The Phantom Thieves are back—and bigger than ever. Persona 5: The Phantom X, the highly-anticipated spinoff of Atlus’ acclaimed RPG series, has officially debuted its global version this week to massive fanfare, already surpassing Persona 5 Royal in concurrent player count on Steam.
📈 A New Steam Milestone
According to PCGamesN, the game reached an all-time peak of over 41,000 concurrent players shortly after its global release. That’s higher than Persona 5 Royal’s record of 35,474 players, making Phantom X the most-played Persona title on Steam to date.
This feat is especially significant considering that The Phantom X is a free-to-play gacha game, a departure from the traditional full-priced RPG format of its predecessors.
🎭 New Faces, Same Heart
Persona 5: The Phantom X introduces players to an entirely new cast of Phantom Thieves, led by the enigmatic protagonist Wonder. Set once again in Shujin Academy, the game weaves a fresh narrative while keeping ties to the original storyline.
In a thrilling twist, iconic characters from the mainline game—Joker, Morgana, Skull, and Panther—are also available in the game through the gacha system, creating exciting synergy between old and new fans.
The global launch features:
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A new Metaverse storyline tailored for mobile and PC.
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Classic Persona 5-style combat with modern live-service elements.
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Integration of original Phantom Thieves through in-game events.
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Cross-platform support between PC and mobile for seamless play.
🔮 What This Means for the Persona Franchise
This unexpected success signals a shift in the Persona franchise’s global appeal. It’s the first gacha-style Persona title to beat a core game in Steam performance, hinting at a potentially broader direction for future titles.
The game’s developers, Atlus and publisher SEGA, have yet to reveal future content plans, but early numbers suggest Phantom X will enjoy a long life cycle supported by seasonal events, new characters, and regular updates.
The launch of Persona 5: The Phantom X isn’t just a win for SEGA and Atlus—it’s a celebration for fans across the globe. With record-setting numbers, fresh gameplay, and familiar faces, Phantom X proves that the Phantom Thieves still have plenty of heists left in them.
Whether you’re a seasoned Persona fan or brand new to the Metaverse, now’s the perfect time to dive in.