Kingdom Hearts 4 may still be a ways out, but that doesn't mean excitement and anticipation for the game aren’t incredibly high. First announced with a surprising trailer in April 2022 at a Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event, Kingdom Hearts 4 has been incredibly elusive in the three years since, with no release window or upcoming showcases in sight. While Square Enix is no doubt working hard on the game, the publisher has rarely shared any news of its progress, only emerging to showcase a new set of screenshots earlier this year.
Initial looks at Kingdom Hearts 4’s gameplay indicate that this new title will be going in a massively different direction for the series. While it will retain the franchise’s typical action RPG gameplay style without radically overhauling the formula, it seems Square Enix is beginning Kingdom Hearts' next story arc with some major stylistic switch-ups. Most notably, it's very possible that this iconic crossover between Disney and the Final Fantasy series may have a little bit less Disney in the next game, especially in its choices of worlds.
Kingdom Hearts 4's Latest Tease Could Be the Spark that Starts a Wildfire
Kingdom Hearts 4 screenshots have appeared out of nowhere following Missing Link's cancellation and it may lead to more surprises and future news.
Kingdom Hearts 4 May Pull Back On The Disney Representation
Kingdom Hearts 4 Should Prominently Feature Quadratum
It wouldn’t be surprising if Kingdom Hearts 4 features less emphasis on Disney representation than previous games in the series, largely because of the focus on the brand-new worlds that Sora will explore. The most notable world that Sora will be exploring is Quadratum, which will also serve as the game’s main hub world that players will consistently return to between other worlds. Quadratum is where Sora is trapped following the conclusion of Kingdom Hearts 3, having been separated from his regular companions, Donald and Goofy.
Kingdom Hearts 4 will probably also see the return of Scala ad Caelum, the new world that was previously introduced in Kingdom Hearts 3. Initially, this was intended to be the main setting of the mobile title Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link; however, Square Enix has recently chosen to cancel the project, as the publisher believed it would be too difficult to maintain the game in the long term. With its cancellation, though, Square Enix may choose to incorporate some of its story beats into Kingdom Hearts 4, meaning that Scala ad Caelum could make an appearance in the new game.
Kingdom Hearts 4’s New Arc Could Mean Less Disney This Time Around
With the presence of these worlds, Square Enix may be getting ready for Kingdom Hearts 4 to feature a greater emphasis on original worlds and settings than previous games in the series. After all, Sora is already separated from his pals Donald and Goofy at the beginning of the game, meaning that several gameplay sections will feel notably different, at least in the game’s early stages. This could also lead to more of the game taking place in Quadratum (and potentially Scala ad Caelum, should that world appear in the game) than in Disney worlds.
It would also make sense for Kingdom Hearts 4 to feature more emphasis on original worlds, especially given that it is the beginning of a new story arc in the franchise. Following on the “Dark Seeker Saga” that the series followed in all of its games before, Kingdom Hearts 4 is set to be the first title in the “Lost Master” story arc. As Square Enix looks to establish this brand-new story arc, it wouldn't be surprising to see a greater emphasis on original worlds to give this new saga its own flavor compared to the previous games.
Square Enix may be getting ready for Kingdom Hearts 4 to emphasize original worlds and settings.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Won’t Be Entirely Without Disney
Of course, this doesn't mean that Kingdom Hearts 4 will be an entirely Disney-free game. After all, Square Enix has already confirmed that there will be several Disney worlds featured in this new title. What's more, the recent set of gameplay images for KH4 indicate that Mickey Mouse will once again be a playable character this time around, and Square Enix could play on the separation between Sora, Donald and Goofy by having the latter two become playable characters for the first time in the series.
Still, it wouldn't be entirely surprising to see Kingdom Hearts 4 pull back on some of the Disney representation. The franchise is looking to kick off the “Lost Master” story arc with a bang, and it may have to focus on establishing the new original worlds instead of pulling as heavily from Disney's catalog. No matter whether Kingdom Hearts 4 doubles down on the Disney representation or pulls things back, this long-awaited title will surely be another exciting entry in one of the most venerable RPG franchises in gaming.
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Kingdom Hearts
