A former Disney CEO can only barely remember the name Kingdom Hearts, and he definitely can't recall what made him give Square Enix's (or SquareSoft at the time) pitch the thumbs up.

Kingdom Hearts' entire existence already seemed like an impossible Disney miracle come true. Some of the company's biggest mascots, Mickey Mouse included, being deeply involved in a nonsensical JRPG's twisty storyline for over two decades, while crossing over with Final Fantasy characters, I might add, doesn't sound like it would've made Disney loosen its usually tight grip on its IP. (This preceded Fortnite's bonkers crossovers, mind you.)

Trying to get to the bottom of what turned Square Enix's wish upon a star into a long-running video game franchise, The Game File's Stephen Totilo managed to get a hold of Michael Eisner, the man who ran The Walt Disney Company for over 20 years.

According to the outlet, Eisner apparently didn't remember Kingdom Hearts at all until it was referred to as the "Final Fantasy plus Disney characters" project. "Oh, I remember now," he then says. Asked if he recalls why he green-lit the first game, he simply says, "I don't." Ouch.

As the story goes, famed character designer Tetsuya Nomura and producer Shinji Hashimoto were early in development on a game that would try to emulate the free-flowing movement of Super Mario 64. When Hashimoto found himself in an elevator with a Disney executive, conversations about what eventually became Kingdom Hearts began in earnest.

Finding out what convinced Disney to relent and have its most iconic characters fight darkness alongside an anime protag wearing clown shoes and a key-shaped sword would've been fascinating, but Eisner likely signed off on many deals during his tenure, so all is forgiven here. Even well before Fortnite, Disney wasn't a total stranger to wacky video game ideas, either, between Disney Infinity and Epic Mickey.

Kingdom Hearts has had a life of its own many years after Eisner's departure, too. Kingdom Heart 4 is up next, with a "deep dive" into the series also scheduled for next month's D23 event.

Canceled Kingdom Hearts spin-off's intro apparently leaks online and not even veteran fans understand what's going on: "Why does it look like Pacific Rim but with Keyblades"

After the game was unceremoniously canceled last year, the opening cinematic of Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link has apparently leaked online. The video contains several hallmarks of the unreleased project and plenty of Tetsuya Nomura-isms besides, lending credence to its legitimacy and providing some hints about what we might see in Kingdom Hearts 4.

Versions of the short film made their way around the information superhighway before a full upload landed on YouTube. The first half contains a massive battle between keyblade-wielders in space suits and a huge Heartless. Eventually, several of these magical astronauts find themselves in Quadratum, a realm based on our real world.

Then we jump to scientists walking around the halls of a facility of some sort, going in and out of various rooms. Narration makes mention of, "The era missing from history's cycle," and that it's "the third generation of the founded city that faced the true nature of this phenomenon," as someone urgently goes to hand over an envelope in a grand hall of some kind.

The "founded city" is Scala ad Caelum, the world from which all others flow. It's a glorious, paradise-like structure composed of white stone where it's perpetually sunny. So far, this all lines up with what we know about Missing-Link, as it would've been set between Union X and Dark Road and depicted what's known as the "blank era."

Perspective jumps to what appears to be a young Sigurd, a character in Union X who looks like he's got an unhealthy obsession with BloodBorne. The final scene shows a young version of him in a huge city at night - it's perpetually daytime in Scale ad Caelum, which means this is probably Daybreak Town, the precursor to the magical metropolis that gets leveled in the Keyblade War.

There's no way of truly verifying the legitimacy of this footage, but there are plenty of signs it's the real deal. It's polished, flows how you'd expect an introductory cutscene to, and the narrative elements line up with existing knowledge of Missing-Link. Members of the Kingdom Hearts community who took part in beta testing for the spin-off have pointed out the aesthetic doesn't line up with what they saw.

"The ML style was more steampunk. It wouldn't surprise me if this was a keyblade mod on something else or some fan art," says a commenter on Reddit. Others are lowkey stunned at what they're seeing. "Why does it look like Pacific Rim but with Keyblades," a top Reddit comment asks.

One thing that does jump out at me here is how large-scale this feels for a mobile release. Kingdom Hearts spin-offs don't tend to feel much like their mainline, triple-A counterparts.

Which leads me to agree with the prevailing theory that this is actually something intended for Kingdom Hearts 4. Missing-Link was going to tee up the new installment, and in the wake of Square Enix ending development on it, parts are probably being reworked for appearances elsewhere.

