With the release of Persona 3: Reload and the upcoming release of SMTV: Vengeance, gamers once again ask themselves: Is this game worth buying at launch?

Releasing remastered video games is usually a welcomed practice as it introduces newer audiences to older titles. It also allows fans of these older titles to play a beloved title with upgraded graphics. However, when studios re-release updated versions of recent games, we have to wonder why that is. 

Many studios do this. However, we’re going to take a look at ATLUS and their recent and upcoming games: Persona 3 Reload and SMTV: V. 

The Issue

Persona 3: Reload is a welcome update to a game that is almost 20 years old. With its updated graphics, gameplay, and story, it becomes a fresh experience. Persona 3 has two prior remakes in the form of P3:FES and P3:Portable. These games were released 2-4 years after the initial game. 

The 2024 edition does not feature any elements added from FES and Portable. This raises concerns that ATLUS will release something called Persona 3: Re-Reload in the next 2-4 years with all of the content from FES and Portable. ATLUS could also split the content from these games and release two different games called Re-Reload and Re-Re-Reload, with the latter being the complete final form of the game. It raises the question: Would you spend $200 to play one game three times?

SMTV was released in 2021 on the Switch. SMTV: V will be released in June 2024 on all systems with an additional story and QoL improvements. In an interview with SMTV: V’s director, Shigeo Komori, he states many ideas were not implemented in the game’s initial development, which is a chance to rectify that. 

It is unknown how long the new content will take. Fans have voiced their reluctance to repurchase the game at full price for 10-20 hours of new content. However, when it comes to the mainline SMT games, ATLUS does not milk them like they do with Persona.

At this point, players have to learn a company’s behaviors with their titles to know when to buy a game. This issue is not specific to ATLUS but to the video game industry as a whole.

Time is Money

Games spend years in development and need to meet deadlines. With very strict deadlines, it can be difficult to include everything devs would like to implement. However, when the result of these deadlines creates the need for 2-3 repackaged updates of the same game, I prefer the game spend a few extra years in development. Creating a wholly realized game is better than having half-baked experiences that can be considered DLC. These additions aren’t worth buying the same title multiple times. It raises the question: how money-hungry can studios be? Well, the answer is self-evident, especially when you look at the mass layoffs at many AAA studios.

Follow the Money

Many studios have been accused of pumping out half-baked games and adding in-game content for absolutely outrageous prices for profits. The most recent outrage was at Blizzard, and its $70 mount is in Diablo 4. This, in light of the massive layoffs, replacing people with AI, and stories of toxic leadership at these companies, have the public questioning the future of video games.

It’s a bleak situation. I can’t see an end to it unless there’s a real change at these companies or if players start to support publishers that support their teams.