The Weeknd misses his chance to romance Takemi in Persona 5 Royal

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, known as a four-time Grammy winner and pop star, recently shared his experience with Persona 5 Royal on social media. Despite putting around 92 hours into the game, he never took the opportunity to start a romantic relationship with Tae Takemi, his in-game love interest.

The game system and romance in Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Royal introduces a unique social sim element where players can build relationships with various characters, known as “Confidants.” Most players quickly learn that developing a romance means carefully navigating key story moments. In Takemi’s case, Tesfaye may have missed a crucial opportunity during her Rank 9 conversation, where he would have needed to signal that he was interested in a romantic connection.

The Weeknd’s missed chance

After reaching Rank 10 with Takemi, Tesfaye realized he had not made the right choices to trigger the romance. He shared the disappointment on his alternate Instagram account, posting a screenshot of a Google search confirming that he had missed the opportunity. His post came just ahead of April 30, 2026, and the story quickly spread across social media, with fans and news sites picking it up with plenty of humor.

Online reaction and meme culture

Social media reacted quickly to the situation, with Persona 5 fans showing off their creativity through memes and jokes about Tesfaye’s frustration. These kinds of interactions between celebrities and gaming culture are becoming more common, and The Weeknd is no exception. The memes not only highlighted how funny the situation was, but also how relatable these experiences are for fans of the game.

The impact of gaming on celebrities

Tesfaye’s enthusiasm for gaming, especially his interactions with Persona 5 Royal , reflects a growing trend of celebrities openly sharing their love of video games. This not only benefits the games themselves, but also strengthens the connection between gamers and artists. In recent months, Atlus also gave Tesfaye a special shoutout, further reinforcing the mutual recognition.

The Weeknd, who regularly references the gaming community, shows that even celebrities are not immune to the experiences and challenges video games can bring, such as missing a chance to romance a beloved character.