The Persona franchise has an oddly uncertain future right now. Although things look hugely optimistic on the whole thanks to all the new fans that Persona 5 brought in, it's also very hard to predict what exactly Persona 6 will be like. Atlus says that it wants Persona 6 to surpass Persona 5, but it's not entirely clear what metric Atlus has in mind for that challenge. Atlus probably wants Persona 6 to be even more successful, but maybe it also wants Persona 6 to be bigger sheerly by scale, offering more content than ever before. Whatever the case, it sounds like Persona 6 might bring its own drastic changes to the franchise.
Although Persona 5 reworked some major parts of its franchise, it also left others untouched. For instance, Persona 5's Joker is a fairly traditional protagonist for the franchise in that players have very little control over his appearance. This could be an area where Persona 6 differs from its predecessors. Maybe Atlus will finally give fans the power to customize their player character and establish a unique aesthetic; character customization would undoubtedly be a huge selling point for the game. What's more, if Atlus reuses an old concept for Persona 5, customization could reflect on the game's plot in a valuable way.
Dressing Up Persona 6's Protagonist
The Persona games generally star silent protagonists, but Atlus has a knack for giving them personalities anyway. Aside from their very distinct appearances, Persona 4's player character has a reputation for being gentle and kind, whereas Persona 5's Joker alternates between mild-mannered and daring. These characters are memorable and charming, but it's a little disappointing that players have so little control over each protagonist's appearance and expression. Players might be able to form a personality in their minds through Persona's dialogue options, but unless players pay for cosmetics, they usually can't decide what the player character looks like.
Even a small amount of character customization at the beginning of Persona 6 would go a long way to change that. The game doesn't have to offer dramatic customization with hundreds of options and sliders found in other RPGs. Instead, a handful of customization options that can share an animation rig would work wonders. If players can choose the Persona 6 protagonist's body type, hairstyle, pronouns, and voice, then Persona 6 would already be leagues ahead of the previous games. It would be a slow transition into character customization that lets Atlus feel out the mechanic, both for itself and its fans, before potentially expanding character creation in Persona 7 and beyond.
Outside of customizing a character at the start of the game, Persona 6 might consider adding clothing options to the game. Although Persona fans often pour their in-game money into precious healing items and equipment, it'd be great to have some cosmetics that players can buy for the protagonist. Pokemon's voyage into customization repeatedly shows the value of purchasable clothes that either reference previous games or simply offer stylish options to players, so Persona would be wise to try the same thing. A protagonist that reflects the player's aesthetic and personality could help get fans even more invested in Persona 6 than previous Persona games.
The Value of Customization in Persona 6
If Persona 6 introduces character customization, it doesn't have to be a mere draw to the new game. On the contrary, customization might go a long way in exploring Persona 6's themes. The Persona franchise loves to build games around core concepts, like Persona 5's focus on rebellion, and so it seems likely that Persona 6 will do the same thing. If that's the case, then fashion, cosmetics, and personal style could crop up a lot as part of Persona 6's exploration of a theme such as self-discovery or independence. Characters might discuss how their appearances affect their lives, how they've learned to express their true selves, and so on.
Themes and conversations like these would be particularly sensible if Persona 6 uses the road trip concept that Persona 5 was almost founded on. Persona 5 director Katsura Hashino once wanted to make the game about a road trip where the protagonists learn about themselves while traveling. Persona 6 could still take the Persona franchise abroad by returning to that idea. Encountering international fashion and culture on a Persona road trip would be a great way to tie character customization into Persona 6's narrative.
At the same time, customization would be a good way for Persona to explore its own identity. Persona 5 brought so many fans into the franchise that it also brought a huge wave of pressure to keep both new and old fans entertained without just repeating what Persona 5 did right. Because of the state of Persona, the next game has to take some risks and try some new things in order to see what makes its growing audience happiest. If customization appears in Persona 6 but isn't received well, it doesn't have to stay in the franchise. Atlus can return to its traditional protagonists and move forward with a stronger knowledge of what Persona is meant to be.
A New Look for Persona
Whether Atlus is interested in as drastic a change as character customization remains to be seen. Many regard Atlus as slow change how it developers or distributes Persona, so it may view character customization as an unnecessary risk, favoring a completed silent protagonist that players have little say over. A traditional protagonist in Persona 6 wouldn't be a bad thing inherently; after all, carefully crafted heroes have carried Persona pretty far already. Still, the point remains that Persona 6 has to do something new and exciting to surpass Persona 5. Character customization could be that special something.
Although Persona is in the midst of its 25th anniversary celebration, it doesn't sound like Persona 6 news is around the corner. So far, Persona's anniversary celebration has been pretty modest, rather than packed with new games or remakes like fans hoped. Persona 6's official reveal could be what wraps up the anniversary celebration next year, but it seems unlikely on the whole. For now, fans will have to wait and see what kind of risks Atlus is willing to take. If it's looking to rework the pillars of the franchise, then the protagonist blueprint might be the place to start. As much as fans want Persona 6, it's for the best if Atlus carefully weighs how deeply it's willing to dive into character customization.
Persona 6 is in development.