The Persona series stretches back to 1996 and now spans five mainline RPGs, a stack of enhanced re-releases, and a run of fighting, rhythm, and tactical spin-offs. With Persona 4 Revival dated and Persona 6 confirmed as in development, there are two clean ways to work through everything, and neither one requires you to touch all 20-plus games.
Quick answer: Play by release date if you want to watch the mechanics evolve, or by in-universe timeline if you want the story to flow in order. If you only want a starting point, jump straight into Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden, or Persona 5 Royal, then branch out from there.
Release status for the next Persona games
Two new entries are on the way. Persona 4 Revival, a full remake built on the expanded Golden version, is Confirmed for February 18, 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Persona 6 is Confirmed as in development by Atlus, but no official release date has been set, so treat any specific window for it as unofficial.
| Upcoming game | Status | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Persona 4 Revival | Confirmed – Feb 18, 2027 | PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC |
| Persona 6 | In development, no date confirmed | Not confirmed |
Persona games by release date
Release order is the simplest path and the best way to see how Atlus moved from first-person dungeon crawling to social links, calendar systems, and modern turn-based combat. Here is the full lineup by launch year.
| Game | Year |
|---|---|
| Revelations: Persona | 1996 |
| Persona 2: Innocent Sin | 1999 |
| Persona 2: Eternal Punishment | 2000 |
| Persona 3 | 2006 |
| Persona 3 FES | 2007 |
| Persona 4 | 2008 |
| Persona 3 Portable | 2009 |
| Persona 4 Arena | 2012 |
| Persona 4 Golden | 2012 |
| Persona 4 Arena Ultimax | 2013 |
| Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth | 2014 |
| Persona 4: Dancing All Night | 2015 |
| Persona 5 | 2016 |
| Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight | 2018 |
| Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight | 2018 |
| Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth | 2018 |
| Persona 5 Royal | 2019 |
| Persona 5 Strikers | 2020 |
| Persona 5 Tactica | 2023 |
| Persona 3 Reload | 2024 |
| Persona 5: The Phantom X | 2025 |
Persona games in chronological order
Timeline order is less tidy, because several games revisit the same year from a new angle or drop into narrow gaps between story chapters. Each mainline entry stars a new cast, so you can start almost anywhere, but this sequence keeps the events in their proper place.
Revelations: Persona (1996)
Everything begins in the fictional city of Mikage-cho. A group of St. Hermelin students meet Philemon, unlock the power to summon Personas through a ritual game, and end up facing demons and a reality-bending crisis tied to the SEBEC corporation. This is where the Velvet Room and Igor first appear, though the game still plays like a first-person, grid-based dungeon RPG. The PSP version restores the Snow Queen Quest for Western players, making it the most complete way to see the earliest story.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment (1999–2000)
The Persona 2 duology is set in Sumaru City, three years after the first game. Innocent Sin follows Tatsuya Suou and a group of students chasing a villain called Joker and the Masked Circle, using a rumor system where things people talk about actually come true. Eternal Punishment picks up in the new timeline created at the end of Innocent Sin, shifting the lead to journalist Maya Amano. The PSP remake of Eternal Punishment stayed in Japan, but the original PS1 release is playable as a PSOne Classic on PS3, PSP, and PS Vita.
Persona 3, FES, Portable, and Reload (2006–2024)
Persona 3 reset the formula. You play as Makoto Yuki, a transfer student who can act during the hidden Dark Hour while everyone else is frozen, splitting your time between building friendships and climbing the tower of Tartarus. There are several ways to experience it, and they are not interchangeable.
| Version | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Persona 3 FES | Adds The Answer epilogue (later called Episode Aigis). No female protagonist. |
| Persona 3 Portable | Adds the female protagonist route with different social links. PSP release. |
| Persona 3 Reload | Full modern remake on PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, and Switch 2. Includes The Answer, but not the female protagonist route. |
Persona 3 Reload launched in February 2024 and later arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 in October 2025. The Answer is available in Reload as paid content through the Expansion Pass.
Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (2018)
A rhythm spin-off framed as a dream sequence during Persona 3, where Elizabeth stages a dance-off against her siblings to prove whose guests are best. It is squarely a fan piece for people already attached to the S.E.E.S. cast rather than an entry point.
Persona 4 and Persona 4 Golden (2008–2012)
Set in the rural town of Inaba, Persona 4 follows Yu Narukami as he moves in with relatives and uncovers a string of murders linked to a world hidden inside TV screens. Golden is the definitive version, adding new story content, an extra party member in Marie, and an additional dungeon. The upcoming Persona 4 Revival remake is based on Golden’s expanded story.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (2014)
This crossover dungeon crawler pulls the Persona 3 and Persona 4 casts into a warped Yasogami High at the same time. From each group’s perspective the events land in September 2009 and August 2011, and both casts lose their memories afterward, which keeps the crossover from breaking the main timeline. Finish both mainline games first, since the story leans on knowing everyone.
Persona 4 Arena and Arena Ultimax (2012–2013)
The fighting spin-offs continue threads from both Persona 3 and Persona 4, which makes them more connected to the main continuity than most crossovers. Arena brings Yu back to Inaba for a televised tournament in May 2012, where the Investigation Team crosses paths with Persona 3’s Shadow Operatives. Ultimax picks up the very next day, with Inaba blanketed in a red fog as Sho Minazuki tries to summon a world-ending entity.
Persona 4: Dancing All Night (2015)
A canon rhythm entry set after Ultimax, so it sits at the far end of the Persona 4 timeline. Rise invites the Investigation Team to a dance festival, and they get pulled into the Midnight Stage, where they dance to free people from a controlling voice.
Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal (2016–2019)
Persona 5 follows Joker, a student on probation who joins the Phantom Thieves to change the hearts of corrupt adults through the Metaverse. It plays and looks far smoother than the older entries, and Royal is the complete version, adding the new character Kasumi, counselor Maruki, an extra semester, and a new dungeon. Royal is available on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox, and PC, which makes it the easiest modern entry point.
Persona Q2 and Dancing in Starlight (2018)
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth traps the Phantom Thieves alongside the Persona 3 and Persona 4 casts inside a haunted movie theater, with Persona 5’s group experiencing it in early-to-mid October. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is the P5 rhythm counterpart, where Caroline and Justine pull the Thieves into a dance-off. Both are fan-service pieces best saved until you know the casts.
Persona 5 Tactica (2023)
Tactica slots in around February or March, after the final boss of Persona 5 but before the road trip in Strikers. Joker and Morgana get separated from the team in an alternate realm called the Kingdoms and rescue their brainwashed friends through grid-based squad combat.
Persona 5 Strikers (2020)
Strikers is the closest thing to a direct sequel. Set on a summer road trip a few months after the main game, it swaps turn-based battles for fast real-time action from the Dynasty Warriors team and pulls the Phantom Thieves back into the Metaverse through a strange new app.
Persona 5: The Phantom X (2025)
The newest release is a free-to-play gacha game set in an alternate version of the Persona 5 world, following a new protagonist named Wonder. It runs on its own separate timeline, so it will not spoil or disrupt the main story order.
Which Persona game to play first
You do not need to play everything. Each mainline game stands on its own, so pick the setting that grabs you and go. If you want a shortlist, these three are the strongest starting points.
| Start here | Why |
|---|---|
| Persona 3 Reload | The most modern take on the calendar formula. On PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, and Switch 2. Female protagonist route is not included; The Answer is available via the Expansion Pass. |
| Persona 4 Golden | The most complete standalone story before the series grows in scope. |
| Persona 5 Royal | The biggest and flashiest entry, available on every major platform. |
Once one game hooks you, the rest of the series and its spin-offs will still be there. And with Persona 4 Revival arriving in early 2027 and Persona 6 in development, there is plenty of reason to catch up now.
