Summary
Atlus producer Kazushi Wada has addressed why there’s no option to play as a female protagonist inPersona 3 Reload, stating it was too expensive to implement.Persona 3 Reloadlaunched this past February 2, which was a full remake of the original 2006 JRPG.Reloadimplements a number of mechanics and features from past re-releases ofPersona 3, such as new scenes and mechanics that weren’t in the original game. One feature that many fans wanted to make a return was the inclusion of the female protagonist.
Atlus introduced the option to play asa female protagonist inPersona 3 Portable, colloquially known as Minako Arisato or Kotone Shiomi. Playing as a female protagonist provides a different experience compared to the male protagonist, such as new social links, different romance options, and some changes in things like the cutscenes, music, and dialogue. Many fans believedReloadwould have been a great place to include her, but were crestfallen when Atlus confirmed that no option would be included, even as post-launch DLC.Reload’s producer, Kazushi Wada, recently discussed that a female protagonist option was considered, but was scrapped.
In an interview withFamitsu, Wada was asked about adding the female protagonist fromPortableintoReload. Wada laments that there is no possibility for a female protagonist, apologizing to fans of the character. He notes they considered adding the female protagonist early on, but found that the time and cost dedicated to including it was too high. Wada says it would have been much costlier and would have taken more time to develop than theEpisode Aigis: The Answer DLCthat was announced earlier this week. “For a female protagonist, I am sorry to say that unfortunately, there is no possibility for a female protagonist,” said Wada. “Of course, we were considering a female protagonist as well, but the development time and cost would be several times longer than Episode Aigis, and the hurdles would be too high.”
While fans are upset that the female protagonist is being skipped over again,translatingPersona 3 Portable’s female protagonist route toReloadwould understandably be pretty difficult. As a lot of content fromPersona 3 Portablewas built off a more limited visual novel-like presentation, the social links and events would need to be recreated and animated from scratch, on top of dedicating resources to recreating the NPCs and social links that were introduced in the female protagonist’s route. All of this adds up to an amount of work Atlus would likely have considered to be too expensive to invest in.
For a female protagonist, I am sorry to say that unfortunately, there is no possibility for a female protagonist. Of course, we were considering a female protagonist as well, but the development time and cost would be several times longer than Episode Aigis, and the hurdles would be too high.
Atlus choosing to remakeThe Answer epilogue fromPersona 3 FESas DLC was likely the better move in the long run, though it also was a complicated affair. Wada stated that The Answer epilogue was considered to also be remade forReload’s launch, but due to “challenging reasons,” the developers were almost forced to exclude it entirely. Due to the amount of requests from fans to include the campaign, the project was officially moved into development. Wada also says that The Answer DLC is 40-50% done, with the overall base completed.
Persona 3 Reload
WHERE TO PLAY
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI. Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover. Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters. Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
