Atlus Survey Hinted at Future Persona, SMT, and Etrian Odyssey Projects

Atlus has once again gotten the gaming community talking with a new survey that looks more like a map of possible future releases than a questionnaire.  The Persona series is always in the news, but the survey doesn't stop there.  Fans of Shin Megami Tensei, Etrian Odyssey, and even newer games like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Unicorn Overlord might have reasons to be excited.

This survey is different from others because of its ambition.  Participants are asked about a wide range of topics, including their favourite platforms for upcoming games, which Persona games should get spin-offs, and whether long-lost classics should be remade. Sources say it takes about ten minutes to finish and is only open to people who live in the U.S., but that hasn't stopped fans from around the world from speculating about its significance.

Of course, Persona is the primary focus.  The survey asks fans which of the first five entries they would most like to see turned into spin-offs or brought back in a new way.  Interestingly, Atlus is giving earlier games in the series, like Persona 1 and the Persona 2 duology, another chance to be recognised, even though Persona 5 is still the most popular game in the series, years after its release.

Fan input has always been important.  Atlus put out a similar survey in 2024, which led to the worldwide release of Persona 5: The Phantom X in 2025.  And if that wasn't enough proof, the success of Persona 3 Reload and the upcoming Persona 4 Revival show that asking direct questions about remakes often leads to real projects.  It's clear that the company isn't just asking for fun; these surveys matter.

Fans of Shin Megami Tensei should also pay attention.  The franchise is still going strong, along with Persona.  Atlus has already shown that it is willing to go back to side stories, like with Ryo Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army.  The latest survey brought up remakes and remasters again, which suggests that more classic SMT games will be coming to modern consoles sooner rather than later.

Statements from Atlus leaders back up this theory.  Kazuhisa Wada, the producer of Persona, said in 2024 that he didn't have any plans to make remakes of the older games right away, but he "would like to do it someday." 

This year, Ryo Remastered director Kazuyuki Yamai added to the speculation by saying that Atlus still has "many hidden charms yet to be fully conveyed."  He also noted that new releases and remakes would "work together" to make the company more powerful. This feels like an open invitation to dream big for long-time fans.

Persona and SMT are the most talked-about games, but Etrian Odyssey isn't far behind.  The last mainline game in the dungeon-crawling series came out in 2018 for the Nintendo 3DS. It was called Etrian Odyssey Nexus.  Fans were left wondering if the franchise had been put on hold because of that silence.  Atlus still asks about it in surveys, and the fact that it's included here shows that the company is still interested in bringing the series back.

Surveys have led to real results in the past, so Etrian Odyssey could be ready to come back.  It's not clear if that means a brand-new game or a remaster of older ones, but the idea that this niche but beloved series could come back has given people new hope.

Atlus knows how to get fans involved.  The company understands that its players are very nostalgic and want to play old games again.  That's why surveys always ask about remakes, spin-offs, and remasters.  Persona 3 Reload and Persona 4 Remake are examples of how this strategy has already worked. It looks like it will continue to shape the publisher's plans.

It's also a smart way to see how things are going without making public promises.  Atlus makes sure that when their projects finally come out, they have a lot of fans who are ready to buy them by checking interest.  Players are being asked to say what they want to see come back, whether it's Persona 1, the Persona 2 duology, or less well-known SMT games. Atlus seems ready to listen.

Surveys are now almost an annual event, so the real question isn't if Atlus will listen to fans—it's when.  There is a clear pattern in the timing of recent releases: ask players what they want and then give it to them within a few years.  That consistency makes this survey more than just a questionnaire; it's like a trailer for the next ten years of Atlus games.

Atlus is unlikely to stop relying on its well-known franchises any time soon, given how well they've done recently.  Atlus is good at balancing nostalgia and new ideas. Both of these things sell.  The company is trying to make sure it doesn't just sit back and relax by hinting at both remasters and new IPs, like Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Based on what has happened in the past, this survey will have a significant impact on Atlus's future catalogue.  Fans have a lot of reasons to keep an eye on what comes next, from possible remakes of Persona 1 and 2 to a long-awaited return of Etrian Odyssey and more spin-offs that add to the Persona universe.

Atlus is openly asking what you want to see, and in the past, they've shown that they're willing to listen. This means that the next few years will be fascinating.  The only thing left to ask is which franchise you want Atlus to bring back first.