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Persona 5

Persona 5 remains an active franchise in 2026, with the live-service spin-off Persona 5: The Phantom X receiving frequent updates, new characters, and anniversary events, while the original Persona 5 Royal continues to see merchandise, sales, and collaborations across multiple platforms.

Synthesized from 25 Yomimono stories · updated Aug 31

Persona 5: The Phantom X, the free-to-play mobile and PC spin-off, has been the franchise's main content engine in 2026. Updates Ver.4.1 through Ver.4.8 added crossover characters from Persona 3 Reload, seasonal events, and new 5-star characters. The game marked its first anniversary on June 26 with a Hatsune Miku collaboration, a free 5-star ticket, and a special broadcast. Fan engagement shaped output: a character popularity poll crowned Motoyoshi Kitazato, and the winner received an ASMR production and a short movie.

The Persona 5 brand also expanded through merchandise and media. Kotobukiya launched the OSHI WORKS Mini figure line with a Joker figure from Persona 5 Royal and opened pre-orders for Joker, Crow, and Violet scale figures. Persona 5 Royal merchandise appeared at Daiso and Seria 100-yen shops. The Persona 5 Special Big Band Concert returned with a larger venue and a setlist including Persona 5: The Phantom X tracks. A coloring contest and an Amazon Kindle manga sale further tied the series to retail promotions.

Franchise-wide initiatives connected Persona 5 to other Atlus titles. The Persona series' 30th anniversary in 2026 included a Goddess of Victory: NIKKE collaboration spanning Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 The Golden, and Persona 5 The Royal. Atlus ran deep discounts on Persona 5 Royal, including 70% off on Steam. The NHK program Game Genome featured Persona 5 in its Season 1 episodes, treating the game as part of cultural literacy.

Key facts

Latest update
Version 4.8 of Persona 5: The Phantom X released on August 28, 2026, adding the sports festival event and the 5-star character Katayama Kumi. ↗
Character poll winner
Motoyoshi Kitazato won the first character popularity poll for Persona 5: The Phantom X, announced on July 18, 2026. ↗
Poll reward
Kitazato received an ASMR production titled "Being dissected by Kitazato Motoyoshi!?" ↗
First anniversary
Persona 5: The Phantom X celebrated its first anniversary on June 26, 2026, with a Hatsune Miku collaboration and free 5-star ticket. ↗
Hatsune Miku collaboration
The collaboration featured a key visual by Persona series character designer Shigenori Soejima and a DECO*27 song "Ghost Rule." ↗
Persona 3 Reload crossover
Persona 5: The Phantom X added Makoto Yuki, Yukari Takeba, and Akihiko Sanada from Persona 3 Reload through collaboration events from May to June 2026. ↗
NIKKE collaboration
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE will hold a Persona collaboration starting August 13, 2026, spanning Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 The Golden, and Persona 5 The Royal, part of the series' 30th anniversary. ↗
Steam discount
Persona 5 Royal was 70% off on Steam until July 10, 2026, priced at 2,303 yen. ↗
Figure line
Kotobukiya's OSHI WORKS Mini line includes a Joker figure from Persona 5 Royal, priced at 1,980 yen, releasing February 2027. ↗
Concert
The Persona 5 Special Big Band Concert held June 30 at Pacifico Yokohama National Hall included Persona 5: The Phantom X tracks, with vocalist Lyn returning. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Noted
The sale also includes deep cuts on Persona 5 Royal, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and other Atlus titles · 2026-07-15
Noted
The Persona 5 Special Big Band Concert, held June 30 at Pacifico Yokohama National Hall, reprised its 2025 performance with a larger venue, evolved arrangements, and songs from Persona 5: The Phantom X. · 2026-07-04

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/persona-5. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

