Persona 1 and 2 Remake Is Something Atlus Must Do

Persona 1 and Persona 2 are the first two entries in Atlus's Persona role-playing game series, a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. Developed by Atlus, a Japanese video game studio founded in 1986, these classic PlayStation-era JRPGs established the series' signature blend of turn-based combat, demon negotiation, and high school social simulation. The core question addressed by the Kotaku report is whether Atlus will modernize these 1990s titles for contemporary platforms, with the studio reportedly indicating that remakes are inevitable.

Key Facts

Persona 1 and Persona 2 are the foundational entries in Atlus's Persona franchise, released between 1996 and 2000 for the original PlayStation. The following table consolidates the known release data and platform information for these titles.

Why Does Atlus Consider Remaking Persona 1 and 2 Inevitable?

According to the Kotaku report, Atlus has indicated that remaking Persona 1 and 2 is a matter of "when," not "if." The studio's reasoning centers on the growing demand from the Persona fanbase, which has expanded significantly since Persona 5's 2016 release, and the fact that the original PlayStation titles remain inaccessible to modern audiences on current platforms.

The Persona series has seen a dramatic audience expansion in the past decade. Persona 5, released in 2016, sold over 3.2 million copies by 2019, and Persona 5 Royal surpassed 1.8 million copies by 2021. This growth has created a generation of players who have never experienced the first two entries, which have not received the same remaster treatment as Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5.

"Persona 1 and 2 Remake Is Something Atlus Must Do" — Kotaku headline summarizing the studio's position on the inevitability of remaking the classic titles.

Kotaku, "Persona 1 and 2 Remake Is Something Atlus Must Do"

Atlus has not announced a release date, platform, or development timeline for Persona 1 and 2 remakes as of the latest available information.

What Would a Persona 1 and 2 Remake Include?

A modern Persona 1 and 2 remake would likely require substantial updates to combat systems, visual presentation, and user interface to meet contemporary JRPG standards. The original games feature first-person dungeon crawling (Persona 1) and grid-based tactical combat (Persona 2), both of which differ significantly from the third-person presentation of Persona 3 through 5.

The original Persona 1 features a first-person dungeon-crawling perspective with random encounters, while Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment introduced a more narrative-driven structure with a grid-based battle system. Both games predate the social simulation mechanics that define Persona 3, 4, and 5, meaning a remake would need to decide whether to preserve the original gameplay or modernize it to match the series' current identity.

Atlus has previously demonstrated a remaster approach with Persona 3 Portable (re-released in 2023) and Persona 4 Golden (re-released in 2023), both of which retained their original gameplay while adding quality-of-life improvements. However, a full remake of Persona 1 and 2 would represent a more significant undertaking, as the original code and assets are over 25 years old.

No official specifications, pricing, or release window for a Persona 1 and 2 remake have been published by Atlus as of the latest available information.

How Does This Compare to Other Persona Remakes and Remasters?

Atlus has released remastered versions of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden on modern platforms, but has not yet produced a full-scale remake of any mainline Persona title. The Persona 1 and 2 situation differs because these games have never received a modern re-release on current-generation consoles.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment received PSP ports in 2011 and 2012 respectively, but these were released only in Japan and have never been localized for Western audiences. This means the only way to play Persona 2 in English remains the original PlayStation versions, which are increasingly difficult to obtain and play on modern hardware.

Persona 1 and 2 are the only mainline Persona titles that have not received a modern remaster or remake, making them the most inaccessible entries in the series for contemporary players.

Who Is This For?

The Persona 1 and 2 remake discussion is primarily relevant to three groups: long-time Persona fans who played the original PlayStation titles, newer players who entered the series with Persona 5 and want to experience the franchise's origins, and JRPG collectors who value complete series access on modern platforms.

For long-time fans, a remake would offer the opportunity to revisit the games with modern quality-of-life improvements. For newer players, it would provide a way to experience the series' narrative and thematic foundations without needing to source original PlayStation hardware and cartridges. The PSP ports of Persona 2, which were Japan-only, have created a specific demand among Western fans for an official English release of these titles.

Approximately 25 years have passed since the original release of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, and no official English re-release of either Persona 2 title has been published for modern platforms.

Common Questions

Has Atlus officially announced a Persona 1 and 2 remake?

No. As of the latest available information, Atlus has not made an official announcement regarding Persona 1 and 2 remakes. The Kotaku report indicates the studio considers such remakes inevitable, but no release date, platform, or development timeline has been confirmed.

Why have Persona 1 and 2 not been remastered like Persona 3, 4, and 5?

Persona 1 and 2 predate the social simulation mechanics that define the modern Persona series, making them structurally different from Persona 3 through 5. The original games also lack the commercial track record of later entries, and the Persona 2 PSP ports were never localized for Western audiences, limiting their international visibility.

Can I play Persona 1 and 2 on modern consoles?

No official modern re-releases of Persona 1 or Persona 2 exist for current-generation consoles. The original PlayStation versions are playable only through original hardware, PlayStation 3's backward compatibility, or emulation. The Persona 2 PSP ports were released exclusively in Japan and have not been localized.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on the Kotaku report titled "Persona 1 and 2 Remake Is Something Atlus Must Do," published at https://kotaku.com/persona-1-2-remake-atlus-persona-4-revival-interview-2000723161. The report covers an interview with Atlus regarding the future of the Persona series, specifically addressing the possibility of remaking Persona 1 and 2.

Release dates and platform information for the original Persona titles are drawn from publicly documented Atlus release history. Sales figures for Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal are based on publicly reported Atlus data. Specific quotes from the Atlus interview referenced in the Kotaku article are not available in the provided source context, and any direct quotations from the interview should be verified against the original Kotaku article.

This article was last updated on February 26, 2025.