Summary
- Kingdom Hearts co-creator Tetsuya Nomura wasn't in the elevator when the fateful meeting between Square Enix and Disney came to pass.
- The iconic crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy was born from a chance encounter between the two companies in an office building in Tokyo.
- Nomura drew inspiration for Kingdom Hearts from the 3D world found in Super Mario 64, creating a beloved RPG series that continues to captivate fans to this day.
Kingdom Hearts co-creator Tetsuya Nomura recently shared some insight into the creation of the epic RPG series, including the fact that he wasn’t present during the fateful elevator ride that started it all. The magical worlds of Disney and Final Fantasy first collided in the original Kingdom Hearts back in 2002, which followed a young boy named Sora as he teamed up with Donald Duck and Goofy to find his lost friends and defeat an evil force threatening various Disney universes. The game would become a major success on the PlayStation 2, spawning a series that continues to this day.
The story of how Kingdom Hearts first came to be is nearly as magical as the game’s plot, with the title initially being pitched during a chance meeting between Disney and Square Enix employees who shared an office building in Arco Towers in Japan. One seemingly normal day, Square Enix game producer Shinji Hashimoto found himself in an elevator with a Disney executive, who allowed him to pitch an idea for a 3D game in the style of Super Mario 64 that he brainstormed with Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. Disney liked the concept enough to allow Square Enix to use its characters, leading to what would eventually become Kingdom Hearts.
Square Enix Explains What Order You Should Play Kingdom Hearts In
With the release of the Kingdom Hearts series on Steam, Square Enix details what potential order gamers should play the titles in.
There have been a few misconceptions about the elevator meeting that led to Kingdom Hearts, namely that Tetsuya Nomura was present during the encounter. In a recent interview with Famitsu (shared by Twitter user aitaikimochi), Nomura stated that this wasn’t the case, and that he wasn’t on-site for the conversation that ultimately led to a deal between Disney and Square Enix. He did, however, overhear Shinji Hashimoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi discussing their idea for a Super Mario 64-style 3D platformer beforehand, taking interest when they noted that the only characters that could rival Mario in popularity would be those from Disney.
Tetsuya Nomura Wasn’t In The Elevator During The Kingdom Hearts Pitch
Tetsuya Nomura claims that he was inspired to make Kingdom Hearts after seeing how freely players could move in a 3D space in Super Mario 64, which was released while he was working on the original Final Fantasy 7. He doesn’t remember why he was in the room when Hashimoto and Sakaguchi brought up their idea for a Disney game, but he jumped at the chance to lead the project and create a similar experience.
That project would take the form of Kingdom Hearts, a franchise that owes its existence to seemingly random encounters that formed a bridge between Disney and Square Enix that has continued for over two decades. It's hard for many RPG fans to imagine a world without Kingdom Hearts, so it's a good thing that Tetsuya Nomura was around when the game was first being planned - even if he actually wasn’t in the elevator when Shinji Hashimoto shared this plan with Disney for the first time.
Kingdom Hearts
- Released
- September 17, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
KINGDOM HEARTS: Fear locks the light in darkness. Courage is the key.
When a supernatural storm transports 14-year-old Sora to a distant land, he sets out to track down his missing friends. Teaming up with Court Wizard Donald and Captain Goofy, join Sora as he embarks on a valiant quest to find his friends and defeat the evil 'Heartless'.
Explore new and familiar worlds featuring over 100 Disney characters. Beware of the Disney villains and their devious intentions. Team up with Disney heroes as you battle evil. Experience stunning graphics and authentic voiceovers.
- ESRB
- E for Everyone: Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Franchise
- Kingdom Hearts
- Platform(s)
- PS2
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
