Persona 3 Reload: No Female Protagonist from P3P Expected

In a recent development update, Atlus producer Kazushi Wada has once again addressed the absence of the beloved female protagonist, known as FeMC or Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato, from Persona 3 Portable, in the newly released Persona 3 Reload. Learn more about his reasons and the impact on fans below.

No FeMC for Persona 3 Reload

Adding Kotone/Minako Would be Too Costly and Time-Consuming

In a detailed interview covered by PC Gamer, producer Kazushi Wada shared insights into the decision-making process behind the exclusion of the female protagonist from Persona 3 Portable in the post-launch DLC for Persona 3 Reload, titled Episode Aigis - The Answer. Despite initial considerations, the development and budget constraints proved too significant to overcome.

Persona 3 Reload, a full remake of the iconic 2006 JRPG, hit the shelves in February this year, bringing back cherished features and mechanics. However, the omission of Kotone/Minako has left many fans disappointed. Wada emphasized the impracticality of including her, stating, "The more we discussed it, the more unlikely it became. The development time and costs would not have been manageable." He further clarified that even the possibility of adding her through a DLC was dismissed due to timing and feasibility issues. "I'm really sorry to all of the fans who were holding out hope, but it is likely never going to happen," Wada expressed regretfully.

The fanbase had high hopes for the inclusion of P3P's FeMC in Persona 3 Reload, either at launch or as part of future content. However, Wada's recent statements have dashed those hopes. In a previous interview with Famitsu, he had already hinted at the challenges, noting, "For a female protagonist, I am sorry to say that unfortunately, there is no possibility. The development time and cost would be several times longer than Episode Aigis, and the hurdles would be too high."