<p>Yes, you can!</p>

<p>Although <em>Persona</em> is a franchise, the games do not depend on each other being totally independent.</p>

<p>This is because even if all games in the franchise have the same essence, each game has a way of addressing this different essence based on its theme.</p>

<p>Already in the introduction, the game already explains everything you need to know about the basics of <em>Shin Megami Tensei</em> and how it will affect the functioning of <em>Persona 5</em>.</p>

<p><em>Note: My boyfriend is playing Persona 5 without having played the other games and is not having the slightest difficulty to understand the story.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-17T12:29:44.180Z
2018-09-17T13:04:04.267Z
2018-09-17T13:04:04.267Z
Mariana Bayonetta
<p>I didn't play <em>Persona 5</em> (yet), but I saw a friend's play for quite a stretch of the story so don't take my answer as 100% accurate, but every numeric entry in <em>Persona</em> are independent one from another. As usual in any long-running series, some easter eggs and cameos for the fans, but the core story should be fully enjoyable by itself.</p>

<p>It would be different if you asked for something like <em>Persona 4</em> and <em>Persona 4: Arena</em> or <em>Persona 4: Dancing All Night</em>, as they are "in the same numeric entry" so those spin-off games take on the main <em>Persona 4</em> story, and thus if you didn't play it, you will feel that you are missing a lot of information, but as pure numeric entries, just fine.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-07-31T07:36:14.033Z
2018-09-17T13:04:02.633Z
2018-09-17T13:04:02.633Z
mejillonius
<p>Having checked the <em>Persona 5</em> <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">synopsis</a> in Wikipedia and having played <em>Persona 4</em>, the answer to your question would be, "yes, it is safe to play <em>Persona 5</em> without having played the previous installments of the game".</p>

<p>The reasons for that is there are these differences between the 2 games.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Protagonist and characters</p>

<p>MC in <em>Persona 4</em> is white-haired. The first person to join the team was the son of a department store owner, followed by a tomboy. <em>Persona 5</em> MC is black-haired.</p></li>
<li><p>Place setting</p>

<p><em>Persona 5</em> was set in Tokyo. <em>Persona 4</em> was in a small remote town.</p></li>
<li><p>Story</p>

<p><em>Persona 4</em> starts with a mysterious murder that happened during a foggy day and has to do with a TV channel that can only be accessed during certain midnights.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>So, with at least those 3 reasons stated above, you can be sure that it is safe to play <em>Persona 5</em> without playing the previous installments beforehand. Treat <em>Persona</em> series like the <em>Final Fantasy</em> series. Every title is its own game, although they do sometimes make references on its previous installment, such as recurring summons, monsters, equipment, names, etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-07-31T12:49:04.470Z
2018-09-17T13:04:12.413Z
2018-09-17T13:04:12.413Z
絢瀬絵里
<p>I'm new to the <em>Persona</em> series, so I wanted to know if the <em>Persona</em> video games have any relationship to the previous games. I went to other sites but they didn't give me a clear answer.</p>

<p>Can I play <em>Persona 5</em> without playing the previous games?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-31T08:18:06.633Z
As per https://anime.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/415 and the [help center](https://anime.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic), we allow story questions about anime-style games (but not gameplay questions). Persona 5 seems to fall into that category based on the overall style of the game and the fact that previous games in the series have had anime adaptations. As such I think the question is fine here though it might also be okay on Arqade.
Logan M
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-18T17:42:11.617Z
I know it's an older question, but [this Arqade](https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/316285/in-what-ways-are-the-individual-persona-games-connected) question is relatable; and a good read
Wondercricket
<persona>
Can I play Persona 5 without playing the previous games?
# Can I play Persona 5 without playing the previous games?
Posted by: username_0 on 2017-07-30
I'm new to the *Persona* series, so I wanted to know if the *Persona* video games have any relationship to the previous games. I went to other sites but they didn't give me a clear answer.

Can I play *Persona 5* without playing the previous games?
**Tags:** persona
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: As per https://anime.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/415 and the [help center](https://anime.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic), we allow story questions about anime-style games (but not gameplay questions). Persona 5 seems to fall into that category based on the overall style of the game and the fact that previous games in the series have had anime adaptations. As such I think the question is fine here though it might also be okay on Arqade.  
> **username_2**: I know it's an older question, but [this Arqade](https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/316285/in-what-ways-are-the-individual-persona-games-connected) question is relatable; and a good read  
---
## 3 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
Yes, you can!

Although *Persona* is a franchise, the games do not depend on each other being totally independent.

This is because even if all games in the franchise have the same essence, each game has a way of addressing this different essence based on its theme.

Already in the introduction, the game already explains everything you need to know about the basics of *Shin Megami Tensei* and how it will affect the functioning of *Persona 5*.

*Note: My boyfriend is playing Persona 5 without having played the other games and is not having the slightest difficulty to understand the story.*
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2017-07-31. Score: 2
I didn't play *Persona 5* (yet), but I saw a friend's play for quite a stretch of the story so don't take my answer as 100% accurate, but every numeric entry in *Persona* are independent one from another. As usual in any long-running series, some easter eggs and cameos for the fans, but the core story should be fully enjoyable by itself.

It would be different if you asked for something like *Persona 4* and *Persona 4: Arena* or *Persona 4: Dancing All Night*, as they are "in the same numeric entry" so those spin-off games take on the main *Persona 4* story, and thus if you didn't play it, you will feel that you are missing a lot of information, but as pure numeric entries, just fine.
---
### Answer by username_5 on 2017-07-31. Score: 1
Having checked the *Persona 5* [synopsis](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persona_5) in Wikipedia and having played *Persona 4*, the answer to your question would be, "yes, it is safe to play *Persona 5* without having played the previous installments of the game".

The reasons for that is there are these differences between the 2 games.

1. Protagonist and characters

   MC in *Persona 4* is white-haired. The first person to join the team was the son of a department store owner, followed by a tomboy. *Persona 5* MC is black-haired.
2. Place setting

   *Persona 5* was set in Tokyo. *Persona 4* was in a small remote town.
3. Story

   *Persona 4* starts with a mysterious murder that happened during a foggy day and has to do with a TV channel that can only be accessed during certain midnights.

So, with at least those 3 reasons stated above, you can be sure that it is safe to play *Persona 5* without playing the previous installments beforehand. Treat *Persona* series like the *Final Fantasy* series. Every title is its own game, although they do sometimes make references on its previous installment, such as recurring summons, monsters, equipment, names, etc.
---
