All Persona Games on PC: Is Persona 1 PC Finally Happening?

Believe it or not, the notion of having the entire Persona franchise on PC is finally within reach. Following a series of intermittent releases that, truthfully, didn't make too much sense on their own, PC gamers will soon finally have the opportunity to play all the recent mainline Persona titles without having to own a PlayStation console!

For those that are already familiar with Persona - or Shin Megami Tensei: Persona - this is extremely exciting news. For the more widespread PC gamer audience, however, the franchise might not have all that much pull by default. In this article, we'll go into a bit of detail on what Persona is and why it's so important, among a variety of other topics.

Down below, you'll also find a comprehensive list of all the confirmed Persona titles coming out on PC in the future. Naturally, we also have a list (and links!) to all the existing PC releases available right this instant. If you're lucky, you may even have a chance to snag a few of them at a steep discount!

The Persona Franchise: What Is It?

Persona is Atlus' magnum opus, in effect. The company's prized intellectual property has, over the years, attained absolutely immense critical acclaim and fan adoration. What's particularly interesting is that Persona is basically "just" an offshoot of Megami Tensei. The two series of games are, however, plainly set in the same universe, and reference one another when the opportunity shows.

When it comes to Persona, specifically, the games' strongest draw has traditionally been rather simple. Mundane, even, compared to its actual subject matter. It's schoolwork, of all things. You see, Persona games traditionally feature a group of students as its main roster of characters. The (usually silent) player character then interacts with them, leads them in combat, and - of course - lives out a year's worth of high school fantasy. It's all about the finer things in life, you see.

After all - who doesn't battle an occasional god after being done with classes for the day?

Why are Persona titles on PC so interesting?

Setting aside the fact that they are objectively amazing, Persona also started its life as a PlayStation exclusive. Now, unless you've been hiding under a rock over the past couple of years, you're already aware of what's going on in the PC gaming space. Namely, the exclusives are coming to us!

There are two components to the argument that a console exclusive ought to be available on, say, a different console. Or a PC. The first is the one we just mentioned - quality. The second, however, is the simple notion that a game would be exclusive in the first place! After all, the grass is always greener, and who wouldn't want a spicy new PS exclusive on their badass gaming rig? Or a portable PC, for that matter.

Which Persona titles are available on PC right now?

We're thrilled to announce that all of the currently available PC Persona is sold via 2Game! In effect, this means you can upgrade your Steam library right this instant with a bucketful of Persona. here's what we've got:

• Persona 4 Golden
• Arena Ultimax - Persona 4
• Persona 5 Strikers

This admittedly slightly erratic list of games will be getting filled out over time, however. As you're likely to have already heard, we're getting two more major Persona releases on PC in the coming months. Great news all around, eh?

Sadly, the earliest titles in the franchise, such as Megami Ibunroku Persona, for example, don't appear to be the focus at this time. This may change down the line, but for the time being, Atlus is working with its PSP Remake repertoire and mainline PlayStation offerings to begin with. This may change down the line, yes, but there's no telling if that might be the case.

Upcoming Persona Titles on PC

The specific Persona title that almost everyone has been hoping to see on PC is none other than Persona 5 Royal, and it just so happens that we have a release date! It should be out and about in just a few short months, you see. After that's all done and dusted, Atlus will also have a PC build of Persona 3 Portable ready to go, though that won't be coming out until 2023 at the earliest.

• Persona 5 Royal - October 21, 2022
• Persona 3 Portable - TBA, 2023

This gives us a solid look at the pace at which Atlus aims to push these titles out. And, of course, it's always worth pointing out that some of Atlus' other games are still coming out on PC in the interim. Soul Hackers 2, for one, will be out on the 26th of August!

Odds of PC Getting Older Franchise Releases, Too?

Now, if you've kept count through all of this, then you may have noticed that we've talked about Persona 3, 4, and 5, as well as some of their offshoot releases, such as Arena Ultimax. It's not hard to come to the conclusion, then, that not all Persona titles will be on PC once Atlus' schedule is all wrapped up.

Naturally, there was a Persona 1 and a Persona 2, and, hell, the original game (back when it first bifurcated from its Megami Tensei roots) even got a kinda-sorta remake back in 2009. Odds are that it, too, will make its way onto PC in due time. That, however, is outside the purview of what we currently know for a fact is coming.

On that note - we'll just need to wait and see for the time being.

Is Persona 1 PC Going to Happen? Ever?

As it currently stands, there's virtually no telling whether Atlus has got a PC version of Persona 1 in the pipeline in any meaningful way. The simple fact is that the original two Persona titles differ a fair bit from anything that came before. With that in mind, the original Persona has become more of a spin-off than its successors (to say nothing of Shin Megami Tensei proper), and it's entirely possible that the developer isn't interested in producing a proper, full-fledged port in the first place.

Persona 1 - also known as Megami Ibunroku Persona - was a standout launch in many different ways. Aside from kicking things off for one of the most beloved JRPG franchises of all time, it also established some key elements of the games' respective narratives. Still, Atlus's focus lies squarely on its more recent releases. In equal measure understandable and disappointing, we'd say.

Closing Thoughts

Of course, now that we've gone over all the facts, it's worth pointing out that Persona is coming to Xbox, too. Over the past couple of years, Atlus has finally spread its wings and started exploring other platforms. The final result? An expansion of the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchises' influence to unprecedented levels.

While these are effectively CRPGs in more ways than not, the games still deliver an entirely unique experience. Featuring a creepy, Jungian approach to its own mythology, Persona pulls its players into a world that's both similar and different to our own. With affable characters, surprisingly compelling narratives, and a gameplay loop to match its phenomenal art style, it's hard to argue against the IP's almost universal appeal.

And now, with all the most important Persona titles available on PC, it's time to jump in - headfirst! With 2Game, of course.