The latest Persona spin-off has arrived, sending P5‘s Phantom Thieves on a tactics-filled journey. But when does Persona 5 Tactica actually take place in the P5 timeline?
Note: The following will contain spoilers for the base Persona 5 and Royal, up to and including their respective twists and endings. Be warned!
Persona 5 Tactica is a follow-up to Persona 5
In the intro cutscene of Persona 5 Tactica, a conversation between the Phantom Thieves and some other dialogue makes it clear that this game takes place after the battle with Yaldabaoth.
Given the entire Thieves crew is assembled, that adds extra weight to the timeline of when this happens. Considering Joker leaves for home at the conclusion of Persona 5, we know this takes place before any graduations. A good ballpark is likely sometime in February or March.
Both Akechi and “Kasumi” have been confirmed for a DLC appearance, also assisting Joker in some fashion during the events of P5T.
A separate world
While the timeline question is interesting, it’s also worth noting that—in our experience thus far—Tactica doesn’t bleed into the main world of Persona 5 too much. While the Phantom Thieves are dealing with the strife in the Kingdoms, those events take place largely separate, in a way that can’t affect canon too much.
Similar to P5 Strikers and other spin-offs, it doesn’t seem like Tactica will be too critical to Persona 5 lore. Ultimately, it’s a side venture for those who want both tactics and some Phantom Thieves chill time. Persona 5 Tactica certainly delivers a heaping helping of each.
