Persona co-creator Kouji Okada explains why school settings define his RPGs

Kouji Okada, a foundational designer and director for the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series, has a new RPG titled Villion:Code scheduled for release on January 26, 2027. The game will be available on PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Steam.

In a video interview with GamesRadar+, Okada discussed how the Persona series began. He explained that after working on several RPGs where an ordinary protagonist is thrust into a quest to save the world, he grew tired of that formula. He wondered whether players might find such epic settings overwhelming and wanted to experiment with a smaller, more intimate world.

That experiment became 1994's Shin Megami Tensei if..., which retold elements of the Shin Megami Tensei series in a more contained setting. The positive response from players encouraged Okada to explore a smaller-scale, coming-of-age story, which led to the development of 1996's Revelations: Persona, also known as Persona 1. The school setting has remained a staple of the series ever since.

Okada believes school settings work well for RPGs because most people have experienced or can relate to that time in their lives. He described school as a highly impressionable period with relatable elements that connect closely to personal experiences. He recalled his own school years, including clubs and jobs, as irreplaceable experiences that introduced him to society.

Villion:Code also features a cast of students. Okada acknowledged that Persona influenced the new title but emphasized that the intention was not to create a different version of Persona. He described his approach to game design as combining engaging gameplay with meaningful messages, where the world and gameplay systems come together as a unified whole.