Persona 4

Atlus is stirring up something from the Persona team, and many are hoping for the announcement of Persona 5. Hints have been springing up over the Internet all week suggesting that a new entry to the popular RPG series might be just around the corner.

The most revealing sign comes straight from Atlus itself with a teaser sight clearly designed in the vein of Persona. The title is even written in Japanese katakana right in the middle of the page. A "big Persona announcement," reads the Japanese, regarding the series is scheduled to be held on Nov. 24.

The character Teddy from Persona 4 has also been added to the site if you click on the X in the boxes, so could he be returning in Persona 5? Well, don't jump to that conclusion just yet, because maybe the series' numbering won't be so clear cut after all.

Karen Strassman, the voice actress behind Persona 4's Nanako Dojima, has listed not one but two previously unknown Persona games on her now public resume. These two titles are Golden 2 Persona 4 and Persona 4 Vol. 2, most likely a direct sequel to the popular game, and the sequel to its PS Vita port Persona 4: Golden.

I'd be a little disappointed if Atlus were to make a direct sequel and not give us a new set of colorful characters to get to know. It's easy to see why they'd return because between Persona 4 being its most wildly popular game ever, and further expansions like Persona 4: Arena and Persona 4: Golden are more lucrative chances for cash.

If it ain't broke… release expansion packs, prequels, direct sequels, DLC packs, and spin-offs.

One final hint is the return of Persona Magazine, which originally ran back in 2011-2012 and featured all things Persona through Amazon.jp.

What do all these hints mean? Well, it would be silly to think that Atlus would just up and abandon the Persona series. The games are relatively cheap to make and the loyal fan-following from around the world will make any game released with the title an instant hit. Not to mention, it's the only JRPG series these days whose title alone is a seal of quality.

Yes, Atlus is about to announce a new Persona game, it's just a matter of which one. Persona 5 remains trademarked in some places, but that could mean anything from game development to covering bases. The appearance of Teddy on the Persona teaser site and Strassman's resume makes me believe that we will be seeing another Persona 4 game in the near future.

We'll let you know on Nov. 24 what Atlus has to say.