Ever since the release of Persona 3 Reload in early 2024, there has been much discussion about the prospect of a Persona 4 remake. The fourth numbered entry in the Persona series may not be as dated as the original Persona 3, but it still isn't on par with modern Persona games in some respects. Persona 4's 3D character models and overall UI design pale in comparison to Persona 5 and the aforementioned Persona 3 Reload. Plus, its gameplay could be improved with the addition of some quality-of-life features and upgraded dungeons.
Several insiders have alleged that a Persona 4 remake is indeed in development, and even though Atlus hasn't officially announced anything yet, speculation surrounding this title has started to heat up again. Recently, Shihoko Hirata, the singer who provided the vocals for many of the songs in Persona 4, posted on her Instagram account that she had been hired to work on an unannounced game at a Tokyo-based recording facility known as MIT Studio. The facility in question has exclusively been used by Sega and Atlus in recent years. Because of this, many believe that Hirata is working on an unannounced Persona 4 remake. This may sound absurd to some, but there may be some truth in these rumors, especially considering that a Persona 4 remake could be released sooner than one might think.
Persona 6 Could Take One Persona 4 Social Link Design to the Next Level
Persona 6 should feature the return of split Social Links, which first appeared in Persona 4 but were absent in Persona 5.
A Persona 4 Remake Could Be Released in a Shorter Timeframe than Persona 3 Reload
A Persona 4 Remake Would Likely Follow Persona 3 Reload's Template
If a Persona 4 remake does exist, it will probably follow the same template that Persona 3 Reload used. In other words, the original game will likely be remade from the ground up in Unreal Engine 4, and the voice actors and the soundtrack will be replaced with updated versions. Additionally, dungeons may be slightly reworked, and combat may be tweaked to make it more similar to Persona 5. Changing Persona 4 this much would, no doubt, require a lot of time and effort. However, a potential remake of the game may not take as long to develop as Persona 3 Reload did.
Atlus Could Reuse Some of the Assets from Persona 3 Reload in a Persona 4 Remake
Even though they have entirely separate casts of characters, the Persona games usually feature similar combat mechanics, enemies, and attacks; Persona 3 and 4 are no exception in this regard. Many of the enemies, or shadows, in Persona 3 Reload are also present in Persona 4. The Angry Tables, Magic Hands, Gracious Cupids, Battle Wheels, and Immoral Snakes, for instance, all make an appearance in both games. Even some of the sound effects for the shadows in the original Persona 3 were outright reused in Persona 4.
Like most AAA titles these days, Persona 3 Reload took more than 4 years to develop. Although Atlus didn't have to write a new script for this game, it still had to rebuild the original Persona 3 from scratch using a new engine, which was likely time-consuming. Since the foundation for a current-gen Persona remake has already been established, though, perhaps a Persona 4 remake would take one or two years less to create. Atlus can do what the fellow Sega subsidiary, RGG Studio, does with its own Yakuza series by reusing assets when developing new games.
The Rumored Persona 4 Remake Could Be Released Sooner than Initially Expected
Some may frown upon the idea of reusing assets instead of making new ones, but in the Persona 4 remake's case, this would make a lot of sense. A player’s experience would not be dramatically worsened if Persona 3 Reload and a Persona 4 remake had some of the same character animations and 3D models, and because of that, Atlus may be more inclined to do this. Taking this into account, it seems quite plausible that the rumors about Shihoko Hirata and the Persona 4 remake are true. Maybe this rumored Persona game is farther along in development than initially expected and, if so, it may come out as early as 2027 or 2028.
WHERE TO PLAY
The world-renowned Persona 4 Golden promises unforgettable adventures, meaningful bonds, and heartwarming experiences shared together with friends.
They say your soulmate will appear if you stare into a television set on a rainy night…
This strange rumor slowly spreads through the rural town of Inaba, the protagonist’s new home, just as a chain of mysterious murders begin. As the protagonist and his teammates chase after the truth, they find themselves opening the door to another world.
Explore otherworldly dungeons, take down monstrous Shadows, and confront the darker sides of one's self as you inch closer to the truth behind the serial murder cases.
Venture around the town of Inaba, partake in an eventful school year, meet kindred spirits, and forge invaluable bonds.
New quality of life features including improved graphics and smoothness, difficulty selection and quick save functionality.
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PS2, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Switch, PS Vita
- How Long To Beat
- 73 Hours
