Persona 3 Reload Still Unlikely to Include Female Protagonist from P3P

Persona 3 Reload's Female Protagonist Exclusion: A Costly Decision

Atlus producer Kazushi Wada has reiterated the unlikelihood of Persona 3 Portable's popular female protagonist (FeMC), Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato, appearing in Persona 3 Reload. This decision, stemming from significant development challenges, leaves many fans disappointed.

Wada, in a recent interview with PC Gamer, explained that while initially considered, incorporating the FeMC proved too costly and time-consuming, even as post-launch DLC. The development resources required to add her surpassed what was feasible, given the already substantial undertaking of remaking Persona 3.

The February release of Persona 3 Reload, a faithful remake of the 2006 classic, omitted the FeMC, despite her popularity in Persona 3 Portable. Wada emphasized the impracticality of including her, stating that the development time and costs would have been unmanageable within their current release schedule. He expressed regret, acknowledging the disappointment of fans who had hoped for her inclusion.

This sentiment echoes previous statements by Wada to Famitsu, where he highlighted the significantly greater development effort and expense compared to the recently released Episode Aigis DLC. The hurdles, he explained, were simply too high. While many anticipated the FeMC's appearance, either at launch or as post-release content, Wada's latest comments effectively confirm its unfeasibility.