In September 2023, Atlus announced a feature new to the Persona series that will appear in Persona 3 Reload for the first time: Link Episodes. Link Episodes occur along with the main story and have been implemented to give players a chance to learn more about the characters that previously weren’t focused on very deeply. It is a way to get to know Persona 3 characters who didn’t have their own Social Links. Ryokutya noted Persona 3 Reload Director Takuya Yamaguchi and Producer Ryota Niitsuma recently revealed in an interview with Japanese magazine Famitsu and the developers that these link episodes would be time-limited. The two also mentioned that the development of the game is almost complete. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]
Producer Niitsuma explained the following about the new Social Link adjacent Persona 3 Reload feature:
Link Episodes occur as the main story progresses, and if you spend time with the character during a set period of time, the next episode will occur in the next period… If you miss the first episode, you won’t be able to see the subsequent episodes.
Character designer Azusa Shimada and Yamaguchi then both revealed that the development team is hard at work on the finishing touches of Persona 3 Reload. Realistic lighting and color touch-ups are being worked on, as well as localization in order to release the game simultaneously worldwide. Yamaguchi ended by reassuring us that the team is confident that they will overcome these challenges.
Persona 3 Reload will be released worldwide on February 2, 2024. It will be available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.