There's also a non-zero chance this is all part of something for the next Kingdom Hearts collection. Wherever this is from, I can say one thing with confidence: the lore isn't getting any easier to explain.

Kingdom Hearts 4 updates could be coming soon as series "deep dive" is confirmed for D23, 2 months after Square Enix's surprise new trailer

We could be getting Kingdom Hearts 4 news quite soon, as the franchise is confirmed to make an appearance at D23 next month, Disney's conference for all things House of Mouse. The series will get a showcase celebrating its 25th anniversary, because apparently my lower back pain isn't enough of a reminder of my age.

The event, simply called Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts, was revealed in the D23 2026 programme of panels and such. "Join us for a journey through light and darkness as we commemorate 25 years of Kingdom Hearts," reads the official description. "Discover how this saga united Disney, Pixar, and Square Enix, with insights from the creative minds, character voices, and more behind the magic."

From the sounds of things, it'll be mostly retrospective, with members of the old guard at Disney and Pixar providing insight into how they worked with Square Enix to turn the likes of Alice in Wonderland, Tarzan and Aladdin into compelling action RPG locations. I wouldn't expect too much from Square Enix's side of things, beyond perhaps a video message from series co-creator and longtime overseer Tetsuya Nomura.

Some kind of added tease for Kingdom Hearts 4 seems likely, though. Just last month, we finally got a second trailer for the game shown during a Nintendo Direct of all things.

D23 seems like the perfect place to show off some of the movies and shows we'll be visiting for this installment. The Jungle Book, Zootopia, Inside Out, Encanto, and Cars are five worlds I can imagine showing up, if I had to guess. But we'll see what emerges.

Although it's already been four years since the fourth mainline Kingdom Hearts installment was announced, I wouldn't expect a release window here. That's more likely to come on Square Enix's terms, since that's the actual developer and publisher. Disney is really just weaponizing the most lucrative video game venture it has right now.

Whatever the case, we're almost definitely going to hear another rendition of the anecdote about how this collaboration got moving because of a chance elevator conversation. Much like Steamboat Willie, it's timeless.

D23 is set to take place from August 14 through 16.

Could Kingdom Hearts 4 include Star Wars and Marvel worlds? Sora actor once said he'd "never put it past" Square Enix.

For a series all about jumping from one disjointed Disney world to the next (and maybe stopping to chat with Final Fantasy friends in between), Kingdom Hearts 4 has been pretty shy about which movies might be depicted in the upcoming game. But Sora's long-time voice actor and Oscar-nominated child star Haley Joel Osment has had his picks locked down for ages: Star Wars and Marvel.

Kingdom Hearts 4 recently popped out of the shadows with a surprise new trailer earlier this month. Perhaps more surprising than its mere appearance was the omission of any Disney worlds or characters – though, from previous looks at the game, we do know Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, and Hades will appear – which has left the fanbase to speculate wildly off on their own.

Ravenous Kingdom Hearts fans aren't the only ones theory crafting, however. Haley Joel Osment himself took a couple guesses at which Disney properties might show up in the sequel in a 2024 interview with TheMovieDweeb that recently resurfaced thanks to all the Kingdom Hearts 4 hype.

"Now we're linked up with Marvel and Star Wars, right? I don't know if they ever would connect those," Osment said at the time. "That might be a little too complicated, like connecting all that, but you know, I would never put it past them [Square Enix]. It's a bunch of really creative people."

As for his favorite worlds in the series, well, they might surprise you. "We've done a Tron one. I like the Steamboat Willie one," he added, "the animation in that was really cool. So, yeah, all these [worlds] that may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a Disney video game. I love when they really stretch in that direction. I'm excited to see."

Any deeper cuts seem preferable for the Sora actor, but the recently-reposted clip has now seen fans get involved as well. Comments under the video has droves of people begging for Treasure Planet representation. Oh, how I'd like to shake all your hands! Coco, Zootopia, The Incredibles, and Atlantis are other common suggestions.

In the meantime, the only Kingdom Hearts 4 worlds we've seen so far are Quadratum, the life-like city shown off in trailers that's implied to be an afterlife of sorts, and the tiniest glimpse of a green forest with what looks like a Star Wars AT-ST foot stomping about. Endor-coded, much?

