Shin Megami Tensei 5 breaks Switch exclusivity for an expanded PC release, and it's coming sooner than previously announced

Update 03/21: Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance will now release for PC on June 14, 2024, instead of the previously announced date of June 21.

Atlus didn't explain why it has moved the date, but if I were to hazard a guess, it's because Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion also hits on June 21.

Original story:

The fifth mainline instalment in the gargantuan, offshoot-laden Shin Megami Tensei series released for Nintendo Switch in 2021, marking the series' first dalliance with open world design. In typical Atlus style, SMT 5 is getting a new edition in June called Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance. It has a new main story running parallel with the original, big changes to the core combat, and a comprehensive range of other tweaks. The good news is it's coming to PC too.

For the uninitiated, SMT is the series Persona grew out of, and if you've enjoyed those nowadays more popular games (at least in the west), you'll probably get a lot out of this fifth instalment. It's a more conventional JRPG, so don't expect social links and daily school attendance, but do expect a similarly surrealistic take on creature design.

Set in two parallel versions of Tokyo—one a doomstruck version where angels and demons are always having it out, and the other relatively normal—SMT 5 boasts a typically convoluted story which many critics didn't love. Instead, SMT 5 was praised for its combat and exploration, which is probably good news for anyone who loves the combat in the Persona games but feels cooped up in the small urban environments.

It's good news (for me, at least) but here's hoping it makes the jump to PC unscathed. Shin Megami Tensei 3 released for PC in 2021, and while it's definitely worth playing, you'll need to stomach the dodginess of the port. I'm guessing SMT 5 will fare better in transition: the trailer above at least shows 60 fps gameplay (the port of SMT 3 was capped out at 30).

TOPICS

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.