ThePersonafranchise has an oddly uncertain future right now. Although things look hugely optimistic on the whole thanks to all the new fans thatPersona 5brought in, it’s also very hard to predict what exactlyPersona 6will be like. Atlus says that it wantsPersona 6to surpassPersona 5,but it’s not entirely clear what metric Atlus has in mind for that challenge. Atlus probably wantsPersona 6to be even more successful, but maybe it also wantsPersona 6to be bigger sheerly by scale, offering more content than ever before. Whatever the case, it sounds likePersona 6might bring its own drastic changes to the franchise.
AlthoughPersona 5reworked some major partsof its franchise,it also left others untouched. For instance,Persona 5’s Joker is a fairly traditional protagonist for the franchise in that players have very little control over his appearance. This could be an area wherePersona 6differs from its predecessors. Maybe Atlus will finally give fans the power to customize their player character and establish a unique aesthetic; character customization would undoubtedly be a huge selling point for the game. What’s more, if Atlus reuses an old concept forPersona 5,customization could reflect on the game’s plot in a valuable way.
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Dressing Up Persona 6’s Protagonist
ThePersonagames generally star silent protagonists, but Atlus has a knack for giving them personalities anyway. Aside from their very distinct appearances,Persona 4’s player characterhas a reputation for being gentle and kind, whereasPersona 5’s Joker alternates between mild-mannered and daring. These characters are memorable and charming, but it’s a little disappointing that players have so little control over each protagonist’s appearance and expression. Players might be able to form a personality in their minds throughPersona’s dialogue options, but unless players pay for cosmetics, they usually can’t decide what the player character looks like.
Even a small amount of character customization at the beginning ofPersona 6would go a long way to change that. The game doesn’t have to offer dramatic customization with hundreds of options and sliders found in other RPGs. Instead, a handful of customization options that can share an animation rig would work wonders. If players canchoose thePersona 6protagonist’s body type, hairstyle, pronouns, and voice, thenPersona 6would already be leagues ahead of the previous games. It would be a slow transition into character customization that lets Atlus feel out the mechanic, both for itself and its fans, before potentially expanding character creation inPersona 7and beyond.
Outside of customizing a character at the start of the game,Persona 6might consider adding clothing options to the game. AlthoughPersonafans often pour their in-game money into precious healing items and equipment, it’d be great to have some cosmetics that players can buy for the protagonist.Pokemon’s voyage into customizationrepeatedly shows the value of purchasable clothes that either reference previous games or simply offer stylish options to players, soPersonawould be wise to try the same thing. A protagonist that reflects the player’s aesthetic and personality could help get fans even more invested inPersona 6than previousPersonagames.
The Value of Customization in Persona 6
IfPersona 6introduces character customization, it doesn’t have to be a mere draw to the new game. On the contrary, customization might go a long way in exploringPersona 6’s themes. ThePersonafranchise loves to build games around core concepts, likePersona 5’s focus on rebellion, and so it seems likely thatPersona 6will do the same thing. If that’s the case, then fashion, cosmetics, and personal style could crop up a lot as part ofPersona 6’s exploration of a theme such as self-discovery or independence. Characters might discuss how their appearances affect their lives, how they’ve learned to express their true selves, and so on.
Themes and conversations like these would be particularly sensibleifPersona 6uses the road trip conceptthatPersona 5was almost founded on.Persona 5director Katsura Hashino once wanted to make the game about a road trip where the protagonists learn about themselves while traveling.Persona 6could still take thePersonafranchise abroad by returning to that idea. Encountering international fashion and culture on aPersonaroad trip would be a great way to tie character customization intoPersona 6’s narrative.
At the same time, customization would be a good way forPersonato explore its own identity.Persona 5brought so many fans into the franchise that it also brought a huge wave of pressure to keep both new and old fans entertained without just repeating whatPersona 5did right. Because ofthe state ofPersona,the next game has to take some risks and try some new things in order to see what makes its growing audience happiest. If customization appears inPersona 6but isn’t received well, it doesn’t have to stay in the franchise. Atlus can return to its traditional protagonists and move forward with a stronger knowledge of whatPersonais meant to be.
A New Look for Persona
Whether Atlus is interested in as drastic a change as character customization remains to be seen. Many regard Atlus as slow change how it developers or distributesPersona,so it may view character customization as an unnecessary risk, favoring a completed silent protagonist that players have little say over. A traditional protagonist inPersona 6wouldn’t be a bad thing inherently; after all, carefully crafted heroes have carriedPersonapretty far already. Still, the point remains thatPersona 6has to dosomething new and exciting to surpassPersona 5.Character customization could be that special something.
AlthoughPersonais in the midst of its 25th anniversary celebration, it doesn’t sound likePersona 6news is around the corner. So far,Persona’s anniversary celebration has been pretty modest, rather than packed with new games or remakes like fans hoped.Persona 6’s official reveal could be what wraps up the anniversary celebration next year, but it seems unlikely on the whole. For now, fans will have to wait and see what kind of risks Atlus is willing to take. If it’s looking to rework the pillars of the franchise, then the protagonist blueprint might be the place to start. As much as fans wantPersona 6,it’s for the best if Atlus carefully weighs how deeply it’s willing to dive into character customization.
