A unique element that sets the Persona franchise apart from other JRPGs is its social simulation. Players need to deepen their characters’ relationships with their friends and other companions to get various perks in other aspects of the game, like combat and Persona fusion. This system was called “Social Links” in Persona 3 and Persona 4, but was rebranded to Confidants in Persona 5 Royal. Confidants offer more benefits compared to Social Links, so players often have to prioritize P5R’s social sim more than dungeon-crawling. Atlus now faces a fork in the road for Persona 6, as it needs to decide whether to continue with the new Confidant system, go back to Social Links, or integrate both systems.