Atlus producer Kazushi Wada reiterates the unlikelihood of Persona 3 Portable's female protagonist (FeMC), Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato, appearing in Persona 3 Reload. Wada clarifies that including the FeMC, even as DLC, proved too expensive and time-consuming for the development team.

High Development Costs Prevent FeMC Inclusion

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Wada explained that while the possibility of adding the FeMC was initially considered alongside the post-launch DLC, Episode Aigis - The Answer, budgetary and developmental constraints ultimately led to her exclusion. The scope of integrating the FeMC into the Persona 3 Reload remake was deemed far too extensive.

Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the 2006 JRPG, launched in February. The omission of Kotone/Minako disappointed many fans, despite the game's faithful recreation of core features. Wada emphasizes the infeasibility of adding the character, stating that the development time and costs would be unmanageable, even as DLC. He expressed his apologies to fans who held out hope for her inclusion.

This statement echoes previous comments made by Wada to Famitsu, where he explained that incorporating the FeMC would require significantly more resources than Episode Aigis, making it a practically insurmountable hurdle. Despite the FeMC's popularity in Persona 3 Portable, Wada's recent statements effectively close the door on her future appearance in Persona 3 Reload.