Persona 5 just achieved a massive milestone that cements its status as one of gaming’s most successful franchises. Sega announced in their 2025 Integrated Report that the Persona 5 series has reached 13 million units sold worldwide. That includes 10.46 million copies of Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal combined, with the remaining 2.54 million coming from spinoff games like Persona 5 Strikers, Persona 5 Tactica, and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. Nearly a decade after the original game launched, Persona 5 shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
- From Cult Classic To Cultural Phenomenon
- Royal Changed The Game
- The Spinoff Explosion
- The Crossover Machine Beyond even the official spinoffs, Persona 5 has become a crossover juggernaut. Characters appeared in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. They showed up in Persona Q2. The Phantom Thieves have been featured in countless collaborations across other games. This constant visibility keeps Persona 5 fresh in players’ minds and introduces new audiences to the franchise. Every crossover is essentially free marketing for the series. Most remarkable is how Persona 5 has transcended gaming. The anime adaptations introduced the series to animation fans. The trading card game expanded reach to collectors. Merchandise sales are astronomical. Persona 5 has become a cultural phenomenon far beyond what most video games achieve.Platform Expansion Kept It Alive
- Why Persona 5 Stayed Relevant
- What’s Next
- FAQs
- Conclusion
From Cult Classic To Cultural Phenomenon
Persona 5 launched on September 15, 2016 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. Nobody could have predicted that nine years later, the game would still be selling millions of copies annually. The original Persona series had a dedicated following, but it was niche. Persona 4 Golden, released in 2008, was widely considered the best JRPG ever made by its passionate fanbase, but mainstream audiences had barely heard of it. Persona 5 changed everything.
The game sold 337,767 copies in its first week in Japan alone, making it the fastest-selling Persona game ever at the time. Word spread. Critics raved. Players obsessed over it. By November 2017, just over a year later, it had shipped over 2 million copies worldwide. By 2019, that number had grown to 3.2 million. But then something remarkable happened: Persona 5 Royal launched in October 2019 in Japan, and the franchise exploded.
Royal Changed The Game
Persona 5 Royal is essentially an expanded re-release, adding new story content, new characters, new Personas, and numerous quality-of-life improvements. It launched first in Japan and eventually came to the West in March 2020. The game sold over 1 million copies in Japan alone according to recent announcements. Worldwide, Persona 5 Royal has become the dominant version of the game, selling 7.25 million copies as of 2025.
This is where the real numbers start to matter. Between Persona 5 and Royal combined at 10.46 million, you’re looking at one of the best-selling console JRPGs of all time. Only Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its sequel comparable entries compete in that tier. But Persona 5’s reach extended far beyond just the two main games.
The Spinoff Explosion
After Royal’s success, Atlus realized they had a goldmine. Persona 5 Strikers, an action-oriented spinoff, shipped over 2 million copies by 2023. Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight brought rhythm game mechanics to the series. Persona 5 Tactica took the series into tactical RPG territory. Each spinoff contributed to that 2.54 million figure for non-mainline entries.
What’s remarkable is how diverse these spinoffs are. Rather than just creating more RPG sequels, Atlus leveraged the beloved characters and world to experiment with different genres. Strikers appeals to action fans. Dancing appeals to rhythm gamers. Tactica appeals to strategy enthusiasts. Each entry brings new audiences into the Persona 5 ecosystem.
The Crossover Machine
Beyond even the official spinoffs, Persona 5 has become a crossover juggernaut. Characters appeared in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. They showed up in Persona Q2. The Phantom Thieves have been featured in countless collaborations across other games. This constant visibility keeps Persona 5 fresh in players’ minds and introduces new audiences to the franchise. Every crossover is essentially free marketing for the series.
Most remarkable is how Persona 5 has transcended gaming. The anime adaptations introduced the series to animation fans. The trading card game expanded reach to collectors. Merchandise sales are astronomical. Persona 5 has become a cultural phenomenon far beyond what most video games achieve.