1d ago

GRAPHT Announces First Persona Collaboration with 30th Anniversary Collection

MSY's audio and gaming accessories brand GRAPHT announced its first collaboration with the Persona series, timed to the franchise's 30th anniversary. The collection, sold under the ASOBI GRAPHT line that develops products with game IPs, centers on 'THE SPECIAL - EARPHONES PERSONA 30th Anniversary Edition,' a 9,900 yen earphone based on GRAPHT's THE STANDARD model. The Atlus Sound Team listened to and selected the tuning. Pre-orders opened September 7 on the GRAPHT OFFICIAL STORE. The earphones will not be sold at the venue, but will be on display and available for listening at the GRAPHT exhibition booth (Hall10-C08) at Tokyo Game Show 2026, running September 17-21 at Makuhari Messe, alongside a playable demo of Persona 4 Revival. All other items, including eight T-shirt designs, desk mats, a stainless steel thermal tumbler, acrylic art blocks, embroidered stickers, arcade controller buttons, and trading can badges, get early sales at the GRAPHT merchandise booth (Hall10-W30). Those items are scheduled for online sale around early October.

1d ago

Persona 5: The Phantom X Blitz & Kisskill Lila Merchandise Opens Pre-Orders at Ebten

Dengeki Hobby Web reports new merchandise for the kaidoru characters Blitz & Kisskill Lila from Persona 5: The Phantom X. Three items are now available for pre-order at Ebten: a square can badge two-piece set, an acrylic slide keychain, and an acrylic stand. All three are scheduled to ship in early November 2026. The badge set is priced at 1,210 yen, while the keychain and stand each cost 1,540 yen, tax included.

Aug 28

Persona 5: The Phantom X Adds Katayama Kumi in Version 4.8 Update

Sega released Version 4.8 of Persona 5: The Phantom X on August 28, 2026. The update adds the sports festival event "Sparkling Youth! All-Out Sprint Sports Festival," the new 5-star character Katayama Kumi, and the second half of her synergy story. A synergy story for Matsukata Yui also debuts.

Aug 28

NHK Game Genome Brings Pilot and Season 1 to On Demand

NHK announced on August 28 that its game culture program "Game Genome" will be distributed sequentially on NHK On Demand starting September 1 at 17:00. The service will carry 11 episodes covering the 2021 pilot and Season 1, which aired in 2022. The program treats the emotions and values players gain from play sessions as "game genomes" and analyzes classic titles with guests. The pilot episode, an extended version focused on "Death Stranding," features creator Hideo Kojima, host Tsubasa Honda, artist Gen Hoshino, and former Famitsu editor-in-chief Katsuhiko Hayashi. Season 1 episodes cover "Shadow of the Colossus" and "The Last Guardian," "Persona 5," "Ace Attorney," "Dark Souls," "Resident Evil," "Romancing SaGa 2," "Life is Strange" and "Life is Strange 2," "Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin," "This War of Mine," and "Tokyo Jungle" and "Stray." Honda hosted the pilot and first half of Season 1, while singer and dancer Daichi Miura took over for the second half.

Aug 27

Kotobukiya Launches OSHI WORKS Mini Figures With Maomao and Persona Heroes

Kotobukiya has introduced OSHI WORKS Mini, a new chibi figure line designed as a sister brand to its OSHI WORKS series, with a focus on affordable pricing and a global lineup. The first wave includes two versions of Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries, one in her everyday clothes and one in her garden party outfit, as well as the protagonist from Persona 3 Reload and Joker from Persona 5 Royal. Each figure is about 100 millimeters tall, priced at 1,980 yen including tax, and scheduled for release in February 2027. The figures feature a neck ball joint so collectors can adjust the face direction. They come with no accessories, which the sources say maximizes focus on sculpting and painting. The base and package sizes are uniform across the line, allowing figures to be displayed together neatly. Pre-orders for the first wave opened on August 25, 2026, across retailers including Amazon and Rakuten, as listed in one of the articles.

Aug 7

The Weeknd Shows Off Persona 5's Tae Takemi Tattoo, Fans React

On July 29, The Weeknd's official X account posted what appears to be a tattoo of Persona 5 character Tae Takemi, sparking reactions from fans and Crunchyroll. The authenticity is unconfirmed since the image was previously posted. The Weeknd has shown support for Persona 5 Royal, visited Atlus, and played early builds of Persona 4 Revival and Persona 6.

Aug 6

P5X Popularity Poll Full Rankings Revealed at First Fan Meeting

At the first anniversary fan meeting for Persona 5: The Phantom X, the full results of a character popularity poll were announced, ranking all 63 characters from last to first. Motoyoshi Kitazato took first place, with the top 10 including several playable characters and notable story figures. The event also featured behind-the-scenes development stories and talks from the production team.

