Atlus producer Kazushi Wada reiterates the unlikelihood of the Persona 3 Portable female protagonist (FeMC), Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato, appearing in Persona 3 Reload. This decision, explained in a recent PC Gamer interview, stems from significant development costs and time constraints.
Initially considered for inclusion, even as potential post-launch DLC alongside Episode Aigis - The Answer, the FeMC's addition proved impractical. Wada stated that incorporating her would have been far beyond the scope of manageable development time and budget. This echoes previous statements to Famitsu, where he highlighted the substantial increase in development time and cost compared to the Aigis DLC.
The February 2024 release of Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the 2006 classic, featured the original male protagonist. Despite considerable fan demand, Wada's comments solidify the FeMC's absence as a likely permanent fixture. He expressed regret for disappointing fans who held out hope for her inclusion.
The high expectations surrounding the FeMC's popularity made her inclusion a highly anticipated possibility, but the considerable development challenges ultimately proved insurmountable. Wada's definitive statements leave little room for future inclusion.
