Persona 6 is one of the most anticipated JRPGs of the next few years. While the game is unannounced and likely years away, fans of the franchise have been waiting almost a decade for a new mainline title. Persona 5 and its enhanced re-release Persona 5 Royal brought the franchise to a much wider audience, so while Persona 3 and Persona 4 were excellent games with dedicated fan bases, when the average gamer thinks of Persona, they are thinking of the Phantom Thieves. Persona games have often dared to re-imagine what the franchise could be, but the popularity of P5 means that Persona 6 has higher expectations to meet and will have to do so under greater scrutiny.

Persona 5 reached such a large audience for a variety of different reasons. Persona 4 Golden released for the PS Vita and became one of the main reasons to own that system, ascending to cult classic status in the west. Persona 4 Arena, a fighting game spin-off developed by ArcSystem Works, was also excellent, and became a staple of the anime fighting game community. The franchise had a growing base of supporters around the world. Simultaneously, anime was growing more mainstream. Persona 5 released and delivered one of the most stylish experiences in gaming, with fantastic music and a flashy aesthetic, and because of its growing reputation and the popularity of anime, it exploded.

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Persona 5 Sets A High Bar

Persona 5 is one of the most beloved games of the previous console generation, and has become a poster boy of the JRPG genre. This reputation is deserved. Persona 5 is masterfully crafted and most of its elements feel entirely cohesive. The game's visuals share a color palette with the stylish UI, the turn based combat is well animated, and its menus are designed in way that it somehow feels fast-paced. On the other side of the game's equation, P5R's Takuto Maruki is the Persona series' best Confidant and its other Social Link successors likewise raised the bar for the franchise.

Persona 5's theme also primed it for success, allowing for high stakes and cool character designs. All of the above combined with an excellent soundtrack launched the game into the stratosphere. When a new turn-based JRPG comes out, it is often compared against Persona 5, and Persona 6 will be no different. The legacy left by P5 is so tremendous that it will likely prove inescapable for Atlus. Despite the specter of Persona 5 hanging over the franchise, Atlus could use this to its advantage. While a fresh start for the franchise is impossible, future games in the series have something strong to define themselves against.

Persona 6 Can't Repeat Persona 5

Persona 5 cannot be copied by P6. A copy cat would almost certainly fall short of recreating the magic of P5, and the Persona timeline is a shared one, meaning that too closely matching the events of P5 would put a damper on the legacy of P5's characters. Persona 6, for the sake of lore and its own quality, must define itself by how it is different. While P6 will never be able to escape comparison to its predecessor, it can set itself apart by providing an experience that is different enough that these comparisons don't matter.

Persona 6 is tasked with following up a genre defining hit. While previous Persona games had more room to breathe, Persona 5 has remained so popular that its sequel will live in its shadow, even if it surpasses it. Despite the insurmountable legacy of P5, by making Persona 6 a big departure for the franchise, Atlus could use the comparison to its advantage, making the unique elements of its sixth entry stand out. Persona 6 leaks have suggested the game will be revealed in the next year, so fans can expect to start getting answers about the series next entry soon.

Persona 6 is rumored to be in development.

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