Mysterious Atlus Email Hints at Retro Persona Release

[Tom Goldman]

Mysterious Atlus Email Hints at Retro Persona Release

A strange Atlus Faithful email from 1999 appears to hint toward the PSP release of Persona 2: Innocent Sin.

Anyone on the Atlus Faithful email list may have gotten a strange message today dated from June 23, 1999. A mistake perhaps? A joke? Apparently not, if you're able to decipher the hidden message inside.

The email contains a fan editorial on whether the PlayStation or the N64 is better, a staff editorial on the impending Y2K disaster, a mention to keep an eye out for the PS1's Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace [http://www.amazon.com/Tail-Concerto-Playstation/dp/B00001ZUHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305843309&sr=8-1-spell]. Weird, right? While I thought the mention of Tail Concerto meant Atlus was bringing its DS sequel Solatorobo to North America, a more likely hint was found. At the very top, a line of text reads: "This Week in News: Absolutely no new games releasing today in Japan."

Now why would Atlus point that out? Kotowari did a search and discovered that June 24, 1999 was actually the Japanese release date of Persona 2: Innocent Sin (which could be June 23 in North America, depending on the time). Coincidentally, a remake [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104787-Atlus-Forges-Ahead-With-Another-Classic-Persona-Remake] of Innocent Sin was recently released for the PSP in Japan!

Innocent Sin is the second classic Persona game to receive a PSP remake, following Shin Megami Tensei: Persona [http://www.amazon.com/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Persona-Sony-PSP/dp/B001V7UX1W/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1305841211&sr=8-5] which came to North America in September 2009. For those wondering if the PSP version of Innocent Sin would also make its way out of Japan, it looks like the answer is "yes."

The best part is that Innocent Sin has never been released in North America. Atlus brought over Persona 2's "second scenario," Personal 2: Eternal Punishment [http://www.amazon.com/Persona-2-Eternal-Punishment-Playstation/dp/B00004WLZ7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305841211&sr=8-1], but kept its hands off of Innocent Sin due to controversial gameplay aspects such as an appearance by one Adolf Hitler and religious themes. Now that we're in the time where things like that are tame, North America can finally get a taste of some never-before-seen Persona goodness.

Keep an eye out for more Persona 2: Innocent Sin PSP communication on Atlus's front in the near future.

Source: Kotowari [http://www.kotowari.org/atluss-retro-e-mail-hints-to-persona-2-innocent-sin/]

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[Therumancer]

Actually "Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers" was also a 1999 release

http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps/575251-devil-summoner-soul-hackers/data

To be honest not releasing that game as promised is a source of great personal rage from me as Atlus pulled it at the last possible minute. Every time they promise a game nowadays I point out that they are a company that you cannot, ever, trust to do what they say. At least with "Innocent Sin" there was never any promise made that the game would be localized and released to the best of my knowlege.

At any rate, given the release of two PS-2 "Devil Summoner" titles as well as the "Devil Survivor" series for the DS (with a remake for the 3ds slated for August) I'm certainly hoping that will be the case instead... though finally seeing a release of "Innocent Sin" certainly wouldn't be bad either.

 

[Yvl9921]

Didn't they already announce Innocent Sin for the US?

 

[mjc0961]

...Oh, that e-mail was real? I thought some douchebag phisher was trying to pass themselves of as Atlus, so I promptly deleted it.

Ah well. I no longer have a PSP, so I guess I didn't miss anything important.

 

[FalloutJack]

Oh, it's about time. Dunno why they never released it in the states. Would've made millions.

 

[The Random One]

Sweet, I can't wait to get my Hitler on.


Oh my god I'm a horrible human being. Sorry, everyone.

 

[mireko]

- This Week in News: Absolutely no new games releasing today in Japan

- Sony PlayStation or Nintendo 64: "Which is better?" (fan editorial)
- Y2K: "Why now is the time to panic" (staff editorial by Abjar Marabia)
- Movie Corner reviews Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (staff review)
- Reader Poll Results!
- And more!

Oh, you.

Also, Abjar Marabia = Aram Jabbari.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

Pardon my ignorance (read: feel free to laugh at me), but is there any way I can play PSP games on my PS3? I've always wanted to get into the Persona series, but I do not have a PSP.

 

[SD-Fiend]

I wonder if this is also getting a release for the 3DS on wikipedia's list of upcoming games it list persona as a tentative title

 

[Arehexes]

Unless it's about Persona 2 coming out in the US then this news is old.

 

[emeraldrafael]

its gonna be awesome getting it in english.

... too bad that I playedt he japanese import and had to decipher it all on my own. or if i had a PSP. I'd probably be more excited.

 

[AetherWolf]

If they really are releasing P2 over here I will party so hard.

 

[Tom Goldman]

Pardon my ignorance (read: feel free to laugh at me), but is there any way I can play PSP games on my PS3? I've always wanted to get into the Persona series, but I do not have a PSP.

Nope. I had the same thought once.

 

[mireko]

Pardon my ignorance (read: feel free to laugh at me), but is there any way I can play PSP games on my PS3? I've always wanted to get into the Persona series, but I do not have a PSP.

Unfortunately, no. I don't know of one, anyway.

There's always Persona 3: FES & Persona 4 for the PS2. The stories are completely unconnected, so you wouldn't be missing out on anything besides one or two throwaway references.


Persona 1 also isn't that great. At least not when compared to Atlus's other games.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

Pardon my ignorance (read: feel free to laugh at me), but is there any way I can play PSP games on my PS3? I've always wanted to get into the Persona series, but I do not have a PSP.

Nope. I had the same thought once.

Ah, that's a shame. Thanks for the clarification though!

 

[matrix3509]

Somebody gave a 3.5 out of 4 stars to The Phantom Menace? Honestly now...

 

[Tanis]

I want P21 and DH

 

[DJDarque]

If they really are releasing P2 over here I will party so hard.

We could party hard together.

 

[Aisaku]

Yes please! I'll be all over an Innocent Sin remake. (The original is too tough, cough, cough)

 

[Izzyisme]

I was just wondering whether or not I should try to get the unofficial English translation of Innocent Sin or wait for news about the PSP remake. I'm glad I waited. Once I play Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment, that'll be all the Persona games. Can't wait!