However, Persona 5’s fame may still have an impact on the plot of Persona 6. Persona 5 didn’t just differentiate itself from its predecessors through mechanical changes; it also told a story with a very different structure from most Persona games. The Phantom Thieves have had a huge impact on Japan and the rest of the world, which may mean that Persona 6 can’t go without making reference to the events of Persona 5. Some or all of the Phantom Thieves’ greatest achievements may turn out to have major repercussions for the playable cast of Persona 6.
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How Persona 5’s Story Stands Out
As a general rule, even though many Persona games lead toward climactic battles with powerful Shadows that decide the fate of the world, they tend to focus on small communities and local stories. Persona 3 focuses heavily on how the Kijiro Corporation has impacted its self-made city, and in Persona 4 players spend a lot of time investigating local crimes in a small town in the Japanese countryside. In spite of the effects these Persona protagonists have on the world, their actions go largely unnoticed.
Persona 5, meanwhile, takes a completely different approach. From the beginning of the game, Persona 5 is all about public vigilante justice. While the Phantom Thieves battle Shadows like their peers, many of those Shadows are associated with human antagonists in very public roles, meaning the effects of the Phantom Thieves’ supernatural work are far more visible. By the end of Persona 5, the Phantom Thieves become an international talking point and confront a leading candidate for Japan’s prime minister. Persona 5 Strikers only pushes the Phantom Thieves’ publish presence further as they travel around Japan to explore the Metaverse a second time.
Because their interactions with the Shadow world had such an impact on Japanese society, the Phantom Thieves are far more famous than the SEES from Persona 3 or the Investigation Team from Persona 4. The Phantom Thieves spend much of their careers shaping Japanese politics and society, so because Persona games share a universe, the Persona 6 cast will probably know about the actions of the Phantom Thieves. The Phantom Thieves’ widespread influence may even have a direct impact on the lives of several Persona 6 protagonists.
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The Value of Persona 5 References
A new Persona game that frequently references its predecessor would be unorthodox, but there’s a lot to be gained. For one thing, Persona 6 would definitely have an easier time drawing in Persona 5 fans if Atlus makes it clear that the Phantom Thieves’ actions continue to shape the world. Even if the Phantom Thieves aren’t playable characters, references to their crusade against corruption and information about what they’re up to would give fans good reason to play Persona 6.
In-game characters affected by the Phantom Thieves seem like a compelling narrative direction from Persona 6. For example, one new Persona 6 Confidant could be a political staff member or campaign worker who supported Masayoshi Shido, but became disillusioned with politics after the Phantom Thieves exposed Shido’s schemes. Persona 6’s playable characters might have family members who worked for major Persona 5 villains like Shido or Okumura, leaving them with direct ties to the events of Persona 5. What’s more, if Persona 6 focuses on human antagonists, these figures might have risen to power to fill vacuums the Phantom Thieves created.
Persona 6 will also do better to play the role of a direct Persona 5 sequel if it’s filled with references to its predecessor. Atlus generally doesn’t opt to make sequels to Persona games, and five years after Persona 5’s release there’s still no sign of a clear sequel. Persona 5 Strikers seems to be the closest thing fans will get. If Persona 6 inherits many of Persona 5’s story threads while applying them to a new cast of characters, it would offer a nice compromise between franchise progress and appeasing Persona 5 fans.
Establishing Persona 6’s Identity
While the nature of Persona 5’s plot makes it seem likely that Persona 6 will reference the game, Atlus still has to distribute those references carefully. If the entirety of Persona 6 is built on the back of the Phantom Thieves’ achievements, then Atlus might as well make a proper Persona 5 sequel. Persona 6 can gain a lot by referencing the highly influential Phantom Thieves, but it also needs to focus on new plot threads and characters in order to establish itself as a unique entry.
Persona 5 has undeniably changed the course of the franchise. Its popularity has brought a ton of new fans to Persona, which also means that Atlus has to deal with more expectations about its next big title. Persona 6 needs to simultaneously be a worthy heir to the triumphant Persona 5 without being too similar. Atlus’ determination to make Persona 6 an even better game inspires optimism for the time being; Atlus knows that it has set a high bar for itself, but it remains undeterred. With that determination in mind, it should be interesting to see what kind of relationship Atlus establishes between Persona 5 and 6.
Persona 6 is in development.
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