A new survey by Atlus asks players what they want from the company in 2021, including whether it is worth investing in the Xbox platform.
Atlus as a publisher and developer has made incredible strides in the past decade. What was once seen as a niche-focused company has exploded thanks to highly successful titles such as Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal. With the popularity and growth of the company, it continues to expand its games to new platforms, although, apparently, it has always forgotten one of the main ones.
Atlus is assessing the players’ interest in expanding the focus of the platform. In a survey released recently, the company is checking whether it is worth investing in Xbox consoles with ports and future releases.
In the Japanese survey on question 55, fans noticed a new addition to the list of platforms mentioned. The survey now features an “Xbox” option, the first in Atlus’ long tradition of sending annual surveys. In February 2020, Atlus posted a survey focusing on the Switch and PC platforms, similar to how this recently published one explores the possibilities of the Xbox.
As for the games mentioned in the survey, they become a little more interesting for fans of both Persona and the comprehensive Shin Megami Tensei franchises. The research refers to some possible titles related to Persona, some of which fans have been demanding for years. The biggest is the mentioned Persona 5 fighting game, probably in the vein of Persona 4 Arena and Ultimax Arena. Beside that, there are some stranger options, including Persona themed table games and even a strategy RPG. The research is extensive and asks for a lot of information from the Japanese player base, including whether or not Atlus should focus on remakes or remastering.
While some players may dismiss the search quickly, Atlus has definitely shown an effort to expand its IPs to new platforms. In 2020, Atlus launched Persona 4 Golden on the PC, ending what was an eight-year-old PlayStation Vita exclusive. With Persona 4 GoldenThe successful launch of Steam with high sales and positive reception makes sense that the publisher is exploring further efforts to expand the platform.
The addition of the Xbox as part of Atlus’ research reaches an inflection point for the console market in Japan. After many years of being a market dominated by Sony, the console manufacturer’s recent decisions have cast doubt on its support for the country. The issues surrounding this pivot in the public’s focus led Sony to confirm its commitment to the Japanese market. Therefore, Atlus exploring all options follows the concerns of players and developers.
Source: Twinfinite, Persona Central
