Practically nothing is known about Persona 6, but that has not stopped speculation over what the next game in Atlus' long-running series could be like. Persona 6 is in development, but nothing has been shared about the game afterward. While there is a high chance it will follow up on many social elements that made Persona 3 to Persona 5 successful, it could also be a new benchmark game in the series, only keeping a few things over while providing some significant changes.
Persona 6 overhauling the series could upset fans who primarily enjoyed the games as social simulators, but can also be seen as a commendable risk that brings in a bigger audience. Despite originally releasing in 2016 in Japan, Persona 5 is still receiving spin-offs, leaving some fans tired of the game and its cast. Atlus is right to capitalize on Persona 5's success as that game brought the series into vast international popularity, but given how almost 7 years have passed since its original launch, making the next mainline Persona game completely different from its predecessor might be something the series needs.
How Persona 6 Can Overhaul The Series
Before Persona 3 in 2006, the first game in the series and the Persona 2 duology were dungeon-crawling RPGs that took players across a modern-day city to stave off a demon invasion. While Persona 2: Innocent Sin has romance, including the series' only same-sex male option, this is handled by a single choice where players choose one out of several party members protagonist Tatsuya has romantic chemistry with. Other choices could be made, but beyond the route to pick in the original game, the first three titles in the series had linear plots.
While there is potential in having a more streamlined structure with some options to alter plot details, there are other options the series could explore. The most obvious of these could be revisiting the road trip concept Persona 5 was originally pitched as, but since Persona 5: Strikers already explored that idea, a mainline title with the same idea might feel markedly similar even with the possibility of old locations and characters returning.
Something Persona 6 can do is take inspiration from other titles in the larger Megami Tensei franchise, adopting elements from other games and maybe even bits of another game's structure. One title in particular that it can take from is Devil Survivor as it also operates on a calendar system, but at a far brisker pace since all characters have a limited number of days to prevent their deaths.
Devil Survivor is only set over a few days, but player choice matters significantly as the wrong option could lead to any number of characters being permanently taken out of the story. While Persona 6 doesn't need to be that extreme, keeping to a single city and slimming down the calendar to focus on a more briskly paced plot could lead to stronger pacing as the writers do not have to plan the narrative around a specific point in the year. This focus can also potentially lead to more options for where to take the story.
Something like this has been done in the female protagonist route in Persona 3 Portable, as a party member is meant to die, but this can be changed if she gets close to them. Expanding the concept of social links with team members affecting the main plot could be an interesting direction that makes players feel more connected to the cast. It can also be worked into combat as smart decision-making could lead to party members trusting the protagonist more.
Persona games are incredibly lengthy, so having a more focused plot could be controversial, but if it leads to an overall stronger narrative, it could be an avenue worth pursuing. Regardless of where the series goes, any confirmation of Persona 6's plot and setting is likely still far off​​​​.
Persona 6 is currently in development.