Summary
The entire expansion pass forPersona 3 Reloadis already done and has essentially been cut from the game pre-release, a prominent Sega leaker has claimed. The same source shared some other surprising information about the project that doesn’t match the fandom’s established perception of thePersona 3 Reloaddevelopment timeline.
The much-requestedPersona 3remake was announced at the June 2023 Xbox Games Showcase. Atlus described the project as a reimagining of the 2006 original instead of its later versions,P3 FESandPortable. The former expanded the base game with the addition of a lengthy epilogue chapter called The Answer. While some fans disliked the epilogue’s grindy nature, others argued that the experience is incomplete without it, concluding thatPersona 3 Reloadnot remaking The Answer is a big deal.
Nine months later, Atlusannounced thePersona 3 Reloadexpansion pass, a $34.99 bundle that includes Episode Aigis: The Answer. With the remake of the epilogue being planned for release in September, some fans took this to mean that it is still in the works, assuming that Atlus tackled it after wrapping up the development of the base game, a common industry practice for handling post-launch content. But well-known Sega leaker Midori has now suggested that is not the case, claiming that the entire expansion pass had already been completed beforeReloadwas released on February 2.
Aside from implying The Answer was essentially cut from the day-one version of the game, Midori claimed thatPersona 3 Reloaditself was finished nearly two years ahead of its market debut, stating that its development wrapped up in spring 2022. This doesn’t account for the English localization, which was allegedly completed afterward.ReloadProducer Kazuhisa Wada was previously on record as saying that the project entered active production in the second half of 2019, so Midori’s recent claim suggests the entire undertaking only took around three years. That is a surprisingly short time frame for a contemporary AAA game, remake or not.
Although this is by no means official information, Midori’s track record with both Atlus and general Sega leaks is spotless; most recently, this well-known insiderleaked the existence and entire contents of thePersona 3 Reloadexpansion pass, as well as the timing of the DLC, both of which have just been confirmed as accurate. They had later taken to Twitter to clarify that the post-launch content for the game is part of Sega’s company-wide initiative to extend the lifespan of its titles by giving players reasons to return to them. Even taking the claim that The Answer was done by this February at face value, it’s possible that its localization work is still ongoing, not least because the Xbox Partner Preview teaser featured Japanese voice acting.
The leaker likenedReload’s DLC-inclusive business model to that of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s action adventureLost Judgment, which received three expansions over the 6 months following its 2021 release. Midori’s latest info dump also saw them reiterate that Atlus has no plans tobringP3 Portable’s female protagonist toPersona 3 Reload.
Persona 3 Reload
WHERE TO PLAY
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI. Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover. Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters. Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
