[PGDX 2024] EXCLUSIVE: A New Era for Atlus: Naoto Hiraoka Reveals Keys to Company’s Growth and Future

Atlus, renowned for its critically acclaimed RPG series like Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, is set to launch its first new major IP in over a decade with Metaphor: ReFantazio. We had the opportunity to sit down in a one-on-one interview with Naoto Hiraoka, Senior Managing Director, Executive Producer at ATLUS Co., Ltd., at PGDX 2024 to discuss this exciting new project, the company’s growth, partnership with SEGA, and future plans.

A New RPG and Possible Atlus Pillar

Metaphor: ReFantazio marks a significant milestone for Atlus, being the company’s first new major IP since ‘Catherine’ in 2011. When asked about the decision to create the new IP Hiraoka explained, “Atlus has always been known for RPGs, but we’ve wanted to take on the fantasy RPG genre for a long time.”

Hiraoka elaborated that the timing for this new IP seems perfect, “After the reception to Persona 5, it was the right time to pursue this RPG. And so, right now, this is the big reason for trying to develop and release Metaphor: ReFantazio.”

Metaphor: ReFantazio is being developed by Studio Zero, a newly established team within Atlus. “Since Metaphor is a new IP and a new challenge, we felt there should also be a new studio taking on this challenge,” Hiraoka stated. He added that many founding members came from the Persona development team, bringing their expertise to this fresh endeavor.

Looking ahead, Hiraoka sees Metaphor: ReFantazio as a potential new pillar for Atlus, alongside the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series. “We’re creating Metaphor with all of our resources and thinking of this as one of our great works,” he stated.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Reception and User Feedback

Atlus held their Atlus Fest where they released a playtest version of the game. Hiraoka provided details about recent player feedback and said that the response was overwhelmingly positive, with all players who tested the game rated it as very interesting.

Hiraoka shared that the response from users to Metaphor: ReFantazio has been overwhelmingly positive so far. “Of course, we had feedback from our users, we released the trailer early on this year, and have received high praise for the BGM, the UI, and the story.”

One aspect of Metaphor: ReFantazio that has received particular praise is its battle system. Hiraoka explained that players have responded very positively to the battle system that combines both fast-paced action and strategic depth, allowing players to defeat weaker enemies directly on the field while engaging in command battles for tougher foes.

Hiraoka also mentioned their ongoing efforts to showcase the game. He noted that earlier in July, they had organized the Metaphor World Tour, where demo stations are set up alongside panel discussion with the developers. This event, along with others, form a part of their strategy to build anticipation and gather feedback for the game.

Global Release Challenge and Expansion

Atlus has embraced simultaneous global releases in recent years, a strategy they’re continuing with Metaphor: ReFantazio. Hiraoka noted that while the response from users to simultaneous global releases has been very positive, coordinating between different regions for marketing and promotion presents a significant challenge for Atlus.

Regarding expansion into Southeast Asia, Hiraoka stated, “There’s no particular country that we’re targeting to penetrate. But we do of course, notice the expansion of the industry or the market in Asia. And of course, we also felt the passion from the player base here.”

Hiraoka elaborated that Atlus’s approach in Southeast Asia  varies by country due to differing levels of awareness, which is why they’ve attended events in multiple countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, rather than focusing on a single market.

Hiraoka outlined Atlus’s plans for a world tour, mentioning that after their stop in the Philippines, they intend to visit Thailand, Indonesia, and other countries as part of their promotional efforts.

Atlus’s Growth and Future

Despite the recent string of industry layoffs, Atlus has managed to go against this trend, even raising the average annual income of its staff. When discussing this feat, Hiraoka attributed it to their unwavering commitment to quality and player satisfaction. He emphasized that their focus has always been on creating high-quality products, with player satisfaction being their top priority. This approach, he noted, has remained constant even throughout the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Regarding Atlus’s approach to enhancing game quality, Hiraoka highlighted the significant strides the company has made. He pointed out that recent projects, such as Persona 5 Tactica, were developed using Unity, showcasing the studio’s flexibility with different development tools. 

He also highlighted the importance of their IP strategy: “It’s not just the games, but of course, it’s multi-use and mixed media applications.”

Hiraoka emphasized the importance of Atlus’s IP strategy, which extends beyond just creating games to include multi-use and mixed media applications. He illustrated the multi-use approach using Persona 5 as an example, pointing out the franchise’s expansion into different genres with releases like Persona 5 Strikers (an action RPG) and Persona 5 Tactica (a strategy game).

He said that not just the main RPG game, but the broader potential of the IP could attract fans of other genres.

And when discussing mixed media, Hiraoka said about expanding the IP beyond just games. This includes exploring other areas such as animation, manga, live-action series, or movies. They aim to grow the world they’ve created, and this expansion is something that excites them a great deal.

Hiraoka also shared his reflections on the company’s decade-long partnership with SEGA. It has been 11 years since Atlus became part of the SEGA family, and according to Hiraoka, the experience has been highly beneficial.

A Message to Fans

Hiraoka said that it was his first time at PGDX, and as he mentioned on stage, he was deeply moved by the passion of the fans. He left with a strong impression, feeling very excited and enthusiastic and hopes fans will continue to support Atlus and that future experiences will be as meaningful as this one. 

In closing, Hiraoka conveyed to Atlus fans that they are fully dedicating their resources to creating Metaphor: ReFantazio as a significant work. He also mentioned that, in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Atlus brand, they hope fans will enjoy and look forward to the game.

Hiraoka emphasized the exciting lineup Atlus has for fans this year: “This year we’ve released in February. Atlus and Vanillaware released our collaborative work, “Unicorn Overlord” in March. Persona 3 Reload and last June was Vengeance, and of course in October it will be Metaphor.”

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Publisher: Atlus

Developer: Studio Zero

Release Date TBC

Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox Series X|S

Metaphor: ReFantazio is an upcoming 2024 role-playing video game developed by Studio Zero and published by Atlus.

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