Platform Expansion Kept It Alive
Part of Persona 5’s continued success is aggressive platform releases. The original launched on PS3 and PS4. Royal came to PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox. By 2025, Persona 5 Royal has been available on more platforms than almost any other major JRPG. This wasn’t a one-shot release. It was a strategy of continuous platform expansion to reach new audiences.
The Nintendo Switch version particularly expanded reach to handheld players. Persona 5 Royal on Switch became one of the best-selling Switch JRPGs, introducing a massive new audience to the franchise. Each port brought millions of new players into the Persona 5 ecosystem.
Why Persona 5 Stayed Relevant
Across nine years and multiple platforms, Persona 5 has maintained cultural momentum that most games lose within 12 months. This isn’t because of aggressive monetization or predatory tactics. Persona 5 is fundamentally a complete, finished game. You buy it, you play it, you finish it. New ports bring legitimate improvements and legitimate new audiences, not just cosmetic reskins.
The game is also genuinely good. The story is compelling. The characters are beloved. The soundtrack is iconic. The visual presentation is distinct and stylish. These aren’t marketing buzzwords. These are reasons why players choose to replay Persona 5 on new platforms years after their first playthrough.
What’s Next
Persona 6 is in early development, but Persona 5 is far from finished generating revenue. Continued platform releases, new merchandise, anime productions, and potential Switch 2 ports could push the series past 15 million sales before Persona 6 even launches. The franchise has become Sega’s powerhouse equivalent to Square Enix’s Final Fantasy – a reliable, consistent revenue generator that audiences actively want to support.
FAQs
How many copies has Persona 5 sold total?
The Persona 5 series has reached 13 million units sold worldwide as of October 2025. This includes 10.46 million copies of Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal combined, with approximately 2.54 million from spinoff titles.
How much of that is Persona 5 Royal?
Persona 5 Royal alone has sold 7.25 million copies worldwide as of 2025, with over 1 million of those sales coming from Japan specifically. It has become the dominant version of the game, outselling the original Persona 5.
What spinoffs contributed to the 13 million figure?
The spinoff games include Persona 5 Strikers (2 million copies sold by 2023), Persona 5 Tactica, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, and others, combining for approximately 2.54 million sales.
Is Persona 5 still selling well in 2025?
Yes, Persona 5 continues to sell millions of copies annually. In the fiscal year ended March 2025, the entire Persona series sold 3.58 million copies worldwide, showing consistent ongoing sales momentum.
What platforms is Persona 5 available on?
Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal are available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Continued platform expansion has been key to reaching 13 million sales.
How does Persona 5 compare to other JRPGs in sales?
Persona 5 is one of the best-selling console JRPGs of all time, competing with franchises like Final Fantasy 7 and Dragon Quest. Only a handful of JRPGs have surpassed 10 million sales.
Will Persona 6 launch soon?
Persona 6 is in early development with no official release date announced. Persona 5 is likely to continue generating sales for several more years before Persona 6 launches.
Why has Persona 5 been so successful?
Persona 5’s success comes from compelling storytelling, beloved characters, iconic soundtrack, distinctive visual style, strong reviews from critics and players, continuous platform expansion, and strategic spinoffs that introduce the franchise to new audiences.
Conclusion
Persona 5 reaching 13 million sales is a testament to what happens when a game is genuinely good, supported consistently, and expanded thoughtfully across multiple platforms. Nine years after launch, the franchise shows no signs of fatigue. Each new platform release introduces millions of new players. Each spinoff brings different audiences into the ecosystem. Persona 5 has transcended being just a video game and become a cultural phenomenon spanning animation, merchandise, and collaborations. The question isn’t whether Persona 5 can reach 15 million sales – it’s when. Atlus has built something special, and the industry should study how they’ve maintained cultural relevance and sales momentum across nearly a decade.