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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
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How It Works • Video Games

Persona

Persona is a Japanese role-playing video game series developed and published primarily by Atlus.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Persona is a Japanese role-playing video game series developed by Atlus, originating as a spin-off of the Megami Tensei franchise. It debuted in 1996 with Revelations: Persona and is known for its blend of turn-based combat and social simulation.

What it is

Persona is a role-playing game series created by Atlus and connected to the broader Megami Tensei franchise. It is known for combining dungeon-crawling and turn-based combat with social simulation and character-focused storytelling.

Key details

A defining feature of the series is the use of Personas, supernatural manifestations of a character’s psyche that can be summoned in battle. The games typically center on groups of characters confronting supernatural threats. The series began with Revelations: Persona in 1996 and has since included multiple mainline entries and spin-offs, with Persona 3 Reload cited as the most recent main entry.

Why it matters

Beyond video games, Persona has been adapted into anime, manga, books, and other media, reflecting its commercial and cultural reach. It has a Canadian audience through its availability on major North American gaming platforms and its release history in Western markets.

In short

  • Persona is a spin-off of the Megami Tensei franchise by Atlus.
  • First released in 1996 as Revelations: Persona.
  • Gameplay combines turn-based combat with social simulation.
  • Personas are manifestations of a character’s psyche used in battle.
Canadian angle

Persona has a Canadian audience through its availability on major North American gaming platforms and its release history in Western markets.

Quick questions

What is Persona?
Persona is a Japanese role-playing video game series developed by Atlus and associated with the Megami Tensei franchise.
When did Persona begin?
The series began in 1996 with Revelations: Persona on the PlayStation.
What are Personas in the series?
In the series, Personas are manifestations of a character’s psyche and subconscious, used in combat.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_(series)
    Supports: Series origin, first release, parent series, gameplay concept, platform list, and latest release details.
  2. Wikipedia — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_(Computerspielreihe)
    Supports: Persona as a Japanese series by Atlus and a spin-off of Megami Tensei.
  3. Wikipedia — https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_(%D1%81%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%B8%D0%B3%D1%80)
    Supports: Series ownership by Sega, media franchise expansion, and Atlus development.
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revelations:_Persona
    Supports: First game title, release year, and role as the series’ first western-released RPG entry.