WithPersona 6speculation ramping up ahead of releases likePersona 3 ReloadandPersona 5 Tactica, many fans have been theorizing about what Atlus could have in store for its follow-up to the wildly popularPersona 5. Although most information aboutPersona 6currently available comes from rumors and theories, it’s probable that this next entry will continue the series' tradition of following a specific color motif in its design. Many are speculating that green could be the next color candidate for the series to adopt, which comes with its own associations that could clue fans into what this entry could entail.
While thePersonaseries has always used colorto evoke specific feelings and set the mood for each title, the series' most obvious use of color in this way began withPersona 3which featured blue as its primary color. This was a fitting color for the game as blue evokes a feeling of melancholy, andPersona 3is arguably the heaviest, most depressing entry in the series.Persona 4utilizes yellow as its primary color which fits with the bright, upbeat tone of the game, andPersona 5features red as a prominent color to tie into the game’s themes of passion and justice.
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How Green Could Come into Play in Persona 6
The color green has a lot of cultural associations that could be represented inPersona 6, the most obvious being an association with life and nature. This symbolism could mean thatPersona 6will feature a more natural settingthanPersona 5’s Tokyo or evenPersona 4’s small town of Inaba, but it could also imply that the cycle of life, death, and rebirth will be an important theme as well. In Japanese culture, green is often associated with eternal life, a goal or desire that could be a motivating factor for the game’s characters.
The balance of life and death is already amain theme ofPersona 3, soPersona 6might want to shy away from thematic repetition. Instead, green could make use of another common association, namely greed or envy. The phrase “green with envy” is common in the West, as is associating the color with money since US dollar bills are green. These associations might not be as prevalent in Japan, but they could still influence a story with themes of jealousy or extravagance and the downfall that follows overabundance.
It’s also worth noting that green is typically associated with positive feelings on a psychological level, with most cultures associating it with progress such as with green traffic lights. Green also has been shown to improve one’s mood when present in their environment, and since thePersonaseries incorporates a lot of psychologist Carl Jung’s ideas on the human psyche, it would be natural to for the game to utilize green’s psychological effects.Persona 6could be similar toPersona 4in this regard as a game that has a positive, upbeat exterior but contains much darker themes lurking below the surface.
The color green doesn’t have to be relegated to just story themes either as it could influence new gameplay mechanics as well. Since green is often associated with luck, such as with lucky four-leaf clovers,Persona 6could introduce a new luck-based system for obtaining new Personas that could function similarly toPersona 3andPersona 4’s Shuffle Timewhich gives players a chance to acquire a new Personaamong other rewards after battle. It’s still too early to know just how color will play a thematic role inPersona 6, but if it does follow the predicted green motif, there is a lot of room for the color to come into play within the game.
Persona 6is currently in development.
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