I think I've mentioned this somewhere else, but I want to get to the bottom of the question.

Persona Q Shadows of the Labyrinth is a RPG crossover between the characters of Persona 3 and 4, the most popular games of the SMT franchise. The game combines enemies and bosses from P3 and 4, in a similar engine than Etrian Odyssey, you explore dungeons with the shape of labyrinths. The game was released 5-june-2014, and it sold around 0.22 millions in less than two weeks, Japan only. It will be released in NA this year and in an unespecified date in Europe. Seeing the sales of other Atlus games on the 3DS, I would say the game is selling quite nicely. The best-selling Atlus game on 3DS is Shin Megami Tensei IV, with 0,43 million copies sold since 3-may-2013 worldwide. Persona Q has the potential of  selling more than 0,50 millions worlwide. I don't get why or how is that possible.

I don't get why a crossover between two games on a system that doesn't have the originals (Persona 3 and 4 have never been on a Nintendo system) can sell that much. I want Persona 3 and 4 on my 3DS, but I won't buy Q because I don't know this characters, their stories, their interactions... I get that putting the game on the 3DS is a better option than the Vita, but that makes me wonder, why no multiplat? Is it because the game is a derivate of Etrian Odyssey? Why is this game so similar to Etrian? Couldn't it be like other Persona games? People who played the other personas are used to a certain gameplay, why change it for something completely different? Maybe if it's succesful enough Atlus will bring other Persona games, but again, why a crossover? People who has never played a Persona game are going to be doubly confused: they don't know the characters, and if they buy another Persona game, they'll find a completely different gameplay. Is it a good strategy to put this as the first Persona game on a Nintendo console, to appeal to a new audience?

But the thing is that Q is selling well. Why is it selling well? I don't want it to fail, at the contrary, bring more Persona games to the 3DS, but If I follow the sales trends of the other SMT games on the system, it will probably sell 0.55 millions. (0,30 JP; 0,20 NA; 0.4 EU; 0.1 others). I don't see the appeal of the game because of the reasons listed above, but I want to know your opinion. Is this game worth it as a stand-alone title? Will it be the firt Persona game on the 3DS or the last? Why is it selling so much?

Maybe their stories from P3 and P4 doesnt matter and making new characters was too much work?

Because it's a Shin Megami Tensei game and there's already a SMT userbase on the 3DS thanks to SMTIV. It's a pretty loyal fanbase.

<3

I have heard that Persona Q is part of the canon of Persona 3 and 4, so that can't be the case.

There are two new characters introduced I believe. The original Persona 3 and 4 are literally from PS2 era, so I'm guessing they're assuming people have already played them since it's been 8 years for P3, 6 for P4. Not to mention they've made anime adaptations of both, so at the worst Nintendo-only fans can literally just watch them to get all the plot stuff for these characters. I played Persona 4 on the PS2 and Persona 3 on PSP though I'm a predominantly Nintendo fan, and I've played a fair amount of Etrian Odyssey, so this game is right up my alley :)

It's on the winds of Persona 5 hype. The Etrian Odyssey engine made perfect sense to do a quick 3DS release and it starts to expand the Persona Universe to other systems as a testing bed. (they brought P4:Arena to the 360 didn't they?)

Porting Persona 4 would have been problematic as it would have been a noticeable downgrade from the Vita release. However P: Q's moderate success certainly paves the way to further Persona releases on 3DS now. Though I think they'll always be spin offs like Crystal Chronicles etc ended up being, rather than the full fledged titles.

I've never played a Persona game but I've seen them and they look cool; people have lost their mind when I tell them this, and scream at me to play Persona; I constantly hear people saying Persona 4: Golden(I think?) is Vita's best game. A niche Atlus game is the best game on a niche console? It must be incredible; I enjoyed SMT4 on 3DS.

Because of those reasons, I'm very interested in Persona Q. Maybe that's why it's selling - people like me? :D

Loyal Fan base. Where Persona goes they will follow.

While fun, Etrian Odyssey doesn't have so many fans.

First Persona to come to 3ds and apparently, its Canon (Still wondering how Altus, hope its not a shitty reason) so those two things alone usually give interest to people that love persona games

Persona 3 was a good game + Etrian Odissey 3 was superb = Hype!!

Both P3 and P4 are remakes so, I guess Atlus thought it would make more sense to try something new. A brand new game was maybe too much, so a crossover was a good idea. Maybe we will see P5P on the 3DS? who knows...