‘It’s Coming to a Turning Point’: Persona, Metaphor Director Says Atlus RPGs Must Attract ‘A Wider Audience’

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It feels like Atlus is at a bit of a crossroads.

For years, the Japanese game studio known for popular RPGs like Persona has stuck to a successful pattern. Even when they try something different, such as their new game Metaphor: ReFantazio, they often incorporate elements from the Persona series that made them famous.

However, Katsura Hashino, the director of Persona and Metaphor, understands the risks of only sticking to what you know.

In a recent Game Informer interview, Hashino explained that Atlus is focused on innovating and redefining what their JRPGs look like going forward.

We’re not just focusing on a particular type of game; we’re rethinking how we can improve our JRPGs and what that future looks like. We’re at a point where we want to significantly raise the quality and experience of our games in this genre, according to the developer.

Look, I don’t think Atlus is going to suddenly change everything and make a game that’s totally unlike anything they’ve done before. As Hashino said, they really want to keep doing what they’re good at – things like strong stories and keeping that classic JRPG feel. They’re not going to ditch what makes them, them!

What changes is Hashino hoping to make? He’s indicated a desire to make Atlus games more accessible, meaning he wants to reach a larger audience, even if some longtime fans disagree.

We recognize that times are changing, and we want to make our games more accessible to a broader audience, not just fans of JRPGs. We’re planning to update our approach to achieve that goal, as we strive to reach more players.

As we hinted, these comments are likely to cause a lot of discussion among Persona fans, but we have to say, we’re now very excited to see what the developers do next.

Many expect Persona 6 to be the game that explores a new path for the series, but its release is likely still quite a ways off.

What are your thoughts on what Hashino said? Does Atlus need to try a new approach, or should they stick with what they’re known for? Share your ideas in the comments below.

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2026-01-05 17:06