Summary
Persona 6could break a near 30-year tradition by releasing as a multi-platform game instead of as a timed PlayStation exclusive. Atlus has found incredible success with thePersonaseriesin recent years, though the franchise used to be significantly more niche. The first game in the series was 1996’sRevelations: Persona, which launched as a PlayStation 1 exclusive game, kicking off a pattern that has persisted for every main series entry in the beloved JRPG series to this day.
While theoriginalPersonagamewas eventually ported to PC, it was a PS1 exclusive for years. BothPersona 2: Innocent SinandPersona 2: Eternal Punishmentreleased as PS1 exclusives as well, whilePersona 3was a PS2 exclusive at launch before making its way to Xbox consoles and the Nintendo Switch in 2023.Persona 4was a PS2 exclusive at launch, whilePersona 5launched exclusively for PS3 and PS4.
It looks like the upcomingPersona 6will break this tradition by releasing on multiple platforms out of the gate. This was indicated by Sega’s Haruki Atami and Koichi Fukasawa, who responded to questions as part of the company’s quarterly investor report,as reported by Persona Central. The question was asked if a newPersonagame could sell 5 million copies in its first year given the franchise’s increased popularity in regions outside Japan, to which Sega responded, “By increasing the number of platforms it is available on and the regions it is released in, we have been increasing the sales ofPersona 5. We believe that it would be possible for a majorPersonatitle, such as a numbered release, to sell 5 million copies in its first year by releasing it on multiple platforms and simultaneously worldwide from day one.” This is not an outright confirmation thatPersona 6will be multi-plat on the day of its release, but it certainly seems to point in that direction. If it happens, it will break a streak of nearly three decades ofPersonagames launching as PlayStation exclusives.
“We believe that it would be possible for a majorPersonatitle, such as a numbered release, to sell 5 million copies in its first year by releasing it on multiple platforms and simultaneously worldwide from day one.”
While Atlus has had a strong relationship with PlayStation over the years, lately it has found itself bringing more of its games to Xbox and Nintendo platforms. Atlus seems to have a particularly strong relationship with Xbox, as multiplePersonagames have been added to Game Pass, from main series entries to spin-offs likePersona 5 Tactica. The upcomingPersona 3 Reloadwill also be on Game Pass day one. Considering this, it’s really no surprise Atlus and Sega are looking to bringPersona 6to multiple platforms on the day of its release.
Regardless of whether the game is multi-plat or not, it’s safe to say many fans of the franchise are just curious about when they will actually get to play it for themselves. Official word on that is not available at the time of this writing, but a reputable leaker has suggested thatPersona 6will release in 2025. If true, it’s possible fans will learn their first details about the highly-anticipated game some time next year.
