Those Japanese devs love their DLC in their games, and before you deny it, presenting exhibit A, Persona 3 Reload. Yep, for all the love they get for their phenomenal games with cool and hot female heroines, there’s also a dark side. In particular, Sega and its most successful developer, Atlus, are famous for milking the fanbase.
We’re not kidding here. This is a long-standing practice that is horrendous and appalling and needs addressing. So, that’s what we’re gonna do. Sit back, grab some popcorn, ’cause we’re gonna be letting the gloves off, and really let Atlus have it. Let’s go!
Persona 3 Reload DLC: Episode Aigis Was Supposed To Part Of The Base Game
Before Atlus’s staunch defenders come outta the woodwork, hear us out, yeah? You see, when asked if there will be an epilogue DLC from previous-gen versions of Persona 3 in Reload, the answer was a resounding no. Now, that might give many players some disappointment who were expecting more, but the ones who were satisfied with just the one-and-done outing were relieved.
Then, like an RKO outta nowhere (bonus points if you got that WWE reference)~ Atlus drops the bombshell on the recent Xbox Partner Showcase. There’s a trailer all about the much-divisive DLC, Episode Aigis: The Answer. Now, don’t get us wrong, we’re down for more story content, not like this. Atlus blatantly lied by doing the exact opposite since this was being secretly worked on. Long story short: it could have been part of the base game.
Sure, Atlas may deny it now, but let’s not kid ourselves here. This was the strategy from the get-go. Make the full game, chop it up, and then sell it in piecemeal. Then, when that’s over, expect a complete edition to also pop up down the line. Hook, line, and sinker. Though, Atlus’s initial denial now casts a huge shadow over their word and its credibility in the future.
How This Isn’t A One-Time Thing?
Look, we love Atlas for making Persona, and its amazing musical scores are second to none. Shoutout to our list of top video game musical soundtracks. Anyway, if this was the first time Atlas would have done such a thing, we could cut it some slack. Heck, we’re all for remakes that bring a new direction to the game. We’ve even got a list of classic games that deserve remakes, like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. But consider this: Persona 3 Alone has grossly abused the remake treatment.
First, it was the original release; fair enough, it was back from the PS2 days. Then there was Persona 3 FES. It enhanced the gameplay significantly and brought nifty new features, including story DLC. Then! There was Persona 3 Portable, another remake that brought even more content but took out some things, too. Now, we’ve got Persona 3 Reload, which was promised as a standalone story remake with NO DLC.
Oh, and then there’s the cash cow that’s churning out with Persona 4, which got another enhanced port, Persona 4 Golden. Persona 5 was all the hype after that, and then when everyone bought everything, Atlus decided to charge full price for a minor DLC update, ala Persona 5 Royal. The point is that with Persona 3, Reload DLC: Episode Aigis is more of the same.
Atlas Needs To Do Better Or Else There Will Be Backlash And Consequences
We get that business-wise, Atlus has a sound strategy with Persona 3 Reload DLC, we do. But a little goodwill goes a long way. Right now, fans are slowly realizing how they’re getting swindled by Atlus, hence all the PR damage control going on. It’s not the first case of corporate greed fanning the flames and eliciting a huge response from the gaming community.
Like, just recently, the idiotic approach of WB Games embracing the live service model in every title happened. Suffice to say, people were rightfully furious about this thick-headed approach. It’s one of the major reasons that WB Games called their latest title, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, a flop. We’re not kidding. We had to scramble quickly to compile a list of games to help you get over Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
A similar fate awaits Atlas and the whole fiasco with Persona 3 Reload DLC if they’re not careful. Transparency is a major way to do that. Lying is a scummy move, but they’re also charging exorbitantly for mere cosmetics and cut content stories. More discounts, free content, and being honest. That’s what the trifecta Atlus needs, at the least if it wants to be in good grace with its community. Maybe throw in freebies in a way that boosts player engagement with the game to unlock DLC. Kind of like the free battle passes in Helldivers 2.
Final Thoughts On Atlas Flubbing Up With Persona 3 Reload DLC
Well, that’s our take on the whole mess of a situation that Atlas caught itself in with Persona 3 Reload DLC. There are some really unfair practices on their part that need course correcting. But anyway, tell us about how y’all feel about the predicament that Atlas is facing. Do you feel like they should do more? Or are you a content loyalist who’ll happily give more of your hard-earned money to them without a second thought?
We’d love to hear your opinions, so please share them in the comments below. We’re looking forward to hearing everything from other perspectives. Anyway, we’re gonna sign off on a positive note to lift our spirits. So, take a gander at our hot take on THAT romance in Final Fantasy 7 (FF VII), which everyone is gushing about. Welp, until next time, folks, happy gaming!
