"Persona 3 Reload Unlikely to Feature P3P Female Protagonist"

In a recent development that has stirred the gaming community, Atlus producer Kazushi Wada has provided clarity on the absence of the popular female protagonist, known as FeMC or Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato from Persona 3 Portable, in the newly released Persona 3 Reload. This full remake of the 2006 JRPG classic hit the shelves in February, bringing back many beloved features and mechanics, yet fans were disheartened by the exclusion of Kotone/Minako.

No FeMC for Persona 3 Reload

Adding Kotone/Minako Would be Too Costly and Time-Consuming

According to an interview covered by PC Gamer, Wada disclosed that the idea of incorporating the FeMC into Persona 3 Reload was on the table during the planning stages of the post-launch DLC, Episode Aigis - The Answer. However, the decision was made to forego this addition due to insurmountable development and budgetary constraints.

"The more we discussed it, the more unlikely it became," Wada stated. "The development time and costs would not have been manageable." He further elaborated that even the possibility of introducing her through a DLC was out of reach. "But since it is not possible for us to release P3R with the female protagonist in this window, we just can’t do it," he remarked. "I'm really sorry to all of the fans who were holding out hope, but it is likely never going to happen."

The anticipation for Kotone/Minako's inclusion in Persona 3 Reload was high among fans, fueled by her popularity in Persona 3 Portable. Many hoped for her to be a playable character either at the game's launch or as part of subsequent content releases. However, Wada's recent comments have dashed those hopes. He had previously noted to Famitsu that integrating the female protagonist into the game would require a development effort and cost "several times longer than Episode Aigis," making it a prohibitive endeavor.

"For a female protagonist, I am sorry to say that unfortunately, there is no possibility," Wada confirmed in his earlier interview. "The development time and cost would be several times longer than Episode Aigis, and the hurdles would be too high."