Persona 5: The Phantom X diverges from the trail of its spin-off predecessors, setting its sights on the mobile game industry. Though its development in China suggests a limited release, the Persona 5 title could benefit from worldwide accessibility.
Persona 5's release back in 2016 spurred interest from players yet acquainted with the series, cementing the title as one of Atlus' most successful for older fans and newcomers alike. Since then, the game has received a number of spin-offs and cast cameos across the franchise, furthering the Phantom Thieves' inclusion among its titles. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight and Persona 5 Strikers saw the P5 team in two wildly different contexts, from choreographed dancing to musou-like slashing, while their inclusion in PQ2 ushered in new interactions between the cast and their Persona 3 and Persona 4 counterparts. While fans are still waiting on Persona 6 news with bated breath, it seems Persona 5 isn't quite done yet; Persona 5: The Phantom X will be its newest spin-off entry, taking a mobile game approach.
A Persona 5 Mobile Game Could See International Success
There is still much to glean about The Phantom X, though its biggest question comes in whether the title will see an international release. The game is currently in development by Black Wings Game Studio, a subsidiary of Chinese publisher Perfect World Games, whose mobile repertoire includes quite the list of fantasy and sci-fi related titles. Both The Phantom X's landing page and recently released trailer feature Chinese subtitles, with no news yet on whether the game will be localized for other languages or even available in other regions entirely. Still, fans, like YouTuber Faz, were quick to provide English subtitles, helping to give more context to the game's teaser.
Persona 5: The Phantom X seems to focus on the pursuits of a new protagonist, while including familiar locales and characters among its story. Featured in the trailer are the weapons dealer Munehisa Iwai and clinician Tae Takemi, two of the available confidants across P5 and its enhanced edition P5 Royal, suggesting the spin-off takes place in the same universe as the base game. With settings like 'Big Bang Burger' and Yongen-Jaya's batting cages in accompaniment to Mementos, it appears that The Phantom X will split its gameplay between dungeon crawling and life simulation, staying true to the series' core mechanics.
The Phantom X appears to reskin much of the assets featured in P5's base game, though there's certainly a sense of 'newness' from the footage shown thus far; the title's cast, mascot character, and Academy setting are among the more notable changes, while its take on an aquarium-style Velvet Room with an intriguing new Attendant at Igor's side has piqued the curiosity of fans. Footage from the game's combat suggests the title will feature traditional turn-based Persona fare with a more streamlined HUD, a design choice likely made to accommodate The Phantom X's platform. With its focus on a fresh set of characters alongside a new overarching story, the game certainly has promise for an international release, both in its narrative implications and in how well its turn-based gameplay would lend itself to mobile devices.
The trailer's final moments feature a look at Joker back into the fray, indicating that the character will play a role in The Phantom X. Fans have speculated that the rest of the Phantom Thieves crew will also make an appearance, a likely theory given the title's spin-off nature. The Persona game could potentially take a Fire Emblem: Engage approach, where its original cast aids the new characters through special summons and assists, though it remains to be seen just how involved they'll be among the title's overarching narrative. Whatever direction The Phantom X takes, one thing is clear: its connection to Persona 5 makes it a worthy contender for worldwide success.
Persona 5: The Phantom X is in development for mobile platforms.