Persona fans rejoiced during the 2022 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, with the announcement of Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox consoles, and PC. Additionally, Atlus confirmed that the modern Persona games will also see digital re-releases on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam. Atlus re-releasing Persona titles on modern platforms makes the series much more accessible to newcomers and could potentially mean more re-releases in the future.
A spinoff of the long-lasting Shin Megami Tensei franchise, the Persona series quickly became Atlus' most lucrative property, with Persona 5 garnering the highest sales in the series' history. That said, the Persona series remained elusive to several audiences, with the mainline titles exclusive to Sony platforms. In 2020, Atlus re-released Persona 4 Golden on Steam to riveting sales, paving the way for future Atlus titles to receive multi-platform releases such as Persona 5 Strikers and the upcoming Soul Hackers 2. Atlus' commitment to accessibility gives players the opportunity to experience past Persona titles, while also leaving the door open to the classic entries of the series.
The upcoming port of Persona 5 Royal to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Steam will introduce a whole new audience to the Persona series. Persona 5 Royal boasts an incredible mixture of dungeon crawling, sharp presentation, and social simulation elements that seamlessly meld to form an engaging experience for any RPG enthusiast while also providing an easy starting point for new players. Persona 5 Royal's combat serves as an excellent representation of the entire series, expanding upon the "1 More" battle system established in Persona 3 and Persona 4 while also incorporating elements from the classic Persona titles, such as demon negotiation and the ability for party members to wield guns.
Above all, Persona 5 Royal's incredible art direction and sensational soundtrack craft a distinct, charismatic identity, arguably serving as the game's greatest allure to new audiences. Not to mention, veteran players of the original Persona 5 have the chance to experience Persona 5 Royal's third semester, which includes a new story arc, dungeon, and final boss that expertly challenges the themes and philosophy of Persona 5's narrative.
Likewise, Persona 4 Golden's debut on current generation consoles provides new players with another excellent starting point for the Persona series. Though Persona 4 Golden's gameplay is not as refined as Persona 5 Royal's, it arguably contains a superior story with a murder mystery-centric plot and an extremely compelling antagonist. Further, Persona 4 Golden places a heavier emphasis on the social simulation aspects of the series, with the main cast featured in a wide variety of group scenarios such as the school camping trip and the Junes concert, among others. While the social events are entertaining in their own right, they do an excellent job of developing a strong group dynamic between the main characters. As a result, Persona 4 Golden stands as an excellent starting point for new fans, especially for those who enjoy more narrative-focused genres such as visual novels or graphic adventures.
Perhaps the most exciting announcement for long-time Persona fans is the inclusion of Persona 3 Portable, an enhanced version of the original Persona 3 that was released on the PlayStation Portable in 2009. Easily the most influential title in the entire series, Persona 3 established the modern Persona formula, being the first game to incorporate the dungeon crawling and dating simulation elements that were further expanded upon by subsequent entries in the series.
Further, Persona 3 Portable adds several quality of life improvements that significantly enhance the gameplay of the original Persona 3, such as the ability to control party members in combat, the introduction of the female protagonists, and an alternate campaign with exclusive music, scenarios, and Social Links. That said, the game's biggest strength lies in its cast of characters -- it features a variety of entertaining Social Links as well as an incredibly captivating main cast with arguably the strongest character writing in the modern Persona era.
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Amid all the excitement for Persona 3 Portable, several fans could not help but notice the lack of news regarding the original Revelations: Persona and the Persona 2 duology. While these titles do not contain the mechanics that are ubiquitous to the Persona series, such as Social Links, they are still integral to the series' history. In addition to laying the foundation for the combat and dungeon crawling aspects of the series, the games featured monumental characters who bear little relevance to the plot of modern Persona titles, such as Philemon and Nyarlathotep. If the re-releases of Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal yield undeniable commercial success, Atlus may be inclined to re-release the classic Persona titles, all of which have not seen an official re-release since their respective remakes on the PSP.
The importance of Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal re-releasing on modern platforms cannot be understated. Not only will Persona 5 Royal provide an excellent entry point to the series, but fans can easily access its predecessors and experience some of the best games the series has to offer. Most importantly, the ever-expanding popularity of the Persona series may encourage Atlus to shed a spotlight on its classic entries, allowing fans to appreciate the humble beginnings of an unforgettable series.