Atlus Games has been busy ever since the release of Persona 5 in 2016. The initial game gained so much popularity Atlus Games moved on to making several spin-offs in order to continue the story. The newest edition, Persona Tactica 5, was just recently released, and the main question on everyone’s mind is whether Persona 5 Tactica is canon or not. Is it incorporated into the Persona 5 timeline, and if so, where does it stand?
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Does Persona 5 Tactica Fit Into the Persona 5 Universe?
Ever since its release, fans have been scrambling to figure out how Persona 5 Tactica is canon. There have been theories here and there about where the game falls within the Persona 5 universe, and we’re here to crack that mystery.
The first thing to keep in mind is that the Persona 5 universe is unlike other gaming universes in the sense that it follows an in-game calendar. This makes it easier to follow and recognise which games fit where in the story. The Persona 5 game starts in April and ends in March of next year. Within this 11-month period, Atlus Games have managed to fit in 7 different games and somehow make them all canon. Technically, Persona 5 Tactica is canon as well, as it takes place before their graduation, so it is part of that 11-month period.
Now, you’ll probably be reading differing reviews about this since everyone has their own opinion. While some think it’s being forced into between the universe’s story-telling, others believe it’s an excellent edition to give us some fresh gameplay. Let’s talk more about why people disagree on Persona 5 Tactica being canon.
Inconsistencies Of Persona 5 Tactica From P5 Universe
The major problem that arose when releasing Persona 5 Tactica was that the previous release, Persona 5 Striker, took place the summer after their graduation. This means that technically, the game’s story had ended, and people were sitting in wait for Persona 6, a totally new storyline after the P5 timeline.
Making Persona 5 Tactica canon begs the question of how you’re supposed to add any editions to the game when you’ve already written the story once. As explained by a Reddit user, Persona 5 Tactica is set to take place somewhere in between Persona 5 Royal, the original sequel of Persona 5.
According to them, the timeline of games is something like Persona 5 Royal, Persona Q2, Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight, Persona 5 Tactica, and Persona 5 Strikers after the end of Persona 5 Royal. The exact dates can be understood better when playing the game, so you can see for yourself whether this theory lines up with the gameplay. However, if this is true, it means Persona 5 Tactica is canon indeed.
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Persona 5 Tactica DLC
Another big problem people faced when understanding the storyline was regarding Persona 5 Tactica’s DLC content. The DLC, known as “Repaint Your Heart”, features two characters, Goro Akechi and Kasumi Yoshizawa.
Fitting these characters in between Persona 5 Royal’s storyline is utterly confusing as well due to the implications of what happens later. If Persona 5 Tactica is canon indeed before Persona 5 Strikers, it would help align Kasumi Yoshizawa’s introduction to the game.
Persona 5 Tactica Is A Re-Telling of Past Events
If you’re still a bit confused as to how a sequel could enter the universe at a time before the prequels, let us explain. The thing with Persona 5 Tactica canon is that while it is set before Persona 5 Strikers, the game does not introduce a new story to the universe. Rather, Atlus Games has set it as a re-telling of events that have already happened, just from another point of view.
To make things easier, you could consider Persona 5 Tactica is canon and as a multiverse of Persona 5 games since the events that take place here don’t necessarily affect what happens in the story later on, like Persona 5 Strikers or the ending of Persona 5 Royal. This doesn’t change the fact that Persona 5 Tactica is canon, but it does make things easier to understand.
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The Takeaway
Figuring out what parts of the Persona 5 universe are canon can be confusing, especially if you aren’t well-versed with the majority of its games. With the universe having an astounding seven sequels as well as some DLC, keeping up can be difficult. However, if you’ve read through the article, we hope you understood how Persona 5 Tactica is canon.