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The practical mainline story order is Persona → Persona 2: Innocent Sin → Persona 2: Eternal Punishment → Persona 3 → Persona 4 → Persona 5 → Persona 5 Strikers. Treat this as a story-order guide, not an official, exhaustive ruling on every Persona spin-off, adaptation, or crossover: Atlus’s published catalog and portal list games, editions, descriptions, dates, and platforms, but do not provide a complete canon chronology for all Persona media.
What order should you play the Persona games?
For the mainline story sequence identified by a secondary chronology guide, play the games in this order:
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Persona 4 Revival: Amazon Edition - Xbox Series X | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Persona 3 Reload: Standard Edition - PlayStation 5 | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Persona 5 Royal: Standard Edition - Xbox Series X | $58.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Persona: The Official Cookbook | $16.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Persona 5 Strikers - PlayStation 4 | $16.99 | Buy on Amazon |
- Persona
- Persona 2: Innocent Sin
- Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
- Persona 3
- Persona 4
- Persona 5
- Persona 5 Strikers
This is the useful answer if you mean the mainline story order. It should not be mistaken for a definitive timeline of every game and other Persona release: the cited guide supplies a practical sequence, while Atlus’s official catalog does not publish an all-media chronology.
Do I play Innocent Sin or Eternal Punishment first?
Play Persona 2: Innocent Sin first, followed by Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, for the story order above. The secondary guide notes that the US release order for this pair was the reverse: Eternal Punishment came out before Innocent Sin. Release order and story order answer different questions, so the US release sequence is not a reason to swap the games when following this story guide.
#1 Best Overall
- Discover the Thrilling Midnight Channel: Immerse yourself in a dual-layered narrative set in the peaceful yet unsettling town of Inaba. Investigate supernatural occurrences, solve murders, and unravel the secrets of the Midnight Channel alongside your teammates in a story-driven gameplay experience.
- Exhilarating Turn-Based Battles: Exploit enemy weaknesses, unleash powerful "All-Out Attacks," and master the strategic use of Personas to overcome formidable foes. Acquire or fuse new Personas and develop your unique battle style as you uncover the secrets behind the Midnight Channel.
- Shape Your Year and Your Destiny: Immerse yourself in the life of a teenager, where every day is filled with new choices. Balance sports, part-time jobs, school life, and friendships, all while preparing to confront the mysteries of the Midnight Channel. Every decision you make shapes your journey, leading to unique and unforgettable experiences and endings.
- Anime Cutscenes & Memorable Characters: Experience beautifully updated anime-style and 3D cutscenes and strengthen bonds with irreplaceable characters. Every heartfelt connection impacts your journey and shapes the story.
- A Beloved Remake for Fans and Newcomers: Rediscover the iconic Persona adventure with enhanced visuals, improved gameplay, modern aesthetics, and exciting new quality of life updates features that bring the classic to life like never before.
Are Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal separate timelines?
Atlus lists Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal as editions associated with the Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 eras. Their later or separate release dates do not make them new numbered story eras. The official catalog and portal identify titles and editions, but the information available there does not establish that expanded-edition details create wholly separate timelines. Keep each edition with its corresponding game in the sequence rather than inserting it as another era.
Persona 3 editions
Persona 3 Reload and Persona 3 Portable are versions associated with the Persona 3 era. Atlus’s portal provides a description and platform information for Persona 3 Portable; the game’s release as a separate edition does not itself indicate a separate place in the story chronology.
Rank #2
- Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI.
- Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes and character interactions, additional voiceover, and a reloaded soundtrack.
- Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters.
- Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
Persona 4 editions
Persona 4 Golden belongs with the Persona 4 era. Atlus lists Persona 4 Revival as an upcoming remake associated with Persona 4, not as a new story era. As of October 8, 2026, the catalog lists February 18, 2027 as a release date and May 20, 2027 as a Nintendo Switch 2 date; these are future dates and may change.
Persona 5 edition
Persona 5 Royal is associated with the Persona 5 era, while Persona 5 Strikers follows it in the practical mainline story sequence. Atlus lists Nintendo Switch support for Persona 5 Royal; check Atlus’s current platform listing for the edition and system you intend to use.
Rank #3
- Prepare for the award-winning RPG experience in this definitive edition of Persona 5 Royal
- This title is packed with beloved characters, confidants, story depth, and plenty of locations to explore with many opportunities to strengthen your abilities in the metaverse and in your daily life
- Explore Tokyo, unlock Personas, customize your own personal Thieves Den, experience alternate endings, and more
- Become the ultimate Phantom Thief and defy conventions, discover the power within, and fight for justice in the definitive version of Personal 5 Royal
What about Persona 6 and the other spin-offs?
Atlus’s catalog lists Persona 6 without a release date. The available official information does not establish where it belongs in the story chronology, so it should not be assigned a timeline position based on the catalog alone.
The mainline list above is not a complete canon map of spin-offs, adaptations, or crossovers. The official Atlus pages consulted give catalog and game information rather than a comprehensive canon ruling, and the secondary chronology guide supports a mainline sequence rather than settling the status of every related work. If your goal is to complete the broader franchise, treat that as a different task from following the practical mainline story order.
Rank #4
Which game should you start with?
If you want the cited mainline story sequence, begin with Persona and proceed through the list in order. If you are choosing among modern editions, select the edition associated with the story era you want and confirm its current platform availability in Atlus’s catalog or portal. The available sources do not compare the experience quality of the different versions, so they do not support naming one edition as universally best.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- A summer vacation with close friends takes a sudden turn as a distorted reality emerges; reveal the truth and redeem the hearts of those imprisoned at the center of the crisis
- Join the Phantom Thieves and strike back against the corruption overtaking cities across Japan
- Jump into the stylish world of Persona in an all-new story
- Dynamically control your team during explosive action combat
- Battle across Japan in an epic road trip
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