Persona 4 has not even been released on these shores yet and developer Atlus has already announced the next game in the series, tentatively titled Persona 5: Texas.

Details at this point are sketchy, but as the name implies, this title relocates the quintessentially Japanese RPG series to contemporary suburban Texas, and will feature an American cast of characters. However, Atlus announced in their press release today that this does not mean the series will be completely divorced from its predecessors, and will retain many of the same tropes and even a few direct nods to previous games.

Little is known about the plot at this stage, but you can bet that Persona 5 will again place players in the role of a high school (or, it is rumoured, college) student and ask them to follow a tightly organized day to day routine in addition to fighting baddies. Continuing the mystical themes and cyclical events of previous games, the plot will be framed around the weekly services of the protagonist's neighbourhood church. Acknowledging the American setting of the game, the player's after-school activities are centered around part-time jobs rather than clubs, and it is also rumoured you will have a baby sister to look after!

Officially, Atlus has yet to release any character details. Unofficially, Qmarc80's and my inside sources at Atlus have been able to leak the first (very very rough) character art for what is presumed to be the lead character --named Cameron in several in-house documents-- and his as yet unnamed Persona.

Above: "Cameron" from the leaked P5 sketches. Note the iPod-esque earbuds and what is ostensibly a Macbook or some other sort of laptop. Note also the "S.E.E.S." sticker on the laptop, suggesting the game may have a direct connection with the events of Persona 3.

Below, the creature believed to be Cameron's default Persona.

The design is reminiscent of not just the Personae of P3 and P4 but the Kingdom Hearts series as well. It remains to be seen if the stylisation brings with it a lighter, more "kid-friendly" tone as well-- but probably not.

Qmarc80 and I will be bringing you more news as it develops. Source below.

Atlus Home Site: Toufuu no katami atama o busukete shinjimai!

Happy birthday, Voyou San!