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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Speaking on J-Wave radio Persona 3, 4 & 5 Director Katsura Hashino said that at the time of Persona 3 Atlus were about to collapse and he was told it would be their last game. He said they had to broaden the series' appeal with P3 otherwise the company would disappear.

He struggled to convince some senior staff & said something like “if we make a game that just makes the intense fans happy, how will it attract new people? the company will disappear.”The old fans staff complained a lot saying “It’s changed” But he replied "what if it dies?"...

So in the end they accepted it.He deeply analyzed and broke down the previous games in terms of the systems, settings, themes, etc. to propose the new game to the senior staff and said “this is what the Persona series will become. It will be ok, forgive me.”

Former Shonen Jump Editor Kazuhiko Torishima, also said the story of the company about to collapse & the next game being their last was the same as the first Final Fantasy game!Source: "TOKYO M.A.A.D SPIN" with Yuji Horii, Hashino san and Torishima san

 

[NeverYouMind]

Dislike the morbid themes of this game, but I am happy Atlus is still around and gave me Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Persona 4, and Shin Megami Tensei 3.

 

[West Texas CEO]

Very interesting.
To think P3 could've been Atlus' final fantasy..

 

[Solidus_T]

Dislike the morbid themes of this game, but I am happy Atlus is still around and gave me Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Persona 4, and Shin Megami Tensei 3.

You should also try Shin Megami Tensei 4 and Final/Apocalypse. Great SMT games.

 

[64bitmodels]

Dislike the morbid themes of this game

With this news in mind, it makes a lot of sense lol,

But also a bit offputting. Why would they make a game about suicide when they're trying to branch out??

 

[NeverYouMind]

You should also try Shin Megami Tensei 4 and Final/Apocalypse. Great SMT games.

I have watched some clips and unfortunately the premise of the plot does not interest me at all. Same as V. Lucifer's Call was a one-off for me.

 

[Draugoth]

Waiting a discount to buy both

 

[MudoSkills]

But also a bit offputting. Why would they make a game about suicide when they're trying to branch out??

Because it isn't a game about suicide.

 

[64bitmodels]

Because it isn't a game about suicide.

ok to phrase it better, why have the way you activate your persona be.... a gun to your head???

Not like i disapprove or anything but that's not exactly 'casual friendly' people are gonna see that and think its fucking weird and morbid

 

[Punished Miku]

ok to phrase it better, why have the way you activate your persona be.... a gun to your head???

Not like i disapprove or anything but that's not exactly 'casual friendly' people are gonna see that and think its fucking weird and morbid

I think it was made for the sensibilities of Japanese gamers.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

ok to phrase it better, why have the way you activate your persona be.... a gun to your head???

Not like i disapprove or anything but that's not exactly 'casual friendly' people are gonna see that and think its fucking weird and morbid

because the devs thought it would be a bit cool and edgy and the game has a gothic thing going on. I guess they called it right as P3 brought the series from super niche to into the mainstream for JRPGs and Japanese made games. It gave the game a bit of spotlight for having weird concepts like that and despite being the 3rd entry people gave it a chance and it saved them.

 

[lachesis]

It was a big hit for PS2, and literally saved Atlus back then - and that's why Atlus really values P3 (for saving them).
Looking forward the modern remake ver.

 

[Danjin44]

But also a bit offputting. Why would they make a game about suicide when they're trying to branch out??

The game’s theme is around loss and death, each character have and will experience loss.

why have the way you activate your persona be.... a gun to your head???

It mostly symbolize character have to face death, which at end of the game they literary have to fight one.

 

[poodaddy]

I appreciate Persona. Despite not caring for the games personally, my wife loves them, and their extreme success allows for SMT's continued existence.

 

[YukiOnna]

ok to phrase it better, why have the way you activate your persona be.... a gun to your head???

Not like i disapprove or anything but that's not exactly 'casual friendly' people are gonna see that and think its fucking weird and morbid

Because it's cool and it represents the tagline of the game: Memento Mori/Remember you will die.

No different from P4's Card crush, or P5's mask rip.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

P3 > P4 > P5

don't waste your time with @ me

 

[Dream-Knife]

You should also try Shin Megami Tensei 4 and Final/Apocalypse. Great SMT games.

Honestly the best overall games Atlus has made.

Strange Journey has better story, and SMT5 has the best combat now, but 4/4 final are just the complete package of gameplay and story.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

ok to phrase it better, why have the way you activate your persona be.... a gun to your head???

Not like i disapprove or anything but that's not exactly 'casual friendly' people are gonna see that and think its fucking weird and morbid

Because most likely the devs didn’t know how guns are seen in the US. Japan is an incredibly safe country with very little firearms (which is why Yakuza mostly fight with fists, baseball bats, etc.). Remember this was 20 years ago, I doubt a single dev was outside of Japan.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Well, from what I’ve read about the first two Persona games, they weren’t exactly the kind of stuff that has broad appeal and is expected to be a smash hit.

 

[Griffon]

Persona 1 was a massive hit (in Japan). But by the end of the PS2 era the money likely all dried out.