SEGA and ATLUS have made their latest Game Developers Conference (GDC) lectures available to watch for free on the GDC Vault! No account is needed, and fans of Metaphor: ReFantazio and Like a Dragon can now dive into rare behind-the-scenes insights on how SEGA / ATLUS craft their visual styling, gameplay and game worlds in their acclaimed titles.
These talks cover everything from evolving the genre of RPG command battle systems and crafting a unique visual identity for ATLUS’ new fantasy IP, to how RGG Studio consistently delivers story-driven games on a tight production schedule. Click the provided links to watch and learn more behind the scenes!
Atlus has shared new details about RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of The Soulless Army‘s cast of characters, demons and progression systems. ATLUS’ upcoming supernatural RPG features over 120 demons, with several of the new demons recognizable from Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon™ and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance™. Learn more about Kenzo Satake, Sadakichi, Kiyoshi Daidouji, Hell’s Pawns and Red Cape and their roles in the game by reading the next section of the article!
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of The Soulless Army will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S on June 19, 2025, and is available to pre-order now (pre-order date for Nintendo Switch 2 version to be announced).
Today, ATLUS announced that a free demo for the smash-hit RPG remake Persona 3 Reload is now available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Steam, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Since its release, Persona 3 Reload has delighted countless fans and surpassed more than one million units sold worldwide.
In the demo, players can experience the opening months of Persona 3 Reload and step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.
Save data from the demo* carries over to the full game, so players who purchase the full game can continue their journey right from where they left off.
During today’s Nintendo Direct, ATLUS announced that their supernatural action RPG RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army will launch June 19, 2025. The remaster of the fan-favorite Shin Megami Tensei spin-off will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S, and is available to pre-order now on all platforms. RAIDOU Remastered is a faithful remaster of the PlayStation 2 action RPG Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army.
It features an overhauled battle system, enhanced graphics, full voiceover added to the main story, and quality-of-life enhancements to improve the gameplay experience. ATLUS also hosted a livestream showing a first look at RAIDOU Remastered and an interview with the Game Director, Kazuyuki Yamai.
The livestream (both dubbed and subbed) featured further details about the game’s narrative, updates, and enhancements. Watch the livestream VOD on the ATLUS YouTube channel here. Check out the press release and screenshots for RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army in the next section of the article!
To celebrate the launch, SEGA is offering a special in-game reward: the Kazuma Kiryu Special Outfit for “Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii“. This outfit allows protagonist Goro Majima to dress up as his friend, rival, and iconic Yakuza series lead, Kazuma Kiryu. Previously, this costume was available to players who signed up for email notifications. While it’s unclear if this method still applies, it is now definitively obtainable by creating a Sega Account between January 22nd and March 7th. The code for the outfit will be distributed to eligible accounts between February 17th and March 7th. Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii starting everyone’s favorite Goro Majima is set to release on February 21st!
While the initial incentive is the Kiryu costume, Sega has hinted at a broader range of benefits for account holders in the future. This could include exclusive content, early access to demos, and special discounts for games across its portfolio, encompassing major franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog, Persona, and more.
Manga Plus has made an announced that ATLUS’s acclaimed RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, will be receiving a manga adaptation set to be simultaneously released in English and Japanese.
The manga will be available for viewing on the Manga Plus platform alongside the manga’s publication in V-Jump magazine in Japan on January 21, 2025 with the first part featuring 58 color pages.
Energy drink maker G FUEL and SEGA owned game studio Atlus have announced a collaboration which will see the game Metaphor: ReFantazio reimagined as a peach raspberry energy drink flavor. The flavor will be released as a powder tub in the Awakening Collector’s Box which also comes with a Metaphor: ReFantazio branded shaker featuring the game’s logo and character art.
Today ATLUS announced that a free demo for the demon-collecting RPG Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is now available on Steam, and will also be available for PlayStation today at 9pm PT.
In the demo, players can choose between two story paths, the brand-new story “Canon of Vengeance” or the original story from SMTV “Canon of Creation”. Explore a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, now reduced to an expansive wasteland called Da’at that is torn apart by a conflict between angels and demons. Progression from the demo will carry over to the full game, so players can continue their journey right from where they left off. Both story paths can be experienced for those interested in exploring each.
The free demo release follows the patch released earlier this month on all available platforms that includes the following.
New Demon Kishin Marici
Addition of Fan-selected Demon Navigators (Hell Biker, Idun, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Mothman, Mara, and Cleopatra)
The New Elite Difficulty for the Virtual Trainer
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is the definitive version of the critically acclaimed RPG, which introduces a new storyline, brand-new characters, a new area to explore, a new dungeon, more accessible gameplay, an improved battle system, new demon experiences and currently has a metascore of 90 (PC) and 87 (PS5) on Metacritic as of today.
Today, ATLUS released the launch trailer for their highly anticipated fantasy RPG Metaphor: ReFantazio featuring a cover of Radiohead’s “Burn the Witch” by Mark Evans and Mel Guerison.
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince. Control your destiny, face your fears and awaken magical “Archetype” powers that lie dormant in your heart.
A free Prologue Demo is now available on all platforms for those eager to get a head start on their adventures in the United Kingdom of Euchronia. Progression from the demo carries over to the full version of the game.
Metaphor: ReFantazio will be available October 11, 2024 on Xbox Series X|S, Windows, Steam, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 with pre-orders available now on the official website.
Today, ATLUS and the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team announced a race partnership bringing gaming entertainment to racing fans.