Aug 6

Persona 5: The Phantom X Adds Summer Event and New 5-Star Character

Sega released Ver.4.6 for Persona 5: The Phantom X, adding the summer event "Otsukare SUMMER Shark! Terror!? Shadow Shark VS Shiosai Phantom Thieves" and the new 5-star character "Miyu Summer Wave." The update also introduces synergy character "Ichigo Kano" and runs until August 13, 2026.

Aug 6

Persona 5: The Phantom X Fan Event Crowns Kitazato Kiyoshi Top Character

The first offline fan event for Persona 5: The Phantom X was held in Tokyo on July 18, celebrating the game's first anniversary. The event revealed the results of the character popularity vote, with Kitazato Kiyoshi taking first place. An ASMR production featuring Kitazato was also announced.

Aug 3

NIKKE Persona Collaboration Runs From August 13

Level Infinite announced on August 2, 2026 that Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, the gun-girl RPG co-developed with SHIFT UP, will hold a collaboration with the Persona series starting August 13, 2026. The collaboration spans three titles: Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 The Golden, and Persona 5 The Royal. It is part of a project marking the 30th anniversary of the Persona series in 2026. A preview key visual was released alongside the announcement, showing members of the Counterattack Squad holding motifs tied to each game, such as a clock, a television, and a calling card, as they attempt to deliver gifts. The collaboration was first teased in an official program broadcast on June 27, 2026, where logos for P3, P4, and P5 appeared. Specific details about which NIKKE characters will appear and the event content have not been revealed. Further information will be shared sequentially on the official Goddess of Victory: NIKKE X account and website. The Persona series, created by Atlus, began with Revelations: Persona in 1996 and is set in modern Japanese cities, focusing on students who awaken to Persona powers while facing occult incidents.

Jul 23

Kotobukiya Opens Pre-Orders for Persona 5 Royal Joker, Crow, and Violet Oshi Works Figures

Kotobukiya began accepting pre-orders on July 23 for three scale figures from Persona 5 Royal as part of its Oshi Works series. The figures depict Joker, Crow, and Violet, each priced at 11,000 yen including tax. Each figure includes a removable acrylic panel reproducing the Revolver Command UI from the game. The Joker figure stands approximately 215mm tall including the base, Violet stands approximately 250mm, and Crow stands approximately 205mm. Pre-order deadlines vary by character: Joker closes on August 25, Violet on September 15, and Crow on October 20. The figures are scheduled for release between February and April 2027. Kotobukiya is handling production and sales, with prototypes by sculptor Thousand. The Oshi Works series aims to offer scale figures at a reasonable price point with a wide lineup, making them accessible to more collectors.

Jul 18

P5X Character Poll Winner Gets ASMR of Being Dissected

The official P5X Twitter account announced the results of the first character popularity poll on July 18. Kitazato Motoyoshi, voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto, took first place. As a reward, production of an ASMR titled "Being dissected by Kitazato Motoyoshi!?" has been decided. The top 10 also included the protagonist, Sakai Ayaka, Merope, Kamiyama Reo, Tanemura Riko, Nagao Aika, Kotone Montagne, Arai Sowa, and Dogenzaka Runa. Additional rewards include digital wallpapers for 1st to 15th place and a short movie for the top three phantom thief idols.

Jul 17

Persona 5: The Phantom X Gets a Summer Beach House Event and a New Minami Variant

Sega released the Ver.4.5 update for Persona 5: The Phantom X, adding a summer event where the Phantom Thieves run a beach house. The update also introduces a new ★5 character, Minami (Beach Flower), a Blessing attribute support unit. The event runs until July 30, with a pickup contract for the new character available until August 13.

Jul 15

Atlus Marks Persona 3 20th Anniversary with Deepest Discounts Yet

Atlus is running a Persona 3 20th anniversary sale on the PS Store and Nintendo eShop, offering Persona 3 Reload at its highest discount ever: 60% off on PlayStation and 40% off on Switch. The sale also includes deep cuts on Persona 5 Royal, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and other Atlus titles. The PS Store sale runs until July 29, while the eShop sale extends to August 10 for some titles.

