'Persona 5' release date delayed: Game expected to come out in summer

Atlus

After announcing during the Tokyo Game Show 2015 that the "Persona 5" release will be delayed, Atlus CEO Naoto Hiraoka has finally confirmed that the highly anticipated role-playing video game will be released in the market in Summer 2016.

In a translated report from Gematsu, Hiraoka said: "In the summer, we'll launch the long-awaited Persona 5. Of course, in addition to that we have several unannounced titles."

However, the CEO still could not confirm exactly when the game will come out on the shelves.

"While the release date hasn't been decided, I want you to also look forward to VanillaWare's '13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim,'" Hiraoka said.

During last year's Tokyo Game Show, "Persona" chief director Katsura Hashino talked about the development of the game in a video interview.

According to Hashino, almost all components of "Persona 5" had been created, and they were fine-tuning the gameplay of the title during that time. He also revealed that the game development was doing well, which means that the game was almost on its way.

The game director also shared that since "Persona 5" is being made for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, they want to make sure that they will come up with a game that comes with different kinds of content.

Hashino expressed his apology for making fans wait for the release of the game but said that they have no other choice but to hold back on the release date to give them the best possible playing experience.

"Persona 5" will center on the adventures of a 16-year-old high school boy who knows how to summon the different aspects of his psyche called Personas. According to earlier reports, the sixth installment from the "Megami Tensei" series will also feature the improved Social Link element that was used in "Persona 3" and "Persona 4."

More details about "Personal 5" release date are expected to come out in the coming days.