A game’s setting is one of the understated parts of its success. In the case of the Persona series, the protagonist often has to move to a different city or town due to certain circumstances. It’s an effective way to relate to the player as they immerse themselves in the game’s new and unfamiliar world. This makes the setting an integral part of each game’s story. The recent Persona releases’ settings, Persona 5 Royal‘s Tokyo and Persona 3 Reload‘s Tatsumi Port Island, offer a large and lively city to explore. However, Persona 6 could benefit from going the other way and following Persona 4’s lead when it comes to its setting.
The Persona series started as a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. The first two games laid the groundwork for the rest of the series with a main cast of high school students and turn-based combat featuring Personas. The third sequel added social simulation gameplay, wherein the main characters’ relationships affected how their Personas would progress. The games were set in fictional towns and cities until Persona 5, which had players exploring Tokyo.
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Why Persona 6 Should Be Set in a Small Town Like Persona 4’s Inaba
Information about Persona 6’s development is scarce, as Atlus hasn’t even officially announced that the sequel is on its way just yet. However, that hasn’t stopped fans of the series from discussing speculations and leaks. Forums like the JRPG and Persona subreddits are rife with threads about the game’s possible setting. Some want the game to be set in specific cities like Osaka, while others want to shake things up by having the protagonist be in college or even in an office instead of high school, as the games already discuss mature themes. Another popular sentiment is to set Persona 6 in a small town like in Persona 4’s fictional and rural Inaba, and it’s a brilliant idea for different reasons.
A Small-Town Setting Can Make Persona 6 Distinct from Persona 5’s Tokyo
The Persona series was already well-regarded among JRPG enthusiasts, but P5 launched it into record-breaking popularity. Therefore, Atlus has its work cut out for it to make the sequel distinct from its massively successful predecessor. One way to do this is to do a full 180 when it comes to the game’s scale.
According to 2024 data, the
Persona 5
series sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Atlus could set P6 in a small town to give fans a breath of fresh air after exploring the chaotic streets of Persona 5’s Tokyo and Persona 3 Reload’s Tatsumi Port Island. It would also be interesting for the series to tackle a serious problem on a smaller and more intimate scale, like the murder mystery in Persona 4’s Inaba. If done well, such a story could be just as impactful as the large-scale and conspiracy-ridden plot of Persona 5.
A Smaller Setting Could Coincide With Persona 6’s Leaked Central Theme
An X (formerly known as Twitter) user named p0wyful recently posted a thread of leaks regarding Persona 6’s development. The most interesting information involves the game’s potential conflict, which the leaker stated would probably be “modernity vs. tradition,” more specifically modern art vs. traditional art. The game’s protagonist could also be an art school student, according to the rumors.
If this information turns out to be true, then a small town would be the perfect setting to mirror the central theme. The game could explore the effects of gentrification and large corporations’ expansion to rural areas, like its fellow social sim game Stardew Valley or the film Evil Does Not Exist (2023). Traditions are what make every group of people unique, which is why it’s essential to preserve them. Modern technology and practices can also help society thrive. However, greed and corruption under the guise of modernization have also caused disasters across history. There is no better way to interpret the critical balance between modernity and tradition than in a Persona game set in a quaint town on the verge of rural gentrification.
