Summary
Persona 6has seen a steady stream of leaked details emerge over the past few months, with credible Sega leaker Midori providing fans with small bits of information to keep them satiated during the wait for Atlus' next mainline entry in thePersonaseries. While nothing about the game has officially been confirmed, the leaked details have fueled speculation about what players can expect fromPersona 6. Some of the most recent information leaked about the game could hint at a major connection to thePersona 2duology.
According to a recent leak from Midori,Persona 6’s development has been inspired byMonopoly, specifically the version of the board game based on the city of Yokohama. While it might seem odd for a JRPG series likePersonato draw inspiration from this classic board game, the specific Yokohama edition ofMonopolycould clue fans into the location ofPersona 6’s setting. Given thatPersona 2’s Sumaru City is based on the real-world Yokohama, it’s possible this leak could be hinting at a return to this setting inPersona 6.
Persona 6 Could Be Set in Persona 2’s Sumaru City
Aside fromPersona 6, another major gamerumored to be in development at Atlus is a remake ofPersona 2, as Midori has also claimed this to be the case in the past. While it’s unclear what the scope of this remake would be — whether it would be a combined remake of bothPersona 2: Innocent SinandPersona 2: Eternal Punishmentor separate releases — Atlus is likely gearing up for a return to Sumaru City in some form. If this is the case and aPersona 2duology remake is in the pipeline, there is a solid case behindPersona 6taking place in this same location.
ThePersona 2duology actually has two versions of Sumaru City to coincide with the two parallel versions of events that happen acrossInnocent SinandEternal Punishment.Persona 2’s story follows the struggle between Philemon and the demon Nyarlathotep, who both create versions of Sumaru to prove their respective points about the desires of humanity for self-destruction. While Nyarlathotep’s curse creates the version of Sumaru City inInnocent Sin,Philemon creates a parallel version inEternal Punishment, resulting in a new timeline of events that sets the stage for future games in the series.
Sumaru City Features a Yin and Yang-Inspired Design
Aside fromPersona 6potentially being inspired by YokohamaMonopoly, there is another key reason why the game could end up set in Sumaru City. The design of Sumaru City in thePersona 2duologyforms a yin and yang symbol, with the city being separated by a winding river that mimics the design found on the Taoist symbol, and also contains five different wards, two of which are based on and named after the real-world Yokohama wards of Aoba and Konan. This yin and yang design also mirrors the heart of real-world Yokohama, which is divided by the Ooka River that runs through the Minami, Naka, Konan, and Isogo wards.
Part of the leaked details aboutPersona 6included its alleged use of yin and yangas a major overarching theme in the game. While it’s likely this theme will have a more metaphorical representation in the game, it’s also possible thatPersona 6could include a literal depiction of the theme by taking place in Sumaru City as it bears a design based on the Taoist symbol. Although there’s no timeline for whenPersona 6and the rumoredPersona 2remake will be released,Persona 6taking place in a new version of Sumaru City would be the perfect way to get players excited about seeing its origins in aPersona 2remake.
