Just one week after Metaphor: ReFantazio’s release, Persona director Katsura Hashino says he’s already cooking up his next JRPG
Katsura Hashino, the legendary director behind both the Persona series and more recent JRPG Metaphor: ReFantazio, reveals that he’s already made a start on his next project.
Speaking alongside Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama in a recent interview with Famitsu, Hashino is asked whether he’s thinking about what to make now that Metaphor’s monumental release has passed. Surprisingly, the lead does indeed have something in mind – and likely has even since before his new JRPG’s launch. “Oh, I have already started,” he explains. He doesn’t “really think about what to do as an individual,” however.
Instead, Hashino looks to his studio and potential players while conceptualizing new games. “I look at Atlus as a whole and think about what is best for our team to create right now,” describes the director. “Firstly I want the users to be happy, and as a result, I hope the company will be happy as well.” This thoughtful process is nothing novel for the P-Studio veteran. According to Hashino, “That is how I always work.”
There’s no telling just yet what this mysterious new project that Hashino has “already started” considering is, but it’s not Persona 6. Shortly after the release of Persona 5, the lead stepped down from his role at P-Studio to help establish Studio Zero – the Atlus team behind Metaphor. After hearing that splitting the team was “for the better” though, I’m personally certain that whatever is coming will be big.