Despite defining and then redefining what a modern Persona series could be, frequent series director Katsura Hashino hasn't had much interest in the high school demon-hunting franchise since its last main entry in Persona 5 Royal.
After directing Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, and Catherine, Hashino decided to open a new subsidiary under Atlus and P-Studio called Studio Zero, which went on to produce the acclaimed Metaphor: Refantazio. But this also means that Hashino doesn't have the same creative input that he once did in the Persona series.
“Right now, my junior members—the members who came after me—have taken over the reins and are creating games for P-Studio,” Hasino said. Games informer. “I was on the sidelines watching them and seeing what they were doing. In that sense, I haven't been very involved in the Persona series since P5.”
However, P-Studio and Studio Zero exist in the same space, so the RPG maestro isn't completely cut off. “In the physical office of Atlus, the studio that makes Shin Megami Tensei, the studio that makes Persona, and us, the studio that makes Metaphor, we are in the same environment; there is nothing that divides us,” Hasino added. “Even if it's indirect, it's stimulating for us to see what other studios in our company are doing. We're not completely separate from the creative point of view, so be confident on that front. Of course, we cannot talk about what is happening at the moment, but we have this level of interaction.”
Atlus' next blockbuster will be a remake Persona 4: Rebirth. We still don't have any official information about Persona 6, but next year marks the series' 30th anniversary…
Persona Studios has “several projects in development” beyond Persona 4 Revival, and Atlus wants the JRPG series to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year so fans can “enjoy the series even more.”
