"Best Legal Ways to Play Persona Games in 2025"

In the wake of the release of Persona 5 Royal, Atlus' Persona series has solidified its status as an iconic JRPG franchise. Persona 5 has become so emblematic that fans, often referred to as gamer-tourists, flock to Shibuya station to capture the iconic shot of the Phantom Thieves above the Shibuya Scramble. Despite the station's remodeling, the angle is still achievable.

But this success story unfolded gradually. Persona is a spin-off from Atlus’ other RPG series, Shin Megami Tensei, with the first game released nearly three decades ago. Contrary to what the game titles might suggest, there aren't just five mainline Persona games; there are six, not including spin-offs, remakes, and enhanced versions. Notably, Metaphor: ReFantazio is not part of the Persona series.

Exploring this rich, 30-year JRPG history is rewarding, though some games are harder to find than others. Here's a guide on where you can legally play all the mainline Persona games. You might need to invest in a PSP.

Revelations: Persona

Revelations: Persona was released in 1996 for the original PlayStation, with later versions for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation Portable. The story begins with our heroes gaining their personas after a fortune-telling session. The most recent hardware it's available on is the PlayStation Classic from 2018. Unfortunately, there's no version on modern consoles. You'll need a physical copy for PS1, PlayStation Classic, or PSP. However, Atlus seems keen on remaking older Persona games, so a modern remaster might be on the horizon.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2—Innocent Sin

Also known as Persona 2: Innocent Sin, this sequel was released in 1999 for PlayStation, but only in Japan. It reached North America and Europe over a decade later with a PSP port in 2011, and it's also available on the PlayStation Vita. There's currently no modern console version. Innocent Sin follows high schoolers in the fictional town of Sumaru as they confront a mysterious villain named Joker, whose rumors alter reality.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

Eternal Punishment is a direct sequel to Innocent Sin, released in 2000. It continues the story of the "Joker Curse" but through the eyes of a teenage reporter. It saw a simultaneous North American release on PlayStation in 2000 and a PSP remake in 2011, which was also available on the PlayStation Network for PS3 in 2013. Like its predecessor, it's not on modern hardware, but a combined remake of Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment might be in the works.

Persona 3

Persona 3 marked the series' departure from the Shin Megami Tensei shadow. Released in 2006 in Japan and 2007 in North America for PlayStation 2, it follows teens grappling with death as they investigate the "Dark Hour." Persona 3 FES, with an added epilogue, came out the next year for PS3.

Persona 3 has seen multiple remakes. Persona 3 Portable, an abridged version for PSP, became available on PS4, Windows, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, with physical releases for Xbox One, Switch, and PS4 in 2023. Many consider Portable the best version.

The latest iteration, Persona 3 Reload, released in 2024, caters to fans of Persona 5 Royal and is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. Physical versions are available for PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

Persona 4

Persona 4 hit the PlayStation 2 in 2008, presenting a classic murder mystery where teens use personas to solve murders. Its enhanced version, Persona 4 Golden, released for PlayStation Vita in 2012 and is now available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Physical copies are available for all platforms except PC.

Persona 5

Persona 4 turned heads, but Persona 5 made the series a household name. Released in 2016 for PS3 and PS4 in Japan and worldwide in 2017, its definitive version, Persona 5 Royal, came out in North America in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Persona 5 follows a protagonist, codenamed Joker, wrongfully accused of assault and relocated to Tokyo. He becomes entangled in the world of "palaces," metaphysical places born from delusions, leading to the formation of the Phantom Thieves.

Persona 5 Royal is now playable on nearly all modern platforms: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Both physical and digital copies are available.