Persona 5 Marks 10th Anniversary Since Its 2016 PlayStation Launch
Persona 5 launched on September 15, 2016 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, and the game has now marked its 10th anniversary. In it, the protagonist and his allies operate as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, entering Palaces — worlds formed from the distorted desires of corrupt adults — to steal those desires in physical form as a Treasure and force their targets to reform. The crimes committed by the game’s antagonists, including corporal punishment, abuse, and fraud, mirror issues faced in modern society, a point the original retrospective cites as a major source of the story’s emotional weight.
Earlier Persona titles were set in fictional cities, but Persona 5 moved the action to an actual Tokyo, a choice credited with raising the game’s realism. Character proportions were also shifted from stylized designs toward more realistic ones, making it easier to sink into the world. Recurring locations include Shibuya, where the Phantom Thieves base their hideout, and Sangenjaya — rendered in-game as Yongen-Jaya — the neighborhood where the protagonist lives. The change in atmosphere was striking for fans coming from Persona 4, which carried a notably brighter overall tone.
Persona 5 keeps the systems established in Persona 3 and Persona 4 but changes several of them. Instead of randomly generated dungeons, the main Palaces use fixed maps with handcrafted gimmicks unique to each location, making exploration more engaging. A randomly generated dungeon called Mementos becomes available as the story progresses, offering plenty of extra playtime. The social link system was also renamed from Community to Confidant. Confidants still grant bonuses during Persona fusion, but now also unlock Coop Abilities useful in exploration and combat — befriending a politician, for example, makes negotiating with enemies easier. Each ability is designed to match that character’s role in the narrative.
For anyone playing today, the retrospective recommends the enhanced version of Persona 5, which adds extra content. The game has also been adapted into an anime and inspired several spin-off titles, including a project released on November 17, 2023 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. That spin-off begins shortly before graduation after the events of the main story and depicts stylized versions of the cast in new battles. A smartphone game for iOS and Android set in the Persona 5 world, built around new characters and a new story, began service on June 26, 2025. Ten years on, the anniversary is a solid excuse for newcomers to finally see what the fuss is about.