Disney now owns so many properties that it's pretty easy to come up with a dream wishlist. Mine would probably include Sora being stalked by a Xenomorph before engaging in an overly long chicken-fight with Peter Griffin.

After voicing Sora in 12 RPGs, Kingdom Hearts actor says maybe "the best thing to do" is let the long-running series end: "Even if you have something that you love."

Following accusations of Square Enix using AI-generated (or, well, AI-assisted) art on its cover for the Kingdom Hearts Collection, it seems some retailers have received a different version to swap the original one out for.

Kingdom Hearts fans have had quite a month after a surprise Nintendo Direct finally dropped news on Kingdom Hearts 4 and unveiled a nice bundle of the original three games coming to console (no more crappy cloud downloads, yippee): the Kingdom Hearts Collection.

The set itself is exciting, but its reveal was dampened a bit as eagle-eyed fans spotted the cover art outside of Japan looked a whole lot like it had been at least partially AI-generated.

There are various threads on the allegations online, with folks pointing out Donald's odd fingers, Sora's shoe, and much more as potential indicators that Square Enix used AI to touch up its initial cover art – cover art that the Japanese Collection always boasted.

Now, though, it appears that the supposed AI-assisted version is being pulled from retailers' advertisements and replaced with the one used in Japan.

🧵THREAD - The AI-Assisted Kingdom Hearts Cover 🧵So, this cover have been pointed out for being ai-generated. Yeah it's shit. BUT after I did some dig in, it's actually kinda more complicated than this. So let me expand on this 👇

— @kahene.bsky.social (@kahene.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-06-22T10:13:53.652Z

Have a quick peek at Amazon, for example – the Kingdom Hearts Collection's cover art is no longer the strange overseas version… It's the OG. Not every retailer has updated its listing for the bundle yet, however.

You're still able to find the copy that fans believe was run through an AI generator over on GAME, for instance. Heck, it's still up on the actual official Square Enix storefront, a place you'd likely expect it to have been changed first.

It is important to note that Square Enix hasn't actually responded to any of the allegations floating about the web itself, seemingly opting to just quietly swap out the problematic cover art for its non-controversial version.

There's no telling whether the company plans to address the debacle publicly as of now, but hey – at least it's making changes… because let's face it, Donald Duck just doesn't look right, does he?

Searching for something else to wishlist? Here are the best new games coming this year and beyond to look forward to.

Tetsuya Nomura's fingerprints can be found all over Final Fantasy - from the overwhelming zips and belts that wrap around certain character designs to Final Fantasy 7's Limit Break system and beyond - but the genre icon says his life's work is arguably Kingdom Hearts.

The Kingdom Hearts series overseer and co-creator said as much in an interview with Famitsu (translated by Genki), putting the multiverse-spanning Disney franchise over dozens of other games he's worked on.

"Kingdom Hearts has become my life's work, so I can't leave it out," he says. "I never imagined it would become such a long journey. At the beginning of the project, I made numerous trips to Disney headquarters for meetings, and many of the things we discussed back then have come to fruition over time. It truly has become a land of dreams and magic."

As the story goes, the initial egg of an idea came from Super Mario 64. Developers at Square Enix wanted to make a game with similar free-form movement, but the company didn't have an icon as recognizable as Mario or, say, Mickey Mouse... until co-creator Shinji Hashimoto ran into a Disney executive in an elevator, that is. The rest is modern history, and it's still unfolding in the forthcoming Kingdom Hearts 4.

"There are still things I want to accomplish, and we are trying something new in the fourth installment, so please look forward to it," Nomura adds.

Kingdom Hearts 4 reared its head earlier this month, showing another look at the game's more grown-up Sora and the more realistic city that he's found himself trapped in. A few returning character's turned up, as well, but details are otherwise light.

The game's due to launch across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 at the same time.

Nomura, you've done it again: Kingdom Hearts 4's new trailer features a character from a now-delisted spin-off MMO, and we wouldn't have it any other way

As someone who's a fan of both Final Fantasy and Disney, I love Kingdom Hearts. I do not love the series' scattered and frequently knotted lore, however, and the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer has planted us right back in the wilds of esoteric nonsense.

In the trailer, we see a black-haired younger man wearing a dark face mask and blazer. He appears for just a second amid Sora's battle against a gigantic heartless in the middle of a city. Even though he's already part of the franchise, you likely don't recognize him, because Kingdom Hearts 4 is going deep here.