The one race partnership will see Metaphor: ReFantazio logo adorn the top nose of the cars for Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen during the Singapore Grand Prix. The logo will feature the in-game characters’ Hulkenberg for Nico Hülkenberg’s car (no relation) and the Protagonist for Kevin Magnussen’s car.
More details and press release on the partnership can be found at the jump!
Today, ATLUS launched the final content release for the Persona 3 Reload Expansion Pass, Episode Aigis -The Answer- on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Steam, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
Added to the game 16 years ago with the release of Persona 3 FES, Episode Aigis -The Answer- (originally known as “The Answer” in North America) is a major post-ending DLC that expands the story of Persona 3 Reload. Delve into a modern version of the final chapter with over 30 hours of new gameplay, now with cutting-edge graphics, updated quality-of-life features, fresh animations and UI, and a rearranged soundtrack.
In Episode Aigis -The Answer-, after unraveling the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fighting epic battles through Tartarus, and all the unforgettable events of Persona 3 Reload, the S.E.E.S. members find themselves trapped in a never-ending March 31st. Journey through the Abyss of Time as Aigis, undertake new challenges and uncover the cause of this strange fate and the truth of what happened on that day…
Special to Persona 3 Reload’s version of the epilogue is the return of a fan-favorite character and iconic music from Persona 5 Royal as a challenge battle boss fight. Watch the “A Familiar Foe” trailer here to unveil the face behind the mask.
The Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass includes Episode Aigis -The Answer-, the Velvet Costume & BGM Set, and the Persona 5 Royal EX & Persona 4 Golden EX BGM Sets. The Expansion Pass is available on digital storefronts for $34.99 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Steam, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The Expansion Pass is available at no extra cost to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers through January 31, 2025.
This evening’s stream showcased Metaphor: ReFantazio’s fantastical world, in which players will encounter the beautiful, the strange and the unique during their journey. Studio Zero director Katsura Hashino led viewers on a guided tour through multiple never-before-seen locations, from small towns, to islands, to labyrinths and to the belly of a worm. Hashino-san also introduced a new ally, Eupha, and hinted that more about her will be revealed in the future.
At the conclusion of today’s showcase, Hashino-san teased the next “ATLUS Exclusive” showcase – airing this Fall – and invited viewers to visit ATLUS at Tokyo Game Show 2024 to try a demo of Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Metaphor: ReFantazio launches October 11, 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Steam. Physical and digital pre-orders are available now.
During the Xbox @ Gamescom stream, there was a pre-recorded video from Studio Zero director Katsura Hashino who introduced viewers to the brand-new trailer for Metaphor: ReFantazio “Travel Beyond Fantasy”, which focuses on the journey for the Royal Tournament. The trailer revealed the Protagonist traveling far and wide, campaigning to win support from the people of the United Kingdom of Euchronia in the hopes of being elected as their new King and take the Throne.
The Xbox @ Gamescom livestream also included an informative interview with actors Stewart Clarke and Kristin Atherton who voice the English version of central characters Strohl and Hulkenberg. The two actors discussed their roles in the game, how they prepared for their performance and what it was like to immerse themselves in the magical, medieval world of Metaphor: ReFantazio. You can watch the VOD on the official Xbox YouTube channel here.
Metaphor: ReFantazio will launch on Xbox Series X|S, Windows, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Steam on October 11, 2024.
At gamescom’s Opening Night Live 2024, ATLUS announced unexpected news we never seen coming that a special challenge battle will be added to Persona 3 Reload on September 10, 2024 as part of Episode Aigis -The Answer-, the final content release for the Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass.
Wholly unique to Persona 3 Reload’s Episode Aigis, the encounter with the masked boy presents a hardcore challenge for players via a secret boss fight, replete with striking themes from Persona 5 Royal.
The confrontation is one part of the larger Episode Aigis -The Answer- content expansion, a major post-ending DLC that further develops the story of Persona 3 Reload and serves as a story epilogue.
The Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass includes Episode Aigis -The Answer-, the Velvet Costume & BGM Set, and the Persona 5 Royal EX & Persona 4 Golden EX BGM Sets. The Expansion Pass is available for purchase on digital storefronts for $34.99 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, Steam, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. It is also available at no extra cost for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers through January 31, 2025.
Gamescom is happening this week and ATLUS has recently announced the full English voice cast for Metaphor: ReFantazio, including the voice role for the Protagonist. Here is the full list of voice actors for the upcoming game:
Voice Cast
Protagonist – Caleb Yen
Strohl – Stewart Clarke
Hulkenberg – Kristin Atherton
Gallica – Alejandra Reynoso
Heismay – Philippe Spall
Junah – Emma Ballantine
Eupha – Emily Burnett
Neuras – David Monteith
Louis – Joseph Tweedale
More – Greg Chun
Grius – Gordon Cooper
Furthermore, Metaphor: ReFantazio will be part of the Xbox @ Gamescom 2024, hosting a voice actor interview and showing brand-new content. A demo of the fantasy JRPG from ATLUS will also be available for Gamescom audiences to play at the Xbox booth all week. You can catch the Q&A on Xbox Showcase Gamescom 2024 livestream on August 23rd here.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is an all-new fantasy RPG from the creative minds of the Persona™ series. Players will write their destiny and rise above fear as they step into a fantasy world unlike any other. Metaphor: ReFantazio will also launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Steam. Physical and digital pre-orders are available now. For more information and for links to pre-order, visit metaphor.atlus.com.
