Developer Black Wings and publisher Perfect World have announced a free-to-play mobile spinoff of Persona 5, entitled Phantom of the Night, which features an all-new protagonist and characters. Atlus and Sega are supervising the development, with the Chinese studio Black Wings handling the game. Playtesting will start on March 29 in China.
Persona: Phantom of the Night will be a free-to-play mobile spinoff with in-app purchases for iOS and Android, and is based in the world of Persona and set in Tokyo. The game's theme and gameplay look the same as in Persona 5, but it will introduce a new protagonist and a bunch of new characters. Phantom of the Night involves turn-based combat, exploring, and class working as Persona fans might expect from an RPG spinoff set in the same universe.
Persona: Phantom of the Night tells an original story surrounding a group of Phantom Thieves. The developer team said the beloved aspects of Persona 5 are preserved, whilst the gameplay is tailored for mobile devices. In addition to supervising the development, Atlus and Sega will provide resources while Perfect World will publish the title. Phantom of the Night will also be tailored to local user preferences and gameplay environments to differentiate itself from Persona 5.
The good news is that the protagonist and his Persona are designed by Atlus art team's Shigenori Soejima, who is well-known for his work on the Persona series. Players will take the role of a student, attend classes, and participate in daily activities to improve their social skills. During their free time, they will explore the city and use their Persona to battle against enemies.
Persona: Phantom of the Night tells the story of young students who have awakened their personas as they face difficulties together. The game is based on the theme of "desire", in which unrelated things are somehow connected.
No particular release date has been announced yet. Also, the fact that the playtest will be held in China does not mean Persona: Phantom of the Night won't release in Europe or America. Given the game is being developed by a Chinese studio, it makes sense that Chinese players will send their feedback earlier than players outside their country.