As Atlus continues to develop its major franchises, the trajectory for Persona 6 is already becoming clearer. Drawing from the accessibility improvements seen in Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal, the next Persona entry will likely continue this trend. The balance of gameplay difficulty, quality of life updates, and player-friendly features has become a staple of the series, and it’s something fans should expect from Persona 6.
Persona 6 Will Likely Build on Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload’s Improvements
The contrast between the original Persona 3 and Persona 3 Reload showcases how Atlus has streamlined gameplay, making it more accessible. In the original Persona 3, players had to contend with the Fatigue system, which limited how much grinding could be done in one in-game day. This mechanic added tension but also made it more punishing for new players. However, Persona 3 Reload has removed the Fatigue system, letting players explore Tartarus more freely.
Another major change is the inclusion of a Rewind feature, allowing players to undo mistakes in battle and story. This gives newcomers the chance to learn from mistakes without being heavily punished. Persona 3 Reload also features the series’ most accessible Fast Travel system as well. If Atlus continues this trend, Persona 6 will likely introduce even more systems designed to make the game approachable and streamlined.
Persona 5 Royal Set the Standard for Accessibility in Future Persona Games
Persona 5 Royal not only introduced a more forgiving difficulty curve but also brought in mechanics like the Baton Pass, which made combat more strategic while giving players more tools to work with. The Baton Pass feature allows players to give a character’s turn to another, such as in the case that that particular battle features enemies who are weak against that character’s attacks.
More importantly, Persona 5 Royal took a gentler approach to failure. Players are, on some difficulty levels, no longer sent back to the title screen upon defeat in certain scenarios, which makes the game less punishing than earlier titles in the series. It may be a safe bet to think that such a feature will be present in Persona 6 as well.
Differentiating Persona from Atlus’s Other Series
It’s crucial to see how Persona has distanced itself from its roots in the Shin Megami Tensei series, which is known for its challenging difficulty. While Persona was once a spin-off of Shin Megami Tensei, the shift started to take place around Persona 5, when Atlus officially dropped the Shin Megami Tensei moniker from the title. Since then, Persona has leaned more heavily into its social simulation and story-driven elements.
In contrast, Shin Megami Tensei has remained challenging, with Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance proving to be a difficult experience even with some added features. With the upcoming Metaphor: ReFantazio representing Atlus’ take on a medieval-themed RPG and offering a middle ground in terms of difficulty, Persona 6 is poised to cement its place as the most approachable of the three franchises.
Why Accessibility is Key for Persona 6’s Success
The Persona series has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, largely due to its approachable gameplay paired with engaging storylines and social mechanics. It makes sense for Atlus to continue refining the accessibility of the series, as the balance between difficulty and approachability has allowed Persona to stand out.
With the popularity of social links, romance mechanics, and a character-driven narrative, Persona has become known for offering more than just a traditional JRPG experience. Drawing from the improvements in Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal, Persona 6 will likely implement more of its focus on improving story elements over making a more challenging experience — and that’s a good thing.