Atlus producer Kazushi Wada reiterates the unlikelihood of Persona 3 Portable's female protagonist (FeMC), Kotone Shiomi/Minako Arisato, appearing in Persona 3 Reload. This decision, explained in a recent PC Gamer interview, stems from significant development challenges and budgetary constraints.
Initially considered for inclusion, even as potential post-launch DLC alongside Episode Aigis - The Answer, the FeMC's addition proved impractical. Wada stated that the development time and costs would be unmanageable. The scope of integrating the FeMC, even via DLC, exceeded available resources, making it infeasible within the planned release timeframe.
Persona 3 Reload, a full remake of the 2006 JRPG, launched in February. While the remake faithfully recreates many core features, the FeMC's absence disappointed many fans. Despite this, Wada's comments firmly close the door on future inclusion, expressing regret but emphasizing the insurmountable hurdles. He previously highlighted to Famitsu that incorporating the FeMC would require significantly more time and resources than the Episode Aigis DLC, making it an unviable undertaking.
The popularity of the FeMC in Persona 3 Portable fueled fan hopes for her appearance in Reload, either at launch or as DLC. However, Wada's definitive statements effectively dismiss these expectations.