Summary
It wouldn’t be a major surprise if Atlus continued to releasePersona 5spin-offs even afterPersona 6is released. WithPersonabeing the most famous branch of theShin Megami Tenseiseries, it’s the most likely to continue to receive new titles regardless thanks to its strong reputation. Even as the series moves towards its next main entry, it’s hard to imagine thePersona 5crew being left in the past. There’s solid reason to believe that fans have not seen the last of the Phantom Thieves, nor the end ofPersona 5’s potential spin-offs.
Ever since the series' debut,Personahas consistently released new games. In addition to new mainline titles, there have also been rereleases, remasters, and in more recent years, remakes. The series takesShin Megami Tensei’s usual system of creating monsters based on characters from mythology or folklore, and creates more personalized version to suit the main characters. The Social Link mechanics introduced inPersona 3would become a signature trait of the games, andPersona 4’s rousing success would send the series into the mainstream. ThePersonagames have become one of the biggest properties for Atlus, so it’s unlikely that the series will end anytime soon.
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Persona 5’s Phantom Thieves May Be Too Iconic To Leave in the Past
The series' momentum has only continued withPersona 5’s record-shattering sales, making it the most successful entry in the series to date. The strong gameplay and story alongside the memorable thief gimmick for the protagonists have played major roles in making it such a hit. In addition to thePersona 5 Royalrerelease, it has also continued the series' dancing subseries withPersona 5: Dancing in Moonlight. Not only that, but it has received two brand-new spin-offs inPersona 5 StrikersandPersona 5 Tactica.Persona 5is definitely Atlus' flavor of the moment, as Joker’s appearance inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateproves.
One ofPersona 5’s biggest assets is its protagonists. Thehigh potential ofPersona 5’s Phantom Thievescomes largely from their cool concept. Unlike pastPersonaheroes who simply summon their Personas, the Phantom Thieves take on new outfits and monikers when going into battle. While they still collect a variety of different archetypes and personalities like past games, the added twist gives them a significant amount of extra flair. It helps that their Personas have some of the coolest designs to date, such as the pirate ship-riding Captain Kidd and sleek motorcycle Johanna. It’s little surprise that these characters ended up catching on so well with players.
The existingPersona 5spin-offs are further evidence for its longevity. Starting withbeat-‘em-up spin-offPersona 5 Strikers, the Phantom Thieves have been used to test new styles of gameplay for the series. This can be further seen withPersona 5 Tactica, a turn-based strategy game reminiscent ofFire Emblem. These games imply a lot of confidence in the Phantom Thieves on Atlus’ part. While this could be simply because they’re the most recent protagonist team, their continued use could be a good sign. There are still several more genres thatPersonahasn’t explored that could potentially become the nextPersona 5spin-offs.
Persona 5’s Phantom Thieves have become undeniable icons of the franchise, so they’ll probably be around for years to come.Persona 5set a new franchise standard, and the way it has thrived tells the tale. While there’s no telling how far awayPersona 6may be at the moment, there will be plenty ofPersonato keep players busy in the meantime. Even after its release,Persona 5is unlikely to die out due to how iconic its characters managed to become. Fans shouldn’t be surprised ifPersona 6’s heroes have to share the spotlight with the Phantom Thieves.
Persona 5is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