Jul 7

Amazon Kindle Sale Offers Up to 50% Points Back on Kadokawa Manga

Amazon Kindle has launched a large-scale sale offering up to 50% points back on select Kadokawa manga titles, running from July 7 through July 13 for the Kadokawa campaign and until July 23 for the Summer Super Point Fair. The promotion coincides with Amazon Prime Day and covers dozens of series, including Delicious in Dungeon, Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon, Nichijou, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5: Mementos Mission, and Gunslinger Girl. For Delicious in Dungeon, all 14 volumes (excluding volume 10) are eligible; buying the full set costs 10,742 yen and yields 5,012 yen in points. The Delicious in Dungeon World Guide: Adventurer's Bible Complete Edition and Ryoko Kui's sketchbook Daydream Hour are also included. The Persona manga adaptations are similarly discounted: all 11 volumes of Persona 3 cost 6,897 yen with 3,454 points back, all 13 volumes of Persona 4 cost 8,173 yen with 4,092 points back, and all 3 volumes of Persona 5: Mementos Mission cost 2,057 yen with 1,029 points back. Other notable titles in the sale include Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero, Today's Menu for the Emiya Family, A Bride's Story, Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Erased, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and The Eminence in Shadow.

Jul 4

Persona 5 Big Band Concert Returns With Larger Scale and P5X Setlist

The Persona 5 Special Big Band Concert, held June 30 at Pacifico Yokohama National Hall, reprised its 2025 performance with a larger venue, evolved arrangements, and songs from Persona 5: The Phantom X. Conductor Charlie Rosen, whose "Last Surprise" cover earned a Grammy nomination in 2024, led the big band. The setlist included "Ambitions and Visions" from P5X and tracks from the game's "Third Semester." Lyn returned as vocalist.

Jul 3

Kotobukiya Reveals Figure Prototypes and Color Samples at Anime Expo 2026

Kotobukiya announced a wide range of new figure prototypes and color samples at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 2. The company revealed supervising prototypes for "Super Kaguya-hime!" figures of Kaguya, Tsukimi Yachiyo, and Sayori Sakayori, as well as a prototype for "Magic Knight Rayearth" Hikaru Shidou. Under the OSHI WORKS line, prototypes were shown for "Attack on Titan The Final Season" characters Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and Sasha. The new OSHI WORKS Mini brand debuted with color samples of "The Apothecary Diaries" Maomao and "TRIGUN STARGAZE" Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood. For game-related figures, Kotobukiya showed the first color sample of a 1/4 scale "Goddess of Victory: NIKKE" Anis figure. OSHI WORKS Mini color samples were also displayed for "Persona 3 Reload" and "Persona 5 The Royal" protagonists, plus prototypes for "Trails" series characters Estelle Bright and Joshua Bright, and SNK characters Mai Shiranui, Angel, and Kula Diamond. Additional figures included "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" Rebecca and "Snowball Earth" Tetsuo Yabusame and Ao Nogi.

Jun 27

Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5: The Phantom X Get Official Coloring Contest

Celsys Inc. and Ibis Inc. launched the 36th Digital Coloring Contest 'Nurimasu!' on June 26, 2026, featuring line art from 16 characters of Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5: The Phantom X. Entrants color the line art on any device and post it on X with a hashtag. Prizes include pen tablets, PCs, Persona 5 goods, and an acrylic panel of the entry. The contest runs through July 19, 2026.

Jun 27

Persona 5 Royal Gets 70% Off Sale on Steam Until July 10

Atlus's Persona 5 Royal is 70% off on Steam, dropping from 7,678 yen to 2,303 yen. The sale runs through July 10. The RPG, a 2019 expanded version of the 2016 original, holds an Overwhelmingly Positive rating from over 86,000 reviews on the platform.