That looks very like Vali, a character from Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road, a mobile game centred on the early years of the Xenahort. He's one of the upper classmen, and it's a surprise to see him here because he actually dies during the events of that game.

Normally I'd be wary of spoiling something like that, but Dark Road was only accessible through the Kingdom Hearts Union X app that's since been discontinued and delisted. So if you haven't already played it, you can't by official means.

Assuming it's him, how he's there or why he's there are questions only the fourth mainline entry can answer. This is all extremely par for the course of the property, as Kingdom Hearts has sprawled across platforms since Chain of Memories on the Game Boy Advance followed the first installment.

This is coming to the fore amid jokes about the harebrained nature of all this mythology. Alas, Kingdom Hearts gives Metal Gear, Drakengard, and any FromSoftware release a run for their money when it comes to mind-bending background information. My advice? Just enjoy hopping around your favorite Disney and Pixar classics as Sora, Donald and Goofy.

Kingdom Hearts AI art accusations hit Square Enix, and that sure looks like slop to me.

Although Summer Game Fest has now concluded, a surprise Nintendo Direct yesterday left us with a trailer we had been waiting four years for – that of Kingdom Hearts 4.

Yes, that's right – we actually saw more of Kingdom Hearts 4 during the showcase, although we didn't get any sort of release date from Square Enix. It was a teaser, showing off the game's stunning visuals and a little bit of combat, too… but that doesn't mean folks weren't just a tad bit disappointed.

Heck, Kingdom Hearts 4 was announced in 2022. So, when is it going to launch, then? Well, some fans think they know.

That's because two separate store listings from Australia – one on EB Games and another on JB Hi-Fi – mention "the release of Kingdom Hearts 4 in 2027." At least, they did – both listings have now had this part scrubbed out, so make of that what you will.

Although the listings aren't even for the fourth game itself (they're for a collection containing the series' first three titles), that's a pretty big deal… and eagle-eyed fans are, of course, treating it as such. It's almost like the GTA 6 debacles all over again, where random listings convinced folks of all sorts of things.

Kingdom Hearts IV possibly getting a release in 2027 from r/GamingLeaksAndRumours

A Reddit thread highlights some of this, erm, hopium, with the top comment reading, "2027 shaping to be a good year for me." Another chimes in that it's an "already stacked" year, while somebody exclaims, "Next year looks absolutely insane."

One person jokes, "Peak 2027 incoming" – but they're not exactly wrong. Even if Kingdom Hearts 4 doesn't come, there's everything from a Resident Evil: Code Veronica remake to the new Fable entry.

As is always the case with such speculation, not everyone is certain that the Kingdom Hearts 4 mentions mean anything. One fan argues, "That footage we saw on the direct looked janky af, surely 2027 is a stretch." Another adds, "I don't believe that for a second because it sounds too good to be true."

I suppose I understand where they're coming from… we don't really know much about the fourth game at this point, so a release date seems out of reach.

It took a whopping four years to even get a new trailer out of Square Enix, so, yeah. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a 2027 Kingdom Hearts 4 release, but not holding my breath.

Searching for something else to wishlist? Here are the best new games coming this year and beyond to look forward to.

A rush of Kingdom Hearts 4 news out of the Nintendo Direct June showcase has soured due to credible suspicions that generative AI was used in the lead art for the series' newly announced Nintendo Switch 2 collection.

A large illustration straight from Square Enix's official asset library has been picked apart online, and the more you look, the uglier it gets. Fans quickly clocked that Donald has an odd number of fingers – five on his left hand, four on his right. The layering in Sora's hair is also bizarrely inconsistent, and several background details carry the telltale meltiness of AI art.

The whole illustration is filled with clashing layers, wobbly lines, and strange proportions – not something you'd expect from a beloved series helmed by exacting creators, and especially one with a wealth of existing, readily referenced covers.

It looks like the left-most Sora's left hand was stung by a bee, while the right-most Sora has a truly gigantic left hand and his right seems to clip straight through a keyblade. We can see the bottom of the guard where the hilt should be.

The smokiest gun may be found in the background near Goofy. This cathedral-like building is a casserole of nonsense. Corners collapse in illogical waves, buttresses look like they've been microwaved for too long, and several sections of trim are both patternless and prone to vanishing into nothing.

