ReFantazio’s Success May Enable Atlus to Adopt a Three-Pronged Release Strategy

Metaphor: ReFantazio, a captivating fantasy RPG from the renowned Japanese developer Atlus, emerged as one of the standout games of 2024. In a year brimming with exceptional JRPGs like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Persona 3 Reload, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Granblue Fantasy: Relink, Metaphor: ReFantazio managed to distinguish itself and carve a niche among fierce competition. There was hardly any doubt about its potential quality, given it was crafted by the same team behind the highly praised Persona 5. Yet, the game still went above and beyond, surpassing many fans’ expectations.

Upon its release in October 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio gained immense praise throughout the gaming community. Boasting scores over 90 on platforms like OpenCritic and Metacritic, it even secured a nomination for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024. Commercially, the game was nothing short of a triumph, with worldwide sales reaching a million copies on launch day—making it Atlus’s fastest-selling game yet. Given its resounding success, it’s almost certain Atlus will want to elevate it to a flagship franchise, joining the ranks of giants like Shin Megami Tensei and Persona.

Although Atlus boasts nearly four decades in the industry, not all of its creations hit mainstream prominence. Titles like Trauma Center, Etrian Odyssey, and Growlanser, while unique, never reached the cultural impact of series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Shin Megami Tensei and Persona stand out as the exceptions, amassing a strong following and consistently new entries since the ’80s.

Interestingly, Persona actually originates as a spin-off from Shin Megami Tensei, implicating all Persona games under the SMT banner.

Katsura Hashino, the director of Metaphor: ReFantazio, has expressed a vision for expanding the game into a major franchise. Although he hasn’t committed to any concrete plans yet, he shared in an interview with Famitsu (as translated by MP1st) that he has a wealth of ideas for a sequel. Hashino’s ambition is to evolve Metaphor: ReFantazio into a key IP for Atlus.

If Hashino’s aspirations come to fruition, Atlus could start rotating between new installments of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Metaphor. Given the already rich world of Metaphor: ReFantazio, this sounds like a plausible next step. Future installments might revisit familiar characters or introduce entirely new faces. Atlus could also explore different genres for Metaphor spin-offs. Imagine a tactical strategy game akin to Tactics Ogre or Persona 5 Tactica—it could be an exciting expansion of the franchise.

While there isn’t any official word on a Metaphor: ReFantazio sequel yet, whispers in the community hint at a spin-off for mobile platforms, potentially developed in collaboration with Netflix Games. If this project is indeed in the works, it might take some time before Atlus makes an official announcement. In the meantime, fans can anticipate various new Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games that might be unveiled in the coming months.