Summary
Despite being a mainline entry in its respective series,Persona 5has received a multitude of different spin-offs in various genres over the years since the original title’s 2016 inception, to the point where the game has practically become a franchise all its own. So far, there have been five games featuring thePersona 5cast. The first of these was the rhythm titlePersona 5: Dancing in Starlight, which was released exclusively on the PlayStation 4 and PS Vita in 2018. Afterward came the dungeon crawling RPGPersona Q2, which initially launched in Japan on the 3DS in the same year. These two games were then followed up by the hack-and-slash spin-offPersona 5 Strikersin 2021 and the tactical RPGPersona 5 Tacticain 2023.
The fifth and most recent entry in thePersona 5subseries, though, is a bit of a unique case. This recently-released spin-off, dubbedPersona 5: The Phantom X, is a game mostPersonafans likely won’t be too familiar with because it hasn’t been released outside of Asia. Additionally, even thoughPersona 5: The Phantom Xwas made playable to the public earlier this year, it hasn’t even received its official 1.0 launch yet; the game is still currently in open beta in select regions. Fortunately, though, Atlus and Sega have confirmed thatthis upcomingPersona 5spin-offis planned for an international release in the future. That being said, neither company has provided a single hint of when to expect a Western release and an official localization of the game. Now thatPersona 5: The Phantom Xis out in Asia, this is a matter that Atlus should address as soon as possible.
Atlus Should Let Fans Know When to Expect a Worldwide Release for Persona 5: The Phantom X
Persona 5: The Phantom X is a Free-to-Play Take on the P5 Formula
For the uninitiated,Persona 5: The Phantom Xis a turn-based mobile RPG for mobile phones and PCs in the vein offree-to-play gacha titleslikeGenshin ImpactandFinal Fantasy Brave Exvius. The game not only adapts thePersona 5experience to a free-to-play model, it also introduces an entirely new cast of characters in the world ofP5. Unlike most other titles in thePersonaseries, though,Persona 5: The Phantom Xis not developed or published by Atlus; instead, it’s being created by the Chinese game developer Black Wings Game Studio and its parent company, Perfect World Games, though Atlus does serve as a consultant.
Strangely enough, despite being based off of a Japanese franchise,Persona 5: The Phantom Xisn’t available in Japan, let alone the rest of the world. As previously alluded to, the game is only available in select east Asian territories at the moment, namely China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Macau. While there has at least been some recent evidence to suggest thata Japanese launch ofPersona 5: The Phantom Xis imminent, the same can’t be said of other regions around the globe.
An Update on Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Global Release is Important for Multiple Reasons
There are a variety of reasons why Atlus shouldn’t postponethe worldwide release ofPersona 5: The Phantom Xfor too long. Perhaps the most important of these is the rapidly increasing competition in the gacha game space. Recent titles likeWuthering WavesandZenless Zone Zero, for instance, have made waves in recent months across PC, mobile, and PlayStation, sucking up the time and attention of gamers worldwide. The longerP5Xtakes to get localized, the more competitors it’ll likely have to face.
Furthermore, if Atlus does provide a global release window forPersona 5: The Phantom Xin the near future, it could fill a gap in its 2025 portfolio. After all, outside ofP5X, there aren’t any formally-unveiledPersonagames on the horizon, as of this moment. Besides that, though, a launch period forthe recently-announcedP5Xconsole portswould likely excite fans and attract the attention of a broader audience. Having the ability to play this gacha game on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch will undoubtedly be ideal forPersona 5fans who aren’t interested in playing games on their phones.
Persona 5 Royal
WHERE TO PLAY
Don the mask and join the Phantom Thieves of Hearts as they stage grand heists, infiltrate the minds of the corrupt, and make them change their ways! Prepare for the award-winning RPG experience in this definitive edition of Persona 5 Royal, featuring a treasure trove of downloadable content included!Forced to transfer to a high school in Tokyo, the protagonist has a strange dream. “You truly are a prisoner of fate. In the near future, ruin awaits you.” With the goal of “rehabilitation” looming overhead, he must save others from distorted desires by donning the mask of a Phantom Thief.Explore Tokyo, unlock Personas, customize your own personal Thieves Den, experience alternate endings, and more. Become the ultimate Phantom Thief and defy conventions, discover the power within, and fight for justice in the definitive version of Persona 5 Royal.