Jun 25

Persona 5: The Phantom X 1st Anniversary Gives Free 5-Star Ticket, Up to 3,650 Crystals

Sega announced the Ver.4.4 update and 1st anniversary campaign for Persona 5: The Phantom X (P5X) on June 24, 2026. The update adds a Hatsune Miku collaboration event titled "Miracle Concert," where players earn Miku Points through music games and boss battles. Hatsune Miku appears as a new ★5 character in a pickup contract. The anniversary campaign includes a free 5-star character selection ticket (Special Invitation Ticket Vol. 3) that lets players choose from seven characters including Sua Tropical, Tomoko Peach Summer, Masaki Ashiya, and Futaba Sakura. Players can receive free crystals equal to their login days multiplied by 10, up to a maximum of 3,650. Additional rewards include 1,000 crystals for reading the collaboration story, up to 1,500 crystals from the mini-game, and a login bonus of platinum tickets and miricoins. An arranged version of "Life Will Change" is added to the game. The update also adds Masaki Ashiya to the regular draw pool. Outside the game, a collaboration sake with the HINEMOS brand is available for pre-order, and an Animate fair is planned for August.

Jun 22

Persona 5: The Phantom X 1st Anniversary Broadcast Set for June 24

A special broadcast for Persona 5: The Phantom X will air on June 24, 2026, to mark the game's first anniversary on June 26. The program will cover game updates, campaigns, and likely the recently announced Hatsune Miku collaboration, as suggested by the video thumbnail.

Jun 19

Persona 5 Royal Merchandise Hits Daiso and Seria 100-Yen Shops Nationwide

Persona 5 Royal merchandise, including acrylic stands, keychains, plush pouches, and rubber figures, will be released sequentially at Daiso and Seria 100-yen shops across Japan from late June. Prices range from 110 yen to 550 yen. Items feature in-game illustrations, all-out attack art, and original chibi designs.

Jun 15

Persona 5: The Phantom X Announces Hatsune Miku Collaboration With DECO*27 Song

Sega announced on June 15 that Persona 5: The Phantom X (P5X) will collaborate with Hatsune Miku as part of the game's first anniversary celebration. To mark the event, the company released an animated movie featuring the P5X Phantom Thieves and Hatsune Miku set to DECO*27's song "Ghost Rule." A key visual for the collaboration, drawn by Persona series character designer Shigenori Soejima, was also unveiled. Soejima's Miku design originally appeared in Persona 4 Dancing All Night. A special program titled "Persona X-stream Extra Edition! Hatsune Miku Collaboration Special Issue" will stream on June 18 at 21:00 JST to share further details about the collaboration. The game is available on iOS, Android, and PC.

Jun 12

Persona 5: The Phantom X Adds Akihiko Sanada in P3R Collaboration

Persona 5: The Phantom X has released Ver.4.3, adding Akihiko Sanada as a ★5 character through a collaboration event with Persona 3 Reload. The event, titled "Moon Path・Thunder Fist," runs until June 25, 2026, and includes a pickup contract, login bonuses, and anniversary rewards.

Jun 8

Persona 5: The Phantom X Adds Yukari Takeba From Persona 3 Reload

The mobile and PC game Persona 5: The Phantom X has received a Ver.4.2 update that adds a collaboration event with Persona 3 Reload. The update introduces Yukari Takeba as a new ★5 character and adds the Polonian Mall area for city life activities. A new NPC side mission and several login campaigns are also included.

May 31

CloverWorks POP UP SHOP 2026 Tour Announced for Three Cities

CloverWorks announced a regional tour of its POP UP SHOP 2026 event, starting January 16 in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, followed by Nagoya in February and Kochi in March. The pop-up shops will sell merchandise for series including My Dress-Up Darling, Wind Breaker, Bocchi the Rock!, Spy × Family, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and others. Limited quantities of past release goods and books will also be available. Each venue will display reproduction artwork and production materials, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the studio's animation process. The tour begins at Ebetsu Tsutaya Books (January 16 to February 4), moves to TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Noritake in Nagoya (February 13 to March 2), and ends at Kochi Tsutaya Books (March 27 to April 13). Stock and exhibits may vary by location. The announcement was made on January 9, 2026.

May 21

Persona 5: The Phantom X Adds Makoto Yuki From Persona 3 Reload

Sega released the Ver.4.1 update for Persona 5: The Phantom X, adding a collaboration event with Persona 3 Reload titled Walking the Moon Path: The Dazzling Moonlight Artificial Island. The update introduces Makoto Yuki as a new ★5 character, available through a pickup contract until June 25, 2026.