IP-based gachas often treat global players much worse than the original server, and looks like P5X is not an exception.. The latest mess, dropped during a recent livestream showing off new characters, has everyone getting angry.
Minami Miyashita’s Delayed Standard Banner Move
Yesterday’s livestream revealed that Minami Miyashita (aka Marian), a hotly awaited new character, won’t jump to the Standard banner right after her launch banner wraps up—a big shift from how things usually go on the original servers. According to an X post by Najox P5X, while Marian might hit the Standard pool later in some update, this delay isn’t normal for the game. This has sparked a lot of chatter, with replies to Najox P5X’s post showing worries about missing out on dupes and weapons tied to the Lufels plan.
To give some background, a detailed spreadsheet tracking character releases on non-global versions shows a clear trend: non-limited characters get added to the Standard pool the moment their first banners end. This keeps things fair for players over time without forcing them to spend big during short events. The global server breaking from this tradition feels like a cheap move, leaving players unsure about Marian’s future and pretty annoyed.
A History of Shady Practices
This isn’t the first time the global version of P5X has dealt with sketchy monetization. Here’s a rundown of the ongoing problems:
- No Guarantee Banner: Unlike most gacha games that give you a safety net with a pity system for rare pulls, P5X global leaves you at the mercy of random chance.
- Horrendous Soft Pity: The soft pity kicks in way too late, making it a grind to snag top-tier characters without dropping a ton of cash.
- Accelerated Schedule with No Compensation: The global server’s story and content updates are sped up compared to the original versions, with no extra rewards to ease the extra effort or FOMO.
- Backloaded Rewards for Synergies: Synergy-boosting rewards come late, pushing players to spend early to stay competitive instead of earning them naturally.
- Level Requirements for Story Progression: A new rule forces players to hit level 30 to beat the Palace 1 boss—a step not in other versions—clearly meant to nudge people into buying stamina.
- Intrusive Pop-Up Ads: While the original servers stayed ad-free, global players get hit with constant pop-ups that disrupt the game and push in-app purchases.
- Overpriced Beginner Packs: The Beginner sale pack, like the $5 Puppet one, is way more expensive than the $1 price seen on other versions, taking advantage of new players.
The Original Servers Got It Better—Why the Double Standard?
The original servers, mostly for Chinese and Asian players, got a much smoother deal. Characters like Marian slid into the Standard pool right after their banners, keeping access fair. No level gates, better pity systems, and reasonable pack prices show a focus on keeping players happy over raking in cash. Meanwhile, the global server feels like a money trap, with every update seeming designed to squeeze more out of an international audience already hooked on the Persona series.
This gap stings even more considering Persona 5: The Phantom X’s early success, which saw its peak player count top Persona 5 Royal. Yet the developers seem determined to throw that goodwill away with these greedy tactics. The rushed schedule and lack of compensation only add to the frustration.
Conclusion
The global Persona 5: The Phantom X community deserves a fair shake. Delaying Marian’s Standard banner is just the latest in a string of decisions that put profit over player trust. It’s insulting when the original servers got a better deal from the start. The developers need to step up—add a real pity system, make character availability the same everywhere, ditch the annoying ads, and throw some compensation for the sped-up schedule. Until then, players might want to follow Najox P5X’s advice and skip pulling for characters like Marian, maybe even hit pause on spending to send a message.
Comments