Footage that appears to show a remake of the first Persona game has surfaced online, but neither Atlus nor Sega has confirmed it. Here's what outlets have reported so far, and why it's one to take with a pinch of salt.

What the Persona 1 remake leak reportedly shows

The clip is just shy of two minutes long. Gematsu says a YouTube user called "P1REMAKE" posted it, and copies have since turned up on file-sharing sites and the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit. Eurogamer reports that it seems to give the game the subtitle Be Your True Mind.

According to Rock Paper Shotgun, one section follows the hero through a school after dark, then into a turn-based fight (where you and the enemies act in turn). The colour scheme is mostly purple. Eurogamer adds that the menus and combat resemble Persona 5 and Persona 3 Reload, and there's a short social link cutscene in a graphic novel style.

Official Persona 4 Revival key art: the Investigation Team and Teddie leap across a bright yellow town scene around the P4R logo
Official key art: © ATLUS © SEGA, via SEGA

Why some people think it's real

Fans digging through the clip have flagged a few details:

  • Unreal Engine debug text on screen during battle, and Atlus moved to that engine for Persona 3 Reload (per Eurogamer)
  • A fresh remix of the Pandora theme from the original PlayStation release
  • The hero being labelled "Boy With Earring", the name he goes by in Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
  • Eriko seemingly reusing the summon animation that Yukiko has in Persona 4 Revival, which IGN says is the clincher for many people

Reasons to be careful

Tatsuya Suou, the Persona 2: Innocent Sin hero, also shows up in battle. Gematsu points out he isn't in the first game, so he could be standing in for another character, or Persona 2 remakes could be in development too. IGN suggests he may be an unfinished model.

IGN also notes that nobody knows when the footage was made. It could be a recent build or an older pitch video. The YouTube account dates from March 2010 and has only two other uploads, and IGN points out that, with AI-generated fakes around, it pays to be sceptical. Eurogamer says it can't verify the clip, and IGN has asked Sega for comment.

A remake wouldn't be a huge shock. Persona 4 Revival is due on 18 February 2027, and Rock Paper Shotgun quotes Atlus producer Kazuhisa Wada saying: "Persona 1 and 2 are something we’ll probably eventually do too." That's a tease at most, not an announcement.

I'll update this if Atlus or Sega responds. If it is real, would you rather see Persona 1 get its own remake, or arrive alongside Persona 2?