Atlus confirms Persona 5 development ramping up

After an extended period of dormancy, Atlus is ready to get moving on the long-anticipated Persona 5.

Andriasang reports the new title was mentioned briefly in the same issue of Famitsu as the Persona 4 news blowout.

Development is said to be in the very early stages, and regular Persona Team staffers return: director Katsura Hashino, character designer Shigenori Soejima and composer Shouji Meguro.

The game is also being made with a new engine, according to the magazine.

Atlus was said to be working on the fifth entry in the series as early as March 2010, with details of the game's protagonist surfacing a few weeks later, but in the meantime, Persona Team switched focus to spin-off puzzler Catherine.

The last core entry, Persona 4, released for PS2 in 2009, and has gone on to spawn an anime series and manga, as well as today's newly-announced Vita remake.