The fighting game genre has had its fair share of series come and go over the years, but more recent generations have seen series return after they were thought to be dead or indefinitely dormant. It’s gone to show that there’s always hope for a series to rise from the ashes, which has us asking: Can these five fighting game franchises come back please?
Persona Arena
The Persona series rocketed upward in popularity in recent years, so it’s strange Atlus and Arc System Works haven’t jumped at the chance to develop a new Persona Arena title.
Kicking off with Persona 4 Arena back in 2012, the fighting game spin-off title was pretty standard fair in terms of appearances.
Utilizing the style and aesthetic of Persona 3 and 4 – along with characters from each title in order to bulk up its roster – the game came off to most as a way to capitalize on the growing popularity of the series while also pulling in those who might not typically play the series’ games due to its genre.
For those who gave the game a proper look though, there was a diamond in the rough. Its mechanics were sound and polished; characters were varied and diverse in their playstyles and moves; and the story offered a serviceable single player mode to go along with the well-executed multiplayer matches.
And yet, there’s been no sign of the series this entire generation. It’s a shame too, since the release of Persona 5 brought with it a slew of new characters who would be right at home on a new game’s roster as well as a sizable boost in the Persona series’ recognition overall.
It may be asking a lot – especially when one factors in how busy Atlus and Arc Sys are with different titles and projects right now – but to keep this series dormant would only waste the immense potential it has to be one of the biggest names in the fighting game genre.
