How to unlock the Third Semester in Persona 5 Royal
WinterĄŻs a busy time for a Phantom Thief.
Unlocking the Persona 5 Royal Third Semester might sound like a daunting task if you’re not sure what the criteria is. Truthfully though, this task couldn’t be more straightforward. While many theories were floated right after the JRPG’s initial PS4 release back in 2020, we’ve since had time to determine the actual requirements.
You’ll want to unlock the new Third Semester in Persona 5 Royal for many reasons. Alongside the extended storyline and quality-of-life improvements, Royal includes a new palace, new characters, an extended journey into Mementos, and a third-tier evolution for each Phantom Thief’s Personas. Failing to unlock it means you’ve missed out on the biggest reason to play Royal over the original Persona 5.
Of course, we still need to get there first, which is no small feat for a JRPG that takes over 100 hours to beat. It’s worth noting that unlocking Persona 5 Royal’s Third Semester overlaps significantly with unlocking Persona 5 Royal’s True Ending. You can’t do one without the other. However, there are a few key details that don’t fit in the ending guide, and we’ll elaborate on that below.
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If you’d like to learn more about Persona 5 Royal, check out our guides on the test answers, Will Seed locations, Fusions, Social Stats and how to unlock the endings.
What are the unlock requirements for Persona 5 Royal’s Third Semester?
Getting Persona 5’s original True Ending is essential for unlocking Royal’s Third Semester. Without spoiling what happens, you need to choose the first answer during the interrogation sequences, reach the last dungeon, and refuse the offer made to Joker.
Crucially, you must hit Rank 9 for the Councillor Confidant, Dr. Maruki, by November 17. He is the only Confidant that’s mandatory for unlocking this, and he’s not available to visit during the Summer, so we’d recommend prioritising him over other Confidants. Fail to reach Rank 9, and Royal locks you out of the Third Semester entirely, instead giving you the original Persona 5’s True Ending.
It’s worth keeping Kasumi (Faith Confidant) and Akechi (Justice Confidant) in mind before reaching the Third Semester. Neither Social Link is mandatory, but if Kasumi’s not at Rank 5 by December 22, her Social Link remains locked out for the rest of the game. Furthermore, getting Akechi to Rank 8 by November 17 unlocks an additional post-credits scene.
What else can I do during Persona 5 Royal’s Third Semester?
The Third Semester contains some unique opportunities, including a third evolution for your teammates' Personas. This becomes available once you’ve maxed out their original Social Link to Rank 10, upon which their Personas evolve into their second form. Once that’s done, meet up with them again in January to trigger this third evolution.
Hanging out with all six Thieves (Morgana, Akechi, and Kasumi excluded) will, naturally, trim down your available free days, so be careful with time management. Joker can still rank up with most other Confidants, excluding Toranosuke Yoshida (Sun Confidant). His deadline is November 17; otherwise, you can still do everything possible in the main game.
Enjoy Persona 5 Royal’s Third Semester!