With the recent release ofPersona 5 Royalon all modern platforms including Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, more players than ever are getting to play this popular JRPG for the first time as the community surrounding it continues to grow. One of the best parts ofthePC release ofPersona 5 Royalis how fans have found new and refreshing ways to mod the game to create unique experiences not possible before. One particular mod, however, sets the stage for a much-needed feature thatPersona 6needs to include.
The mod in question allows players to play as afemale version ofPersona 5 Royal’s protagonist Joker, including a complete overhaul of their Phantom Thieves costume and other various outfits. The mod even goes so far as to feature new voice-over lines from female voice actors and new romance options like Ryuji, Mishima, Yusuke, and Akechi. While this mod is a fun twist for PC players to check out, it highlights the need forPersona 6to allow players to choose the gender of their protagonist in the base game.
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Persona 6 Needs Gender Options for its Protagonist
While thePersonaseries has typically locked players into playing as male protagonists, there are a couple of exceptions that set the precedent forPersona 6to include gender options.Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the direct sequel toPersona 2: Innocent Sin, is the first in the series to feature a female protagonist with players taking on the role of Maya Amano. While the initial editions of the next game in the series only featured a male protagonist,Persona 3 Portableintroduced the option to choose between a male or female protagonist with different romance options depending on which gender is chosen.
Although female protagonist options in the series are scarce, the popularity of thePersona 5 Royalmod shows that Atlus would be wise to bring thefeature back forPersona 6. Being able to choose the gender of the playable character helps the player connect more with the game as they are better able to put themselves in the protagonist’s shoes. With how games in today’s world are striving for better representation of their characters, giving players the option to choose their gender seems like a simple feature that could go a long way towards making the game more accessible.
The few voiced lines Joker has inPersona 5 Royaland the ability for the player to choose most of his dialogue options means it is very possible to swap the character’s gender without much difference to the story. This would be even more doable if the game was designed from the start with different protagonist genders in mind, much likePersona 3 Portable. Even if Atlus decides the protagonist should be fully voiced, agame likeFire Emblem Engageshows that having the option to choose the main character’s gender doesn’t also mean they have to be silent protagonists.
With how much thePersonafan base has grownthanks to the success ofPersona 5, Atlus would be wise to take note of popular fan-made mods and player critiques when considering what elements to include inPersona 6. The game has the potential to further grow the fan base should it capitalize on some of the most wanted fan features and includes more diverse role-playing options. While the unofficial mod doesn’t have to be the exact blueprint forPersona 6to follow, it should at least demonstrate the desire among thePersonacommunity for the option to choose between protagonist genders in future entries.
Persona 5 Royalis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