Similar issues appear throughout, with more architectural oddities found on the building at the left border. Dividers between windows randomly spiral into themselves, stone detailing appears to have been bandaged together, and the line work on the neon lights is both incredibly fuzzy and inordinately high-contrast. Even the multi-layered screens at the top of this building seem to be haphazardly conjoined.

This is a pretty glaring instance of unusual art, but as is often the case, the perception and blowback here are just as important. This is incident number a billion of players vocally arguing that they will not accept AI-generated assets. And it's far from the first Summer Game Fest outcry. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis was made with AI, and Sega stuffed generative AI into Crazy Taxi: World Tour.

Indie devs behind viral fishing game say "AI slop" clones helped promote the real thing.

I can't quite believe I'm writing this, but we just got a brand new look at Kingdom Hearts 4 in today's Nintendo Direct, with Square Enix's long-awaited RPG on its way to Switch 2… at some point.

During today's Direct, we got a fresh look at some cinematics as well as gameplay in Kingdom Hearts 4. It's been a long four years since it was first announced, with very little information released in the meantime – seeing it dropped in near the end of today's stream was honestly a little surreal.

The latest trailer also confirms Kingdom Hearts 4 will be "available at launch on Nintendo Switch 2," but when that launch is is another matter entirely. Square Enix still hasn't given any indication of when it'll be released, but for now, we have almost a minute and a half of new footage to pore over, which should keep ravenous fans fed for a little while longer.

This ended up being a surprisingly exciting Direct for Kingdom Hearts fans – right before the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer, we also got confirmation that Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5, 2.8 and 3 (plus its Re Mind DLC) are coming to Switch 2 (as well as PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S) on October 8. A full collection is also being launched alongside the individual releases, and anyone with save data from the Switch 1 cloud versions of the games will be able to transfer their progress over.

Obviously, that was very quickly overshadowed by the latest Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer, but hopefully those releases will be able to keep us busy for however much longer we have to wait for the next game in the series.

Be sure to check out our roundup of everything announced at the Nintendo Direct June 2026 to catch up with all the exciting new games.

Kingdom Hearts 4 hopefuls are once again back with the hopium as a Tokyo Game Show teaser has folks convinced that news is on the way very soon, but I'm not quite so sure.

Earlier today, the official Tokyo Game Show Twitter account posted a mysterious tweet – a whole bunch of question marks in a box, followed by tomorrow's date (May 12) and the words "COMING SOON…" Below that, though, is an image that's gotten everyone talking – it simply says "LOADING…" with a familiar-looking font and a green bar below it.

It didn't take long at all for folks to start speculating that this could be a teaser for news about Square Enix's RPG series. "That green bar and font... Don't tell me…" one fan writes, sharing some comparison screenshots. "DONT GIVE ME HOPE I KNOW THAT FONT," another says. Another fan simply screams what everyone else is thinking: "KINGDOM HEARTS 4 ????????????????????????"

This desperation probably isn't helped by the fact that over the last few days, we saw a surge of supposed Kingdom Hearts 4 leaks on ResetEra, from someone claiming to be posting "on behalf of a former colleague who I am very close with outside of work." This included everything from the game's supposed planned release window to gameplay details, although it's definitely worth noting that the user behind this has now been permanently banned, with ResetEra labelling them a "troll account," so maybe don't put too much stock into any of it.

Even so, to say fans are hungry for news would be an understatement, and it seems that the leak – no matter how unlikely it is to be true – may have served to rile folks up further.

Does this Tokyo Game Show post mean anything Kingdom Hearts-shaped, though? Unfortunately, I wouldn't be so sure – sleuths have noticed that the "loading" picture is actually a stock image, so it definitely hasn't been purpose-made to tease something specific. Could the folks behind the Tokyo Game Show account have seen the similarity to Kingdom Hearts and used it on purpose? Ehhh, potentially, I guess? But I wouldn't get your hopes up – as others have speculated, it seems more likely that whatever is seemingly going to be revealed tomorrow is more to do with the show itself, like perhaps this year's official key art.

I'd love to be proven wrong, as I'm sure all the other doubters would, too, but I certainly wouldn't hold your breath. Either way, we won't be waiting long for answers, as whatever it is, we should be seeing it tomorrow.

Starving Kingdom Hearts 4 hopefuls lap up tiny breadcrumbs from actor James Woods: "I can't comment, but I wish I could!"

