Title Updates#
The version evolution of Persona 5 Royal (hereafter Royal) runs along two lines: the first is Royal’s 2019 expansion of the 2016 original Persona 5 on PlayStation 4; the second is Royal’s multiplatform port to Windows, Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch starting in 2022. The two lines directly determine two things: which version to buy, and whether saves and DLC carry over to the new one. This page organizes the release timeline, version differences, and carryover rules per official statements; before switching versions, read the two hard constraints in Section 4 first.
1. Release and Porting Timeline#
| Version Milestone | Release Date | Platforms | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persona 5 (original) | 2016-09-15 (Japan) | PlayStation 3 / PlayStation 4 | The base version Royal builds on, containing no Royal content |
| Royal | 2019-10-31 (Japan), 2020-02-20 (Asia), 2020-03-31 (West) | PlayStation 4 | The version this site’s guides target; official Simplified and Traditional Chinese provided |
| Royal remaster | 2022-10-21 | Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch | HD port, bundled with all Royal DLC |
The remaster’s subscription service changes have clear dates; players relying on subscription libraries should note:
- 2022-10-21: the remaster joins Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass at launch;
- 2023-11-01: the remaster leaves the subscription libraries;
- 2026-06-09: the remaster rejoins the subscription libraries.
On frame rate, the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Windows versions run above 60 fps, while the Nintendo Switch version prioritizes the portable experience with a lower frame rate cap than the other platforms. Also note that PlayStation 4 has only the original and the PS4 Royal — the remaster never came to PS4, so playing at higher frame rates requires switching platforms, and platform switching involves save issues, covered in Section 4.
How to identify the version before buying:
- Store listings and covers are labeled “Royal” or “remaster”; both contain Royal content and differ only by platform;
- Takuto Maruki and Kasumi Yoshizawa appear in the game’s early story — the original has neither character;
- The original Persona 5 is sold in stores as a separate product, with no patch path to upgrade it to Royal or the remaster.
2. Original vs. Royal: The Biggest Version Split in the Game#
Royal is not a patch but a substantially expanded enhanced edition, with differences concentrated in story volume, raiseable characters, and the combat system. For the complete experience, Royal is the only choice.
2.1 Story and Characters#
| Difference | Original | Royal |
|---|---|---|
| Main story conclusion | Ends in late December on the original structure | After meeting conditions, enters the Third Semester (a new chapter spanning January to March of the following year) |
| New Confidants | — | Two new Confidants, Takuto Maruki (Councillor) and Kasumi Yoshizawa (Faith), bringing the total to 22; Goro Akechi (Justice) changes from story-auto-leveled to a fully raiseable Confidant |
| New Palace | — | Takuto Maruki’s Third Semester Palace (a cognitive science research institute), based in reality on a construction site in Odaiba originally intended for a gymnasium |
| Third Tier and Showtime | — | Some teammates’ Personas awaken further into a Third Tier in the Third Semester; pairs with deep enough bonds can unleash Showtime attacks |
| Ending branches | Converges on the original route’s endings | 5 main endings: Bad Endings one through three, the Normal Ending (the original route’s good ending), and the True Ending; the Royal Ending is an extended True Ending, not a separate sixth ending |
2.2 The Third Semester’s Hard Deadlines#
The Third Semester’s unlock condition is a single one: Takuto Maruki’s Confidant must reach Rank 9 before November 17. His Confidant unlocks automatically with the story on May 13, and on November 18 the story raises it to max automatically, starting the Third Semester; miss November 17 and the main story concludes in late December on the original structure, with no Third Semester, no new Palace, and no true ending — the single most important date once you own Royal. Kasumi Yoshizawa’s Confidant is unrelated to the true ending; reaching Rank 5 by December 22 lets it continue in January, and missing that only costs further rank-ups for her within the playthrough.
| Date | Type | Content and Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| By 11-17 | Confidant deadline | Takuto Maruki (Councillor) reaching Rank 9 is the sole condition for the Third Semester; Goro Akechi (Justice) reaching Rank 8 unlocks the true ending route’s extra scenes (his Rank 3 requires Knowledge and Proficiency at 3 each, Rank 7 requires Knowledge 4) |
| 11-18 | Story node | Maruki’s Confidant auto-raises to max; the Third Semester begins |
| 11-20 | Ending choice | Selling out your teammates during Sae Niijima’s interrogation leads to Bad Ending 1 |
| By 12-22 | Confidant deadline | Kasumi Yoshizawa (Faith) reaching Rank 5, or her Confidant cannot be raised further this playthrough |
| 12-24 | Ending choice | Accepting the God of Control’s deal leads to Bad Ending 2 |
| 1-9 | Ending choice | Accepting Takuto Maruki’s false reality leads to Bad Ending 3 |
| 2-2 | Story node | Reaffirm your resolve; Maruki and Goro Akechi take the stage; the final chapter begins |
| 2-3 | Hard deadline | Final deadline for Maruki’s Palace; missing it counts as a failed operation (time rewinds one week) and forfeits the true ending |
For complete ending determination and bad ending avoidance, see the Endings Guide; for Confidant scheduling, see the Confidant Guide.
