Persona 6 is the long-awaited next mainline installment in the Persona series. When will Persona 6 be released? What could it be about? What type of game will it be? Continue to read our Persona 6 theories.
Persona 6 Release Date and Time
Most Likely Next Year 2025 or 2026
It's been nearly eight years since the release of the last mainline Persona game, Persona 5. Since then, we've seen numerous spin-offs, remakes, and enhanced ports, with little information about Persona 6 shared.
While it may sound ambitious, I have a strong hunch that Persona 6 could be on the horizon for 2025 or 2026. Rumors have circulated since 2019 about Persona 6 being in development alongside Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica. However, it wasn't until 2021 when Atlus posted a job listing on their official website for game developers that official news began to surface.
Considering the speculation that Persona 3 Reload and Tactica were developed concurrently with Persona 6, a development timeline of 3-4 years seems plausible. The longest development period was for Persona 5, which took five years due to significant advancements in graphics and overall quality.
With P-Studio, the team behind the Persona series, having ample experience and time, especially evident in the substantial improvements seen in Persona 3 Reload compared to Persona 5, it's reasonable to expect Persona 6 to be well underway next year.
I foresee Persona 6 making its debut in 2025 or 2026, primarily due to Atlus's current silence regarding upcoming releases for the next year. This year, we've already witnessed an impressive lineup of Atlus games, including Persona 3 Reload, Unicorn Overlord, Metaphor: ReFANTAZIO, Persona 5: The Phantom X (in China), and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Notably, the highly anticipated Episode Aigis DLC for Persona 3 Reload has further fueled excitement.
Given the success of Persona 3 Reload and Unicorn Overlord, it appears Atlus is strategically focusing on continuing these releases. Therefore, it's logical to assume that they would prioritize maintaining this momentum in the coming years.
Moreover, setting the release date for 2026 aligns with Persona's 30th anniversary, presenting an ideal opportunity for a celebratory launch. What better way to mark three decades of Persona than with the unveiling of a new installment?
Now the question is when will Atlus announce Persona 6?
Persona 6 Theories
Persona 6 Will Be Revealed During This Year’s Anniversary
As Persona's 27th anniversary approaches this September, it presents an ideal occasion to release a trailer for the upcoming game. This timing is especially opportune considering the anniversary coincides with the launch of the Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis DLC. Such a move could effectively engage fans and bolster sales, building excitement within the community.
It's worth noting that Persona 5 was announced alongside Persona Q, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, and the home version of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Given this precedent, it's reasonable to anticipate a similar approach this time around.
Moreover, considering that no announcements were made during last year's anniversary, it's plausible that Atlus may seize the opportunity this year, reminiscent of the Persona 5 announcement in 2013. It's conceivable that Atlus might unveil a series of events showcasing new games for the upcoming year, culminating in a teaser for Persona 6 similar to Persona 5’s initial announcement and other Persona games.
Persona 6’s Color Theme Will Be Green
Each Persona game is distinctly characterized by its color scheme, which serves as a thematic anchor throughout its design. Persona 3 was predominantly blue, Persona 4 featured vibrant yellows and oranges, and Persona 5 embraced a bold red palette. Speculation suggests that Persona 6 may adopt a green color identity, a notion I find myself inclined to support, particularly due to the green bucket theory.
During the Persona 25th Anniversary celebration, an intriguing artwork was unveiled. It depicted all the protagonists from various Persona games standing side by side, engaging in graffiti on a wall. Each character's attire was adorned with paint, symbolizing their respective game's color theme. For instance, Joker wielded a red spray can, symbolizing Persona 5's rebellious red motif.
If you noticed in the artwork, attention is drawn to a paint bucket filled with green paint next to a green spray can, prompting speculation and anticipation regarding green as the color theme of the next Persona installment. The significance of color in Persona games extends beyond aesthetics; it aligns closely with the game's themes and narrative elements. Blue in Persona 3 represented an acceptance of death, while red in Persona 5 symbolized rebellion against societal norms. Persona 4's warm orange and yellow hues reflected its emphasis on friendship and its more slice-of-life aspect.
