Persona 3 Reload: No Female Protagonist from P3P

Fans of the *Persona* series have long hoped to see the female protagonist, Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato (often referred to as FeMC), from *Persona 3 Portable* make her way into the broader *Persona 3* narrative. However, in a recent interview reported by PC Gamer, *Persona 3 Reload* producer Kazushi Wada clarified once again that this is highly unlikely due to significant development and budgetary constraints.

FeMC Not Coming to Persona 3 Reload

During the planning stages of *Persona 3 Reload*, specifically while working on the post-launch DLC "Episode Aigis – The Answer," the idea of including Kotone/Minako was briefly considered. However, after further discussion, it was determined that implementing the female protagonist would be too costly and time-intensive to fit within the current project scope.

*Persona 3 Reload*, released earlier this year, serves as a full remake of the original 2006 title, bringing updated mechanics and visuals to modern platforms. Despite its many improvements and additions, the absence of a playable FeMC has been a disappointment for many fans who grew attached to her story in *Persona 3 Portable*.

“The more we discussed it, the more unlikely it became,” Wada stated. “The development time and costs would not have been manageable.” He continued, “I'm really sorry to all of the fans who were holding out hope, but it is likely never going to happen.”

This sentiment echoes previous comments made by Wada in an earlier interview with Famitsu, where he explained that developing a female protagonist option would take significantly more effort than creating the already substantial "Episode Aigis" DLC.

“For a female protagonist, I am sorry to say that unfortunately, there is no possibility,” Wada reportedly said. “The development time and cost would be several times longer than Episode Aigis, and the hurdles would be too high.”

Given the popularity of Minako among fans, expectations were high that she might appear either at launch or through future DLC. However, based on Wada’s latest remarks, those hopes are now effectively dashed. While some fans remain hopeful for future spin-offs or remastered versions, for now, Kotone/Minako's journey remains exclusive to *Persona 3 Portable*.

As always, Atlus continues to focus on delivering quality content that aligns with their creative vision and technical capabilities. While the exclusion of FeMC may be disappointing, the studio remains committed to honoring the legacy of *Persona 3* through *Reload* and beyond.