Atlus will be hosting a free event to celebrate the launch of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden on modern platforms. The event is set to happen the night of January 18, at the South Park Center Skydeck in Los Angeles. RSVP is currently open through Eventbrite.
Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden were announced to be receiving the ports to modern platforms last year. Persona 4 Golden had already been released on Steam in June 2020, but this new launch brings that game, as well as its predecessor Persona 3 Portable, and the latest game Persona 4 Royal, to virtually every platform currently available. This includes the Xbox line and its Game Pass service, PlayStation 4 and 5, and the Nintendo Switch.
Atlus is holding the event in Los Angeles to celebrate that launch on the night of January 18, starting at 8:30 pm. The event will be free to enter, but guests must be 21 or older, on account of the fact that alcoholic drinks will be served. The drinks will be available in a lounge themed after the Velvet Room from the games, while a 'Junes Department Store', based on the setting from Persona 4, promises additional themed food and drinks.
The event also promises the opportunity for guests to be the first to play the new versions of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden at Game Panic. Also, a 'special show' is promoted to occur at midnight, though there's no indication if this will feature any new announcements or teases for the future of the Persona franchise.
It seems like a fun way to celebrate the launch of the games, and a testament to the Persona series' overall popularity. A launch event like this in the U.S. for a pair of Japanese RPGs that are both at least a decade-and-a-half old could feel as surreal as the otherworldly realms the characters in the games navigate. But given how hyped up the releases of these games have already been since last year, it makes sense for Atlus to tap into that ongoing, dedicated fan excitement.