Green, often associated with new beginnings and rebirth, suggests a departure from convention and hints at a potentially groundbreaking direction for Persona 6. This shift could mark a significant departure from the established formula, making it the most daring entry in the series yet.
Persona 6 Will Be Bigger Than 5
Persona 6 appears poised to elevate the series to new heights, a sentiment echoed by Art Director Naoto Hiraoka in a 2021 job posting. He emphasized the imperative of surpassing Persona 5, stating that just as Persona 4 had to exceed Persona 3, Persona 6 must surpass its predecessor. Given that Persona 5 and its enhanced version, Royal, boast the longest game hours in the series, this ambition suggests a potentially expansive scope for the upcoming installment.
While specific details regarding new features or alterations remain undisclosed, speculation abounds, with the possibility of introducing a female protagonist gaining traction.
Persona 6 Might Have a Female Protagonist Option
The Persona series has predominantly featured male protagonists across its various iterations, with Aigis, Maya, and Kotone (the P3P Protagonist) being the rare exceptions. However, there has been a persistent clamor from fans for a female protagonist to take center stage. This desire hasn't gone unnoticed, as evidenced by General Producer Kazuhisa Wada's acknowledgment of the demand during a recent Famitsu interview discussing Episode Aigis.
Wada shed light on why the female protagonist wasn't included in the Persona 3 Reload DLC, stating that budget constraints and P-Studio's focus on their new projects were contributing factors. However, given the fervent demand for a female protagonist, there's significant potential for P-Studio to capitalize on this opportunity and incorporate this option into future installments of the series.
Persona 6 Will Continue the High School Setting
Persona 6 is likely to maintain its high school setting, primarily due to its day and night calendar system. High school students typically enjoy more freedom and flexibility compared to working adults, making it easier to incorporate the game's daily activities and cycle. While Persona 6 may introduce significant changes, the high school setting is one aspect that is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
The only instance of an adult protagonist in the Persona series was in Persona 2: Eternal Punishment with Maya. However, it's worth noting that Persona 2 lacked the day and night calendar system, which was introduced in Persona 3. If Persona 6 were to feature an adult protagonist, they would likely be portrayed as a college student, freelancer, or unemployed individual to align with the game's mechanics. Maya serves as a prime example, being a reporter with more flexible time arrangements.
It's interesting to consider that Persona 5 was initially conceived as a game revolving around a backpacking journey around the world, a concept that seems to have influenced Persona 5 Strikers. While it's unclear whether the characters were intended to be high school students in this early concept, one can speculate that adjustments to the day-night cycle would have been necessary to align with the travel theme.
While the high school setting remains the likely choice for Persona 6, the possibility of a departure from the traditional formula cannot be ruled out. It's intriguing to ponder whether this potential shift has been in the works since the conceptual stages of Persona 5.
Persona 6 Will Include DLC Instead of Port Enhancements
This game will probably feature substantial DLC content, potentially deviating from the traditional approach of releasing enhanced editions like Persona 3 FES, Persona 4 Golden, or Persona 5 Royal. Instead, the game is likely to embrace DLC for introducing new stories and additional content. The upcoming DLC supports this speculation for Persona 3 Reload, Episode Aigis.
Episode Aigis offers a revamped version of Persona 3 FES's The Answer Epilogue, presenting players with a 30-hour campaign centered around Aigis. The success of Episode Aigis could pave the way for similar DLC expansions in the future, suggesting a new business model focused on post-launch content.
Persona 6 Will Be Multi-Platform
Rumors suggest that the upcoming game will see a release across multiple platforms, a possibility bolstered by the fact that Persona 3 Reload enjoyed a global release on multiple platforms from day one. In contrast, Persona 5 Royal initially launched exclusively on PS4 worldwide in 2020 before being ported to multiple platforms in 2022.
The potential for a multiplatform release is further supported by Sega's statements during a Q&A session with investors last year. Sega expressed confidence that a new numbered entry in the Persona series could achieve sales of up to 5 million units in its first year, a feat that could possibly be made feasible by a simultaneous global release across multiple platforms. Additionally, Atlus currently maintains a partnership with Xbox, further reinforcing the likelihood of a multiplatform release from day one.
