Highlights

  • Persona 5 Royal is the definitive version of the game, with more content and story differences that enhance the experience of the Phantom Thieves' story.
  • Technology plays a significant role in Persona 5, allowing the characters to see people's true thoughts and feelings. Persona 6 could build upon this theme and explore the impact of AI, social media, and virtual reality in a changing world.
  • Persona 6 could learn from Persona 5 Royal's success by incorporating a tech spin in its story, such as fighting rogue AI or exploring the influence of virtual reality, taking narrative inspiration from real-life advancements in technology.

Persona has enjoyed monumental success over the last few years. It was once a niche spin-off from the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games, but after the success of Persona 4 Golden on the PS Vita and Persona 5 on the previous generation of home consoles, it's very much hit its stride in the west. The remake of the third game is the latest addition, but feels like a warm-up act for the inevitable Persona 6.

Persona 5 Royal is the definitive version of arguably the best in the series to date, with more content in the dungeons, an entire new month, and plenty of story differences that make it the best way to experience the story of the Phantom Thieves. Persona 6 will have to one-up a game that has been the flag-bearer of the JRPG genre for over half a decade, and to do so it could lean into Persona 5's use of technology.

Sae Niijima with a Persona 6 logo modeled after Persona 5's
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Sae Niijima was a pivotal character in Persona 5, and she could provide the basis for an excellent new character in Persona 6's story.

Persona 5 Wears its Technology Influence on its Sleeve

Nearly a decade passed between the start of the Persona 4 generation and the release of Persona 5. Naturally, P5 embraces more modern themes like social media, mobile apps, and virtually Futaba Sakura's entire personality. It's a smart way to distinguish the game from its predecessors as well as making it a sort of time capsule when going back after a few years have passed.

The Phan-site (Phantom Aficianado Website) offers polls about the Phantom Thieves through the story, giving insight into the way the public feels about the group.

Technology in Persona 5 is often a means to see people's true thoughts and feelings. The app helps the Phantom Thieves to see their target's true nature, and the Phan-site provides the game with a mechanic akin to a social media comments section where people post their true feelings, no matter how disagreeable they may be. It drives the notion that it's the Phantom Thieves against the world at times, making the changing of hearts feel all the more very satisfying.

Persona 6's Themes Could Learn a Lot from P5

Persona 6 mockup logo on Persona 5 party red-black-gray artwork

Technology has changed a lot since the release of Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal, and even over the last few months. Topics like AI, social media, and virtual reality are in the news because of the advances that have been made, and how the world has to adapt to them. Not all conversations are positive, and Persona 6 could be in the best position to use this as a source of narrative inspiration.

Instead of entering the other world through the TV like in Persona 4 , Persona 5 has the Phantom Thieves do so by using the Metaverse Navigator mobile app.

Persona 5 thrives as the story is about fighting a more powerful entity. From Kamoshida to Goro Akechi, and Persona 6 could harness the same idea, but with a tech spin. Fighting a rogue AI or creating a plot point that sees virtual reality take hold of people on the Phan-site could help it to feel like Persona 6 is learning from what Persona 5 Royal did well, and is also exploring real-world themes that could make its otherwise pie-in-the-sky story feel more grounded in real life. Technology, and the way people react to it, has changed a lot in a few short years, and Persona 6 could get a lot of mileage out of that.