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Will a Persona 5 PC port ever happen?

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by Happy

H

by Happy

It’s a PS3 and PS4 classic, but will a Persona 5 PC port ever become a reality? Let’s weigh up the chances and see how long the world will have to wait.

Now five years old, Persona 5 is has reached classic status among RPG fans. Taking place in modern Tokyo, it’s a gorgeously rendered anime world, with flashes of colour amidst the intoxicating noir atmosphere. Inhabiting a teenage boy whose codename is Joker, players straddle the real world and the dungeon crawling metaverse, in a voyage of self-discovery. Up until now, it’s been a PS3 and PS4 title; the prospect of a Persona 5 PC version is an enticing one.

So will it ever be ported? And if so, when? Let’s discover why a Persona 5 PC port could soon become a reality.

Persona 5 PC

Power to the people

The hunger for Persona 5 (and of course, the enhanced version, Persona 5 Royal — released on PS4 worldwide in 2020) PC port is pretty strong. It seems that the developers, Atlus, also had a sense of groundswell of support. On a survey that was launched in 2019, the company just flat out asked what its US gamer base wanted.

One of the questions: “What would you want to see from Persona in the future?” Among other options in this multiple-choice exercise was — you guessed it — “PC port”. We can only imagine that many would have smashed that button pretty hard. Of course, this doesn’t mean that it’s locked in, but it’s clear that the devs have an eye to the future and are keen to capitalise on the status of the game beyond the PlayStation.

Emulators

PC gamers are a clever bunch, and when they’re not getting what they want, they’re liable to take matters into their own hands. So it didn’t surprise many when a Persona 5 (PS3 version) emulator for PC emerged. It did raise a few eyebrows though when Atlus hit the emulator, RPCS3, with a takedown notice.

In a statement on the matter, Atlus attempted to extend an olive branch:

“We appreciate the awareness generated by the emulation community for Persona 5 and know that it is a fantastic example of how much people are loving our game. We want to keep bringing you titles like Persona 5.” 

Fair enough: the company does not wish to alienate its fanbase. But in the comments section, a popular point of view among the punters was this: “Why not just make a PC version then?” Even more than a survey, surely this is a more insightful piece of market research. Let’s hope Atlus was listening.

Persona on PC isn’t a new thing

If Persona 5 PC became a reality, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for the series. Persona 4 Golden (an enhanced version of Persona 4, which itself is regarded as one of the best RPGs ever) hit PC in 2020, a full eight years after its launch on the PS Vita.

Persona 5 Strikers an action RPG spinoff of Persona 5 landed on PC in February this year. While it’s not as deep as the main game, it was well-received critically and commercially, which bodes well for an eventual PC release of Persona 5.

Sony’s first-party port policy

Despite no official confirmation, it appears that Sony has decided that timed first-party exclusives make the most strategic sense for them as a business.

Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and now God of War (2018) have all been released, or confirmed for release at a later date, on PC. This position allows Sony to increase the size of their market, without significantly weakening the incentive for players to purchase their consoles. A Persona 5 PC port could very well be next.

Happy birthday!

Persona is so old that it spans human as well as console generations. The first game was launched way back in 1996 (incidentally, it was ported to PC in ’99) and so Atlus is celebrating its 25th anniversary over 2021 and 2022. The company has even launched an anniversary project, with seven key announcements.

Sadly, there was no confirmation of a Persona 5 PC release, or any specifically game-related bombshells. The Persona anime series will hit streaming services in Japan, a symphonic concert, a stage play, and more. So, the only thread of hope that international fans of the Persona games (of which there are millions) can hang onto, is the fact that more information will be coming in December this year. Cross your fingers — and everything else — in anticipation.

Receiving almost universal praise, Persona 5 is one of the deepest and most memorable RPG experiences you can have. One can only hope that Atlus will heed the call and gain a new army of fans in the process.

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