JRPG fans are eating good - as if Metaphor: ReFantazio wasn't enough, another Persona 5 spin-off seems to be getting a Steam release soon

Persona 5: The Phantom X
(Image credit: Black Wings Game Studio)

The new Persona 5 mobile spin-off has landed on Steam in the form of an early playtest, but only with a mysterious placeholder page so far - and when it does go up, it'll likely be locked to Japanese clients only for now.

Following the recent success of Atlus' monumental Metaphor: ReFantazio release, fans are chomping at the bit for more of the developers' JRPGs - and while Persona 5: The Phantom X is a spin-off from Black Wings Game Studio, it features fan-favorite elements of the Persona series nonetheless with some gacha flair mixed in. It might not be Metaphor, but it's something - and interested Japanese players can likely dive in soon.

Just last month, developers revealed in a post that the game would no longer be exclusive to China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, and Taiwan - it would be available to Japanese fans as well, on both Steam and mobile platforms. Sure enough, a mysterious Steam page has now appeared for a Phantom X playtest. The beta doesn't seem to be accessible just yet, however, as the listing looks like it's only a placeholder that redirects interested users.

There's no telling when the listing on Steam will truly go live as of now, but fans are already taking to the "Discussions" tab with their thoughts. "What in the world is this," asks one such curious commenter. Another quotes lyrics from some of the Persona series' past games while dubbing the playtest "Peaksona." As a longtime fan of Atlus' JRPG gems myself, I'm just hopeful the spin-off will make its way overseas one day - but until then, I'll watch from afar.

Need even more to look forward to? Here are other new games coming this year and beyond.

Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

Read more
Screenshot from Guns Undarkness
Persona and Metaphor: ReFantazio composer's new JRPG gets a Steam Next Fest demo, and it's basically a turn-based Metal Gear Solid
Strohl, Gallica, the protagonist, and Hulkenberg in a Metaphor: ReFantazio anime cutscene screenshot.
2024's best single-player game Metaphor: ReFantazio threatens to be 2025's best multiplayer game as one modder works to add online co-op to the JRPG
Metaphor: ReFantazio's protagonist looks into the camera with a determined expression.
Metaphor: ReFantazio director wants to turn it into "Atlus' third RPG series after Shin Megami Tensei and Persona"
Persona 5 Royal screenshot
Sega outlines plan to "strengthen" Persona, Yakuza, and Sonic studios, says "Atlus is an important studio for us to expand Japanese IPs overseas"
A screenshot from an animated cutscene in Persona 4 Golden, showing Teddie and protagonist Yu Narukami stood looking surprised.
Persona 4 fans are in shambles as website domain for "p4re" appears, potentially following in the footsteps of the Persona 3 Reload announcement
Persona 4 Golden All-Out-Attack cut-in screenshot featuring Kanji, Yu, Chie, and Yukiko.
Persona 4's iconic singer confirms she's "recording for a new game," leaving JRPG fans wondering if a remake is finally on the cards
Latest in Persona
A screenshot from an animated cutscene in Persona 4 Golden, showing Teddie and protagonist Yu Narukami stood looking surprised.
Persona 4 fans are in shambles as website domain for "p4re" appears, potentially following in the footsteps of the Persona 3 Reload announcement
Persona 5 Royal screenshot
Sega outlines plan to "strengthen" Persona, Yakuza, and Sonic studios, says "Atlus is an important studio for us to expand Japanese IPs overseas"
Persona 4 Golden All-Out-Attack cut-in screenshot featuring Kanji, Yu, Chie, and Yukiko.
Persona 4's iconic singer confirms she's "recording for a new game," leaving JRPG fans wondering if a remake is finally on the cards
Close up of Metis from Persona 3 Reload
Atlus makes games like Persona 3 by "serving players deadly poison wrapped in a sweet coating"
Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis screenshot showing Aigis, a young woman with short blonde hair, standing against a tiled blue backdrop
"Persona is a story about growing up": Atlus lead reveals why the JRPG series always centers around a young male protagonist, but doesn't rule out adults or women in the future
Metaphor: ReFantazio screenshot showing an anime-style young blond man with light blue eyes, a window's light glowing behind him
Before Persona veterans decided Metaphor: ReFantazio had to be a fantasy JRPG, they had "talks about making a science-fiction universe"
Latest in News
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
My Hero Academia and Gundam animator explains the issues behind anime shows getting shorter: "There is a shortage of professional staff in all sections"
Saw X
Billy the Puppet gives Saw fans some hope on the future of the horror franchise by updating his LinkedIn profile to "employed"
Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin praises Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal for "spectacular" take on one of Part 2's most iconic scenes in season 2
25 years after Malcolm in the Middle first aired, the revival series starts filming in just "a few days" – and Frankie Muniz is rewatching the original to prepare
"I didn’t have a single ally": Tekken 4's negative reception put series boss Katsuhiro Harada under so much stress that he left Namco for a year
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us
The Last of Us showrunner praises Abby actor's "physically tremendous" performance ahead of season 2: "We just haven't f**ked up in casting"