Atlus conducted another round of fan discussions with its latest massive survey. It is far from just random questions; to me, it feels more like a roadmap of what might be coming next for Atlus. Of course, Persona was the crown jewel, but Shin Megami Tensei, Etrian Odyssey, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Unicorn Overlord were also included. So many players, myself included, are interested in seeing this survey actually come to fruition.
And it isn’t a small survey either. The survey asks players what platforms they prefer their future releases to be on, which older games should be revisited with Persona titles, and whether classic ones should get remakes. Some fans even claim this survey takes about ten minutes to fill out. Unfortunately, this survey is only available to those living within the U.S. Regardless, discussions about this survey haven’t died down for gamers around the world. I had to sit down and read through everything carefully. Atlus felt like it was dropping hints rather than just questions.
Persona Still in the Spotlight
The survey mainly focuses on Persona, asking players which of the earlier titles they would like to see brought back or expanded into spin-offs. What I find cool is that they even mentioned Persona 1 and the Persona 2 duology, games that often don’t get much spotlight anymore. Persona 5 is still a huge hit even after all these years, but Atlus seems interested in giving previous entries a shot. I would personally love to see a fresh remake of Persona 2.
Atlus does listen to fans, and I remember a similar survey back in 2024 that resulted in Persona 5: The Phantom X going worldwide in 2025. Furthermore, Persona 3 Reload and the upcoming Persona 4 Revival showcase that whenever they survey fans about remakes, it usually translates to projects being in the works.
Shin Megami Tensei Could See More Remakes
Not only was Persona mentioned. The survey also brought up Shin Megami Tensei. Atlus has looked into older titles on occasion, such as Ryo Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army. The fact that they asked about remasters and remakes, once again, just makes me think that we’re going to see more SMT classics being updated for more modern systems.
These hints came from Atlus staff in the past, too. A while ago, the producer of Persona, Kazuhisa Wada, stated he would someday like to visit older titles, provided that it isn’t too soon. More recently, Kazuyuki Yamai, the director for Ryo Remastered, remarked that Atlus still has a treasure trove of hidden gems that they had yet to fully unveil. He also noted that combining new titles with remakes could reinforce the company. In my opinion, this almost sounds like a code word for “more SMT stuff coming.”
What About Etrian Odyssey?
Another point of interest in this survey is Etrian Odyssey. The last mainline title, Etrian Odyssey Nexus, came out in 2018 for the Nintendo 3DS. After that, there was silence, with many fans beginning to think the series had been buried. I played Nexus, loved it; hence, it was a great disappointment to see nothing showing up for years. But seeing that Atlus asked about it in surveys gives me hope the franchise could return, through either a new game or remasters of the older titles.
Why These Surveys Matter
One thing is for sure: Atlus does not run surveys for fun. They do listen. Persona 3 Reload and the upcoming Persona 4 Revival are evidence of that. With a direct inquiry to people, they guarantee that the games set for release later already have a huge audience waiting for them. Pretty smart, as it helps them test ideas out without making a promise way too early.
Personally, I like it. It makes it feel like fans are involved in the decision-making. Whether it is Persona 1, Persona 2, a classic SMT remake, or more Etrian Odyssey, Atlus seems ready to hear it.
Looking Forward
These Atlus surveys now appear to have become almost yearly by now. And, from past precedent, these surveys tend to be about real projects a few years down the line. In this way, this survey seems to be less of a common questionnaire and more of a glimpse into Atlus’s plans for the coming decade.
Persona and SMT are surely to remain the core of their catalog, but Atlus has also been injecting new IPs like Metaphor: ReFantazio into the mix. They seem to be trying to balance nostalgia and new content, and that blend is working great with gamers like me.
So now the big question is not whether Atlus will listen, but which franchise will they resurrect first. For me, it will be amazing to see Persona 2 brought back, and Etrian Odyssey splendidly revived. Either way, the next few years are looking ripe with excitement for Atlus fans. You may also be interested in: Echoes of the End Review – A Game Full of Promise But Struggles to Keep Up