Kingdom Hearts 4 was confirmed to be in development back in 2022, but Square Enix has been woefully silent on the project in the years since, with the most recent meaningful update being a batch of screenshots from May of last year that ended a three-year drought. Director Tetsuya Nomura recently suggested it won't be until next year that we receive another big update, so for now, fans are left desperately lapping up breadcrumbs from anyone involved. Today, those breadcrumbs come courtesy of actor James Woods, who's played antagonist Hades since the first game in 2002, and of course, the beloved Disney animated movie Hercules from 1997.

Again, temper your expectations here, because there isn't much to this new "update." There's no new trailer, screenshot, or even new information. Literally all we have to report is a tweet from Woods vaguely suggesting work is being done on Kingdom Hearts 4, which has already been heavily implied by the fact that it was announced four years ago.

Woods recently shared an image of him in a recording booth with the caption "we just finished recording the new one," and although the tweet is in reference to a follow-up to Woods' Tombstone Opera album, someone confused it for a Kingdom Hearts 4 tease. Woods responded to this confusion by saying he "can't comment" on Square Enix's upcoming sequel. "I wish I could!" he added.

I did tell you not to get your hopes up. Still, many fans are taking this non-comment as a suggestion that Woods is under NDA and, if that were the case, recording the English voice lines for Kingdom Hearts 4. It's a big 'if', but if that's indeed the case, the game could be further along than one might expect after so many months of silence from Square Enix. That's it. That's the tweet.

I will remind my fellow Kingdom Hearts fans that, well, we've been here before. Remember back in November when a single image from Sora actor Haley Joel Osment sent the entire fandom into a tizzy? And remember how nothing happened after that? I'm getting similar vibes here. If I were you, I'd take Nomura's advice and just check in next year.

Need something to do in the meantime? Pick something from our list of the best JRPGs to play in 2026.

As the original Kingdom Hearts observes another birthday this week, series creator Tetsuya Nomura is only celebrating by telling everyone to check back in next year – fingers crossed he means for Kingdom Hearts 4 news, this time.

Kingdom Hearts fans (me, in this instance) aren't fussy when it comes to any slithers of life from the whacko action series. I'll take my crumbs and be thankful for them, damn it. And crumbs are exactly what we were served over the weekend when the official Kingdom Hearts account celebrated the classic JRPG's 24th anniversary with new artwork and a message from director Tetsuya Nomura.

"We are currently working hard towards the 25th anniversary. Thank you for your support," Nomura's message reads (thanks for the translation, Genki). It's essentially a 'come back next year for the real 25th birthday celebrations' message.

Nomura's new piece of art isn't too much of a bombshell itself, either. The painting seems to depict Young Xenahort, the series' long-time villain, staring off into the distance while holding an umbrella in a pose that's somewhat reminiscent of the way protagonist Sora's framed during all the mainline games' title screens.

Last we saw from Kingdom Hearts 4 was a few screenshots revealing a new Keyblade, a playable Mickey Mouse, and more that ended a 1,131-day drought of news for fans. This latest tease isn't exactly a monsoon fit to end a drought – more so a single drop of water, a sip, if you will, to tide us over until next year.

At least we now know that Square Enix has something a little more substantial planned for Disneyverse-spanning adventure this time next year. These crumbs are gourmet crumbs.

"I have zero news" about Kingdom Hearts 4, Kairi actor clarifies after fans were convinced they might have revealed a spoiler for the upcoming RPG: "I totally understand the confusion."

Phineas and Ferb and Step Up actor Alyson Stoner has released a statement addressing the Kingdom Hearts community after fans took a statement as a spoiler for Kingdom Hearts 4.

Kingdom Hearts fans are perhaps the most copium-fuelled of all the fanbases. Sure, The Elder Scrolls 6 fans have had less info on their next game, but that fanbase has (mostly) accepted the game is nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, Kingdom Hearts fans are picking up on anything that could be related to Kingdom Hearts 4; there's no hiding from how dedicated they are, which has led to some confusion around an actor's comments.

A clip of Stoner at a convention went viral within the Kingdom Hearts community, where Stoner talked about their roles in the series. "I voice Kairi, and Xion, and Naminé," Stoner said, adding: "A lot of people don't know about the Naminé, so I hope I'm not spoiling something that I'm not supposed to say out loud."

Naminé is credited as being voiced by Brittany Snow in Kingdom Hearts 2 and Meaghan Martin in future appearances, which led fans to think Stoner was saying Naminé is back in Kingdom Hearts 4 and will be voiced by them.

After it blew up, Stoner made a post on their Instagram story (which has been archived by the Kingdom Hearts subreddit) clarifying the situation. Stoner, who says Kingdom Hearts "continues to be one of the most meaningful experiences I've had in the booth" explains: "Unfortunately, I have zero news of KH4, but I'm just as eager to hear updates! Trust me, I have zero points of information."

They continue: "Regarding my 'spoiler' comment in the brief interview, that was merely a colloquial attempt (or error, I'm learning?) at saying many people are often unaware of the other characters we actors voice," and that "I meant to imply that these realizations can feel like a 'behind-the-scenes spoiler' about the project for some people, not that I was breaking confidentiality on any project."

Stoner continues, "I totally understand the confusion and apologize for any false implications/speculation. I didn't mean to imply there's another game or that I'm currently recording any roles." They add that they'd "genuinely be equally enthusiastic to hear about KH4, regardless of whether or not I were asked to be involved as a voiceover actor."

And as a final bit of info to help their case that this really wasn't a spoiler, Stoner says: "After 25 years of nonstop experience with press interviews, there is 0% chance I would accidentally spill something that massive… if I were under a contract, my lips would be sealed shut." They also note the level of secrecy a lot of these projects have, saying, "Disney didn't even notify the main cast of Phineas & Ferb when the show was coming back. We learned through a public press announcement, along with all of you. So, as they say, we're all in this together."

But that doesn't answer when Stoner voiced Naminé, as they had never been credited; thankfully another fan posted on Twitter, possibly solving the mystery. Twitter user Mike Kennedy says, "Don't want to burst anybody's bubble, but I was at the event, and Alyson told me at the table they had voiced Naminé for a fill-in line or two in a past game and thought it was cool/funny that nobody ever really noticed." Given that Riku actor David Gallagher previously did uncredited voice work as a younger Xehanort in Birth By Sleep, that somewhat tracks with the series.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 is "going very smoothly" and the "announcement timing has been decided," Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura says, and Kingdom Hearts 4 is also "progressing well."

Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy fans were jumpscared by the appearance of Octopath Traveller 0 in last night's PlayStation State of Play.

During the presentation, the host, Yuki Kaji, said the line "Next up, we have an announcement for Square Enix's beloved series." Now, if I paused you there, and you just heard the words "Square Enix's beloved series," your mind would likely go to something like Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, or Dragon Quest (which already showed up earlier in the show). But after leading with that line, it was followed up with Octopath Traveler 0.

Obviously people do love Octopath Traveler, the second game is one of those games that everyone who has played will tell you is incredible and you need to play it, but it's understandable that its appearance – especially with the intro it was given – was bound to be disappointing for some people.

One look at Twitter and you can see reactions from scorned Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy hopefuls. One user said "No shade to Octopath Traveler 0 but this was literally me for a second just now" with the meme of the IGN reporters at E3.

Meanwhile, some people streaming the presentation showcased their reactions, with streamer Cynical going alert at the "Square Enix's beloved series," before falling backwards, saying "don't do that" (granted, they did say "We love Octopath"). Meanwhile, Final Fantasy fan Bawkbasoup began a shout when the line was said before resigning themselves to a dejected "aww".

Although I do have to ask, what were we expecting? A new Final Fantasy game or Kingdom Hearts 4 news for the first time in the three decades since it was announced will be a massive deal when it's announced. I doubt that Square would include them in a Japan-focused State of Play, knowing that some may overlook it due to its regional focus. Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy announcements would likely be saved for one of the big showcases like Summer Game Fest, PlayStation Showcase, or The Game Awards.

Kingdom Hearts 4 hopium is in overdrive thanks to a single image of Sora's voice actor in the studio: "YALL IS IT TIME??? IS IT FINALLY TIME????"

Haley Joel Osment, the actor best known for seeing dead things in The Sixth Sense, is also known around these parts as Sora from the Kingdom Hearts series, and it seems he's in the studio recording voice lines for something. That something, for Kingdom Hearts diehards chugging hopium from a keg stand, is proof that we're about to get Kingdom Hearts 4 news.

Announced in 2022 to coincide with the series 20th anniversary, Kingdom Hearts 4 has remained fairly elusive since then. Square Enix said when the game was revealed that it was in early development, and after a three-year update drought, official screenshots emