Persona 4 is my favorite game from Atlus’ genre-defining series, but it’s certainly not the only Persona experience I adore. The timeless Persona 3 came first, and it has similarly been subject to various ports and re-releases. While the more recent Persona 5 has now stolen the show, I’d recommend everyone play the aforementioned two while you can do so for free, as both Persona 3 and 4 are leaving Game Pass soon.
If you aren’t aware, both Persona 4 and its predecessor are available to download and play via Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service. Sadly though, the catalog on offer rotates. Both Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable are now reportedly leaving Game Pass, which means that this could be your last opportunity to give Atlus’ brilliant JRPGs a go for the first time or test Persona’s waters for free.
According to Game Pass, you’ll have access to the two Persona games and any other soon-to-depart offers until Monday, January 15. If you consider yourself a completionist, this means you’ve got just a couple of weeks to put in 100 or so hours for each of Atlus’ award-winning games. Start now, and you may just have enough time to finish both. This isn’t the last we’ll see of Persona on Game Pass, either.
Persona 3 Reload, yet another Persona 3 release, will come to Game Pass day one as soon as it releases in February. You can also access Persona 5 Strikers, Atlus’ recent crossover game, with Microsoft’s service. There’s unfortunately no telling whether the 10/10 Persona 4 is going to make its way back onto Game Pass, though.
Other games leaving Microsoft’s selection include Grand Theft Auto 5 ahead of the GTA 6 release date, and indie gem Garden Story. In my eyes, everything pales in comparison to the complex storytelling and rich combat system that the Persona series offers, but each departing game is an iconic one in its own right.
Thankfully, they’re all discounted during the Steam Winter Sale 2023 still if you find you can’t fit them all into just two short weeks. Persona 3 Portable is 35% off, as is Persona 4 Golden. GTA 5 is a whopping 63% off, and Garden Story is also an impressive 60% off. The Steam deals end before the Game Pass changes come though, so you still have to be quick.
While you boot up one of the two Persona games to experience Atlus’ magic yourself or peruse Steam’s sale, you can also browse through some of our favorite story games for new narrative-heavy fun. Alternatively, check out a few of the most exciting upcoming PC games if you need more than the yet-to-come Persona entries to look forward to.
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