I was initially confused by a recent new demo forPersona 3 Reload, but I think I’ve figured out why it’s coming out now. The reason the demo confused me in the first place is that it came out so long after the game was released. This seemed like a pretty big departure from how Atlus had recently handled a similar demo, and I wasn’t sure what the incentive would be to change things so drastically.
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s democame out shortly before the game was released, and allowed you to carry over your progress in it to the main game.Persona 3 Reload’s demo works the same way, but its timing is strange. I could see introducing it around the time thatPersona 3: Episode Aigis - The Answercame out to attract more players around the time of a new release, but it’s been seven months since the game got any new content, and I expect most interested players have already bought it. However,recent rumors could explain why it’s just coming out now.
Atlus released itsPersona 3 Reloaddemo six days ago, and it’s honestly more generous of a sample than I would have expected.The demo covers about a month of in-game time, meaning you’ll get to play through the game’s (notoriously slow) opening, experience a good chunk of the basic gameplay loop, and fight the game’s first Full Moon boss. This is hours of gameplay - as many as seven by some accounts I’ve seen - and more than enough to know whether you’re into aPersonagame.
As far as demos go,I would considerPersona 3 Reload’s to be incredibly generous. Most demos I’ve played give you a much smaller sample of a game to try and tease you into buying the full thing. While seven hours ofPersona 3 Reloadwould definitely get me to buy it if I hadn’t already, I could see some players flaming out and deciding the demo was more than enough for them. Although I think a shorter runtime may work better for selling players onPersona 3 Reload, that might not be the demo’s only goal.
Persona 3’s Demo Could Be To Build Interest In The Franchise Before A Big Announcement
Atlus Has Previously Announced Games At Xbox Games Showcases
It’s very possible that Atlus doesn’t just want to try and sell more copies ofPersona 3 Reload,but also drum up some interest in the franchise in general. Since its release in China,Personafans have been expecting an announcement regarding a wider release ofPersona 5: The Phantom X. It’s also been nearly nine years sincePersona 5originally came out, so I wouldn’t be surprised to get a potential update onPersona 6some time soon. Given how previous titles were revealed, some players also think they know when these announcements may be happening.
Seeing as bothMetaphor: ReFantazioandPersona 3 Reloadwere originally announced at an Xbox Games Showcase as part of 2023’s Summer Game Fest,there has been speculation that Atlus will be announcing something again at this year’s event in June. With Atlus announcing multiple games in 2023, thePersona 3 Reloaddemo could even be building hype for multiple announcements. While I wouldn’t be too shocked to at least get some word onPersona 5: The Phantom X, and aPersona 6reveal would be a welcome surprise, there is one other announcement that seems most likely to happen.
The Persona 4 Remake Is Rumored To Be Announced Soon
There Have Been A Few Hints That A Persona 4 Remake Is In The Works
Rumors about aPersona 4remakehave been circulating for a while. Recently, a website domain that was nearly identical toPersona 3 Reload’s was registered. ThePersona 3 Reloadsite was reportedly registered a few months before its reveal,which would be a similar timeline if aPersona 4remake gets announced in June. Singer Shihoko Hirata, who worked on the originalPersona 4soundtrack, also recently announced that she wasrecording for an unannounced game. While nothing is concrete, it still feels like there are more hints of aPersona 4remake than forPersona 6.
While aPersona 4remake would be my personal choice - andPersona 5: The Phantom Xis at the bottom of my wishlist - I’d be happy with anyPersonaannouncements. I hope I’m right aboutPersona 3 Reload’s demo possibly being used to drum up some excitement for the franchise ahead of a new game getting released. Even if I’m wrong, however, I would recommend checking the demo out if you’ve never played the game. It will let you know whether you should be as excited as I am about the prospect of morePersonagames getting announced.
