After a long and arduous wait, Persona 5 is releasing to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Eurogamer called it “an experience worth waging cultural wars for.” The Guardian described it as a “spectacular work of contemporary young adult fiction,” while Push Square hailed the game as a “masterpiece from top to bottom.” There’s just one teensy, pesky problem getting in the way of all this praise: the game permanently disables the sharing of screenshots and videos on the PS4.
“This being a Japanese title with solely a single-playthrough story means Japan is very wary about it,” said a representative from Atlus. “Sharing is currently blocked through the native PS4 UI.” The representative confirmed that sharing will still be blocked when the game launches worldwide.
Persona 5 isn’t the first game to disable Share functionality, nor will it be the last. Japanese studios are famously draconian when it comes to copyright, and it’s easy to understand why developers of story-heavy games see Let’s Play videos as a threat.
These restrictions aren’t going to keep me from buying this game day one, but they are disappointing. Persona 5 is an incredibly stylish game. Every detail — from the cutscenes to the menus to the victory screens — looks absolutely fantastic. It’s the best-looking game in the series to date. Sharing screenshots, gifs, and video clips is only going to help Atlus sell more copies.
More importantly, Persona 5 features a cast of characters that are struggling to exist in Japanese society. The burdens and confines that are being placed upon them are destroying them from the inside out. The Phantom Thieves aren’t just stealing for fun; they’re rebelling because it’s the only way they can reform the world around them. It’s ironic that a game that celebrates disobedience is requiring player to comply with unusually restrictive rules.
While Atlus of Japan is the company behind this decision, it can’t hurt to (politely) let Atlus USA know how you feel about this decision. If enough people speak up, it’s possible that PS4 Share features will be restored in the future.
In the meantime, players should look for alternative ways to share the game with others. If you see an entertaining bit of dialogue, grab your camera and take a screenshot the old-fashioned way. If you have a capture card, show off some gameplay videos on YouTube. The Phantom Thieves are willing to get creative to get the job done. If you’re a Persona fan, you should do the same.
