Publisher Atlus has some big plans for the
Persona series, with an enhanced Vita port of
Persona 4, a series sequel and even a spin-off fighting game in the works.
As reported by Japan's Weekly Famitsu (and
translated by Andriasang),
Persona 4: The Golden will bring the PS2 RPG to Sony's upcoming portable with additional voice work, new animated cut scenes, and a new character.
In a move reminiscent of Atlus'
Demon's Souls, the Vita port will also include the ability to connect with other players over a network connection to ask for help with tricky dungeons. The port is planned for a Spring 2012 release.
Famitsu also revealed the existence of
Persona 4: The Ultimate In Mayonaka Arena, an unexpected spin-off in which the familiar
Persona 3 and
4 characters enter a fighting tournament held in the world within their TVs.
Developed with the support of the Arc System Works team that worked on the
Blazblue fighting series, a PS3 and Xbox 360 release for
Ultimate is also being planned for Spring 2012.
Finally, Famitsu reports that preliminary work has begun on the fifth game in the main
Persona series, with series director Katsura Hashino, character designer Shigenori Soejima and composer Shouji Meguro reprising their positions.
A consistent top-seller in its native Japan, the
Persona series has achieved cult classic status in North America, thanks to widely lauded localizations from Atlus' American branch.