2.3 New Systems and Features#
| Addition | Mechanic Notes |
|---|---|
| Baton Pass unlocked from the start | The original required Confidants to unlock it; Royal allows it from the opening, with chains scaling up to triple damage |
| Technical | A follow-up attack triggered by pairing an ailment with an attack element, dealing 1.5x damage |
| Execution | Executing Personas in the Velvet Room via four methods — the Guillotine, Mass Guillotine, the Gallows, and the Electric Chair — to fuse new Personas |
| Fusion Alarm | A random timed alarm during execution; a forced fusion under it yields a Persona with greatly boosted stats |
| Ammo refill | Gun ammo fully refills after every battle |
| Grappling Hook | In Palaces and Mementos, a rope grapple reaches platforms previously out of reach |
| Kichijoji new area | Darts and billiards raise Baton Pass and Technical effect ranks respectively, plus a jazz bar, a temple, and more |
| Mementos expansion | A Stamp Rally hosted by the new character Jose, plus randomly generated Deviant Palaces and Deviation |
| Safe Rooms | Rest points inside Palaces and Mementos where you can save and rest |
| Thieves Den | A Royal-exclusive base for displaying in-game achievements and gallery collections |
| Convenience features | Five difficulties at the start (including a Safe difficulty built for story-focused play), switchable mid-game, and fast-forward for already-read dialogue |
These changes generally reduce busywork and lower growth barriers, but the story-side deadlines got tighter: both new Confidants must be in place before fixed dates in November and December. For combat mechanics details, see Combat System; for Kichijoji activities, see Minigames.
3. The Remaster’s Platform Differences#
The remaster is identical in content across five platforms, with differences concentrated in frame rate and subscription benefits:
| Platform | Key Points |
|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | Runs above 60 fps; no upgrade path from the PS4 version, and it cannot read PS4 saves |
| Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S | Joined Game Pass at launch; no Platinum trophy — the corresponding rewards are presented as achievements |
| Windows (Steam, etc.) | Both keyboard/mouse and controller supported; runs above 60 fps |
| Nintendo Switch | Portable and handheld experience first, with a lower frame rate cap than other platforms |
The Xbox version has no Platinum trophy — the line that matters most to trophy hunters: the PlayStation Platinum requires every trophy, while Xbox players can only progress through achievements. The trophy list is in Achievements and Trophies.
4. Save and DLC Carryover Rules#
Five rules to check before changing versions or platforms, all per official statements:
- Original and Royal are mutually incompatible: the original has no upgrade path to Royal, and its saves cannot be carried into Royal — they are separate products;
- PS4 version and remaster are mutually incompatible: the remaster has no upgrade path from the PS4 version to the PlayStation 5 version, and the PS5 remaster cannot read PS4 saves — the most common mistake;
- No save cross-compatibility between platforms: the PS5, Xbox, Windows, and Switch remasters are each standalone; switching platforms means starting a new file;
- The remaster includes all DLC: all of Royal’s add-on content needs no separate purchase in the remaster, while the PS4 version’s corresponding DLC must be bought separately;
- Original DLC works in the PS4 Royal: players who bought the original’s paid content on PlayStation can use most of the original’s DLC directly in the PS4 Royal, subject to the in-game add-ons page.
Royal’s own DLC falls into three main categories:
| DLC Category | Content | Effect on a Playthrough |
|---|---|---|
| Added Personas | Powerful Personas and series crossover Personas | Raise combat power; do not affect the story |
| Costumes and music | Thief outfit swaps and series music from past entries | Pure cosmetics and atmosphere; no effect on progress |
| Convenience item packs | Starting funds and recovery items | Ease early-game pressure |
Powerful added Personas noticeably lower the challenge of early Palaces; players who care about the original difficulty are advised to leave them off until a second playthrough.
5. Spin-Offs Are Irrelevant to Versions#
The series’ musou action and rhythm music spin-offs are often bundled in promotions with this game, but they are neither version updates of Royal nor continuations of the Third Semester story, and have no bearing on version choice on this page. To fully experience the story, simply match yourself against the three version milestones above.
6. Sales and Reception (Official Figures)#
| Milestone | Official Figure |
|---|---|
| 2020-07-22 | The Persona 5 series surpassed 4.6 million copies combined, with Royal at 1.4 million |
| 2021-06-30 | The series surpassed 5 million combined, with Royal at 1.8 million |
| 2022-12-01 | Sega announced the remaster exceeded 1 million copies worldwide, with the PS4 original plus remaster at 3.3 million combined |
| 2023-12-15 | Persona 5 series titles surpassed 10 million copies combined |
| 2025-06-18 | Sega Sammy’s financial report disclosed Royal’s total sales at 7.25 million copies |
On critical reception, Metacritic averages are 93/100 for the original and 95/100 for Royal — do not mix the two figures. The sales curve also validates the version strategy: Royal’s Third Semester retained core players, and the 2022 multiplatform remaster reached a wave of new players through subscription services.
7. Version Choice Checklist#
- The goal is the complete story and the true ending: only Royal qualifies — the original has no Third Semester; before starting a file, remember Maruki’s November 17 Confidant deadline;
- Platform choice: for frame rate and visuals pick Windows or PlayStation 5; for portability pick Nintendo Switch; Game Pass subscribers can play directly in the library first;
- Trophy hunters: Platinum exists only on PlayStation; Xbox substitutes achievements;
- Returning players switching versions: PS4 saves do not carry into the remaster, so Royal requires a fresh file; previously bought original DLC keeps working in the PS4 Royal;
- New players: the remaster includes all DLC on the most platforms — the least hassle as a starting point.
As a next step, read the Beginner’s Guide for opening strategy, Schedule Management for day planning, and the Endings Guide for complete true ending conditions.