By Jeff Barnes
Joker embodies Persona's themes and is the poster boy for in Persona 5 crossovers, putting a lot of pressure on Persona 6's protagonist.
Persona 6 is currently in development, but little is known about it other than its existence. Anything goes with the kind of idea Atlus could pull anything out of its sleeve when conceiving the game’s story, including its protagonist, which has the potential to change how the series sees and treats its main characters.
It's no secret that Joker is now the most popular and iconic of all the Persona protagonists. The rebellious teenager embodies the recurring themes of embracing your inner self and is the poster boy for Persona representation in crossovers, such as Sonic Forces and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This puts a lot of pressure on Persona 6’s protagonist to match Joker’s legacy.
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Evolution of Persona Protagonists
It took a while for RPG protagonists to become synonymous with their home game rather than remaining a blank state for the player to project themselves onto. The late 90s were arguably the turning point for the genre. Cloud Strife from the highly innovative Final Fantasy 7 was a fully-fledged character in his own right. Red from Pokemon Red and Blue, while mostly silent, was iconic due to starring in a cultural phenomenon and Ash from the anime being based on him. Persona debuted around the same time as Pokemon, but its protagonists never had the luxury of popularity until much later.
Revelations: Persona starred a protagonist that such a blank state that his “canon name," “Boy with Earring," wasn’t an actual name, but a title based on an accessory he wore. The Persona 2 duology, which boasts two named protagonists (Tatsuya and Maya) that share lead character and party member duties at different times, added more depth to its player characters. The Persona 3 protagonist, whose canon name is debatable, is a more well-developed backstory and a design that was compatible with the game’s edgier tone. Additionally, Persona 3 Portable introduced a female alternative to the original protagonist, adding alternative routes while keeping the main story the same.
Persona 4 is when the series’ protagonists started becoming iconic enough in their own right, even if this is the same game that has a mascot character as blatant as Teddie. Yu Narukami was arguably the series’ first protagonist to have a canon name and a speaking role without sacrificing his role as the lead character unlike his Persona 2 counterparts.
When Joker came along, he managed to be a competently fleshed-out character despite the series reverting back to silent protagonists, including Persona 5 spinoffs. His sympathetic backstory that the player gets to experience, his Phantom Thief design, and the thematic relevance to his character are all responsible for his impactful legacy and Persona 5’s success.
Persona 6’s future protagonist will have to do more than just be a blank state since the series clearly stopped treating its characters this way decades ago. They will have to be visually and narratively appealing and do more than what Persona 5 did with Joker.
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What Can Persona 6 Do?
There is obviously a lot of pressure on Persona 6 to even live up to its best-selling, critically acclaimed, frequently promoted predecessor. Considering how recognizable Joker and Persona 5’s overall aesthetics are, it seems almost inevitable that Atlus will model the next installment on Persona 5 to a certain extent.
One thing Persona 6 is to drop the act and separate the player’s identity from the main character’s aside from the name the player can give them. Joker has plenty of characterization that makes it easy to define him as an individual. It would not be surprising if this future protagonist had a rebellious streak like him. It would remain consistent with Persona’s socially individualistic themes. If Persona 6 were to take the talkative protagonist route, similar to Yu Narukami in the Persona 4 Arena games, then it would already be a change of pace.
Granted, most of the protagonists tend to become fan favorites by virtue of being the characters a player spends the most time in the game with. However, making the Persona 6 protagonist a regular character as far as dialogue goes would be a new innovation to the franchise. No longer limited to in-battle quips and dialogue trees, this decidedly non-silent hypothetical Persona 6 protagonist could have all of Joker’s appeal in addition to the same opportunities that made other party members fan favorites.
Persona has never been a series where choices in gameplay dramatically mattered. The only exceptions are dialogue options that can affect the protagonist’s standing with a character or even the ending, and which Social Links and Confidants the player chooses to pursue. Aside from the alternate endings, the games’ stories remain relatively the same. Characters that can be bonded with always act the same regardless of how close they actually are with the protagonist.
Those epic final battles involving some kind of all-powerful mythical beasts can still be won even without the power of friendship by the protagonist’s side. Even though those moments are generally well earned because it took the protagonist in the main story a lot of effort to get to that point, it remains a bit jarring to see such important moments in the plot be unaffected by the player’s own actions. The roleplaying aspect of Persona seems to not matter much when it’s convenient.
If Persona 6 made the protagonist’s actions truly matter, it would make for an ambitious but standalone journey. If party members were actually affected by the protagonist ignoring them unless they’re necessary, the story would become a game-changer for the series.
A main character with a design as memorable and a personality as well-defined as Joker’s is definitely a possibility. Considering the character’s success, Atlus will most likely use him as a blueprint for his successor. However, if Persona 6’s protagonist wants to surpass Joker, they have to be written in a way that uses Joker’s appeal to the narrative’s advantage and full potential.
Persona 6 is currently in development.
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As an enthusiast and expert in the Persona series and its gaming evolution, I've closely followed the themes, character development, and narrative intricacies within the franchise. My expertise spans various entries in the series, allowing me to provide insights into the evolution of Persona protagonists, gameplay mechanics, and the impact of iconic characters like Joker.
The article you mentioned delves into the evolution of protagonists within the Persona series, specifically highlighting the transition from silent, more adaptable characters to fully fleshed-out individuals like Joker, who have significantly impacted the franchise. It discusses how Persona protagonists evolved from being relatively blank slates, allowing players to project themselves onto these characters, to becoming well-defined individuals integral to the game's narrative and themes.
Several key concepts are highlighted in the article:
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Evolution of Persona Protagonists: The article traces the evolution of Persona protagonists, starting from earlier games like Revelations: Persona, where the protagonist was a more undefined, blank slate character, to Persona 3, which introduced a protagonist with a more developed backstory. It progresses to Persona 5's Joker, who despite being a silent protagonist, is a deeply characterized figure with a sympathetic backstory and impactful design.
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Pressure on Persona 6's Protagonist: The article emphasizes the significant role Joker plays as the poster boy for Persona crossovers and his widespread popularity, which sets a high standard and places pressure on Persona 6's protagonist to match or even surpass Joker's legacy. It discusses the expectations for Persona 6's protagonist to be visually and narratively appealing, transcending the traditional blank state archetype.
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Potential Changes in Persona 6: There's speculation about Persona 6 potentially deviating from the silent protagonist model, akin to Persona 4's Yu Narukami, by giving the protagonist a more talkative role. The article suggests that Persona 6 might introduce a protagonist whose actions and interactions with other characters significantly impact the storyline, departing from the more linear narratives of previous titles in the series.
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Impact of Player Choices: It also touches on the impact of player choices in Persona games, highlighting how despite dialogue options affecting certain outcomes, the overall storyline remains relatively unchanged. There's a suggestion for Persona 6 to incorporate more consequential player decisions that directly influence the relationships and dynamics between the protagonist and other characters.
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Joker's Influence on Persona 6: Considering Joker's success and popularity, it's anticipated that Persona 6 might draw inspiration from Joker while striving to create a protagonist with a similarly well-defined personality and a memorable design. However, to surpass Joker's legacy, the article suggests that Persona 6's protagonist needs to leverage Joker's appeal to its narrative advantage effectively.
In essence, the article discusses the shifting landscape of Persona protagonists, the influence of Joker, and the expectations and potential innovations for Persona 6's main character, aiming to set new standards within the franchise.
