Topic: Digital Devil Story Megami Tensei 30th anniversary, origins of SMT

[affinity]

If it wasn't for Digital Devil Story Megami Tensei, there would be no Shin Megami Tensei,
nor "Shin Megami Tensei if..." which lead to the creation of the Persona series

it all started with a novel (march 1986) written by Aya Nishitani, which became a massively dark trilogy
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Digital_Devil_Story:_Megami_Tensei

a OVA movie was created in 1987 based on the first book
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Digital_Devil_Story:_Megami_Tensei_(OVA)

Telenet (the creators of Valis) completed the very first DDS Megami Tensei game in July 1987

http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Megami_Tensei_(Telenet)

Namco and Atlus completed their version of DDS Megami Tensei game on September 11, 1987

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1431059

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Devil_Story:_Megami_Tensei

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7N4hH8pqpA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_TNW3tvnU8

Namco/Atlus's devs went on to make Megami Tensei II, which inspired the unique demonic post apocalyptic concept that Shin Megami Tensei games adopt for the most part. 
http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Megami_Tensei_II

the games were remade on SNES, and from there Shin Megami Tensei began.

http://shin-megamitensei.jp/history/

Shin Megami Tensei if...(which also got a Playstation 1 port) became the turning point that would inspire and create Persona
(you can also notice how there are DLC costumes in Persona 5 based on SMT if... uniforms)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dqEHLBa92M

So yea, SMT and Persona fans can appreciate Digital Devil Story Megami Tensei starting it all.