Why Is Persona More Popular Than SMT?

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• Difficulty

• Character Design

• Slice-Of-Life Aspect

• Collaborations

• Anime Adaptations

• Budgeting & Marketing

Persona and Shin Megami Tensei are both massive franchises within Atlus, with both having multiple games that you can play. Shin Megami Tensei came first though, with the Persona franchise essentially being a spin-off. So wouldn't this make Shin Megami Tensei more popular?

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Interestingly, the Persona franchise is more popular than the Shin Megami Tensei franchise, but why is that? Here, we are going to answer this question, taking a look at several factors that may contribute to this. It's important to note that both Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games are worth playing, don't let their popularity affect which one you play!

Difficulty

Tough games can be fun, just look at any FromSoftware title. Gamers love the challenge, but this doesn't appeal to everyone. Many consider Shin Megami Tensei games harder than Persona games.

For example, if you compare Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei 5, the latter is definitely more challenging and punishing. Of course, you can adjust the difficulty of both games to be similar, but this is based on comparisons of the normal mode. Think of SMT as the 'hard mode' version of Persona.

This isn't to say that Shin Megami Tensei is unfair; it just takes a bit more strategy to come out successful. Persona, on the other hand, is just a bit more casual.

Character Design

For many gamers, appealing characters can be a reason enough to play a video game. Persona games have a wide cast of characters, with each one being quite unique. This aspect alone can be enough to draw new players into the franchise.

Shin Megami Tensei may have a good design, but the characters themselves are not as memorable for gamers who haven't played it yet. For example, most people know Joker. Some people who are a bit more familiar with Persona may even know Morgana, Ann, and Ryuji. SMT doesn't involve a group like the Phantom Thieves though, which can make the characters less memorable.

Slice-Of-Life Aspect

As a spin-off of Shin Megami Tensei, Persona keeps the JPRG exploration aspect of the game while also introducing us to daily life. In addition to navigating through dangerous enemy-filled areas, you can go to school, get a girlfriend, and play video games.

Fans of this slice-of-life aspect may be inclined to play Persona based on this. Combining both JRPG exploration and a daily life sim has the potential to draw in even more new fans.

The story in Persona is more character-centric with an emphasis on friendship. This is more 'relatable' to some gamers who want to fully invest in a storyline.

Collaborations

Collaborations are quite common in live-service games, especially mobile gacha games. Some of these crossovers can be with other video games, which may introduce mobile gamers to the collaborative title.

A few games that Persona has collaborated with inside Bang Dream! Girls Band Party, Dragalia Lost, AFK Arena, and Another Eden. There are plenty of other Persona collaborations out there, helping spread the popularity of the franchise.

Anime Adaptations

This is a simple and straightforward reasoning. Persona 5 has a modern anime, which Shin Megami Tensei does not. Persona 5: The Animation released in 2018, consisting of 26 episodes, three specials, and two OVAs.

This is a lot of content, which can help introduce anime fans to the game. The anime is definitely a bit more rushed than the game (as the game has an average completion time of a whopping 98 hours), but helps boost the popularity of the Persona franchise.

Budgeting & Marketing

It's just a fact that Atlus has more marketing for the Persona franchise. Due to Persona's popularity, Atlus may be more inclined to spend more money on the franchise itself and marketing.

As such, gamers will probably be exposed to Persona more than Shin Megami Tensei. Overall though, both franchises are worth diving into. If you've only played one, we suggest checking out the other. Fans of SMT may like the lighthearted change of pace, while fans of Persona may like the increased difficulty and stakes.

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