The forthcoming remake of Persona 4 will be “enjoyable in a new and different way”, according to P Studio director Kazuhisa Wada.
Speaking to Japanese outlet 4Gamer at this year’s Tokyo Game Show (translated by Persona Central), Wada discussed the Switch 2 release of Persona 3 Reload alongside its director Shigeo Komori, but also touched on the highly-anticipated Persona 4 Revival.
“Persona 4 already packed a ton of content in Persona 4 Golden, so when it comes to creating the next ‘R’, it’s not just about adding more – we have to create an experience that’s enjoyable in a new and different way,” said Wada. “And this includes the sheer volume of content, so to be honest, it’s a tough challenge. But it’s shaping up nicely!”
As with every mainline Persona game, Atlus released a revised Golden version of Persona 4 a couple of years after the original, which added new social links, new scenes, new difficulty levels, and other bonus content.
It’s unclear if this version will form the basis of the remake, or if Atlus has gone back to the original release. And just how different will it be?
Indeed, Atlus had a job on its hands with Persona 3 Reload. The original version of P3 was later revised as Persona 3 FES that added a new epilogue, while Persona 3 Portable added a female protagonist option.
When Persona 3 Reload was released last year, it took inspiration from the more modern Persona 5 Royal, but as it lacked all options from previous versions, for some fans it still didn’t offer the complete experience.
Still, in an interview with Denfaminicogamer (thanks Automaton), Wada stood by the decision not to add the female protagonist to Persona 3 Reload, stating the cost and time needed would’ve been several times the resources that went into the Episode Aigis DLC.
Persona 4 Golden is thoroughly beloved by series fans, so with the remake Atlus must be careful to offer something new while still appeasing its harshest critics.
Persona 4 Revival was finally officially revealed at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase in June, following multiple leaks and teases.
“We are currently working on this project with all our passion and love,” said Wada at the time. “We are confident that this will be a fresh and surprising product for both newcomers and long-time fans and we look forward to sharing it with you all.”