Summary
Persona 6is one of the most anticipated JRPGs of the next few years. While the game is unannounced and likely years away, fans of the franchise have been waiting almost a decade for a new mainline title.Persona 5and its enhanced re-releasePersona 5 Royalbrought the franchise to a much wider audience, so whilePersona 3andPersona 4were excellent games with dedicated fan bases, when the average gamer thinks ofPersona, they are thinking of the Phantom Thieves.Personagames have often dared to re-imagine what the franchise could be, but the popularity ofP5means thatPersona 6has higher expectations to meet and will have to do so under greater scrutiny.
Persona 5reached such a large audience for a variety of different reasons.Persona 4 Goldenreleased for the PS Vita and became one of the main reasons to own that system, ascending to cult classic status in the west.Persona 4 Arena, a fighting game spin-off developed by ArcSystem Works, was also excellent, and became a staple of the anime fighting game community. The franchise had a growing base of supporters around the world. Simultaneously, anime was growing more mainstream.Persona 5released and delivered one of the most stylish experiences in gaming, with fantastic music and a flashy aesthetic, and because of its growing reputation and the popularity of anime, it exploded.
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Persona 5 Sets A High Bar
Persona 5is one of the most beloved games of the previous console generation, and has become a poster boy of the JRPG genre. This reputation is deserved.Persona 5is masterfully crafted and most of its elements feel entirely cohesive. The game’s visuals share a color palette with the stylish UI, the turn based combat is well animated, and its menus are designed in way that it somehow feels fast-paced. On the other side of the game’s equation,P5R’s Takuto Marukiis thePersonaseries' best Confidant and its other Social Link successors likewise raised the bar for the franchise.
Persona 5’s themealso primed it for success, allowing for high stakes and cool character designs. All of the above combined with an excellent soundtrack launched the game into the stratosphere. When a new turn-based JRPG comes out, it is often compared againstPersona 5, andPersona 6will be no different. The legacy left byP5is so tremendous that it will likely prove inescapable for Atlus. Despite the specter ofPersona 5hanging over the franchise, Atlus could use this to its advantage. While a fresh start for the franchise is impossible, future games in the series have something strong to define themselves against.
Persona 6 Can’t Repeat Persona 5
Persona 5cannot be copied byP6.A copy cat would almost certainly fall short of recreating the magic ofP5, and thePersonatimelineis a shared one, meaning that too closely matching the events ofP5would put a damper on the legacy ofP5’s characters.Persona 6, for the sake of lore and its own quality, must define itself by how it is different. WhileP6will never be able to escape comparison to its predecessor, it can set itself apart by providing an experience that is different enough that these comparisons don’t matter.
Persona 6is tasked with following up a genre defining hit. While previousPersonagames had more room to breathe,Persona 5has remained so popular that its sequel will live in its shadow, even if it surpasses it. Despite the insurmountable legacy ofP5,by makingPersona 6a big departure for the franchise, Atlus could use the comparison to its advantage, making the unique elements of its sixth entry stand out.Persona 6leakshave suggested the game will be revealed in the next year, so fans can expect to start getting answers about the series next entry soon.
Persona 6is rumored to be in development.
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