in the new game, you really should go back and grab these guys first.
Your next step: Boot up Astro's Playroom and check your "Add-ons" trophies. If you're missing the "DLC Trophy Pack 2," you haven't finished the hunt yet. Start with the GPU Jungle—it's the quickest one to knock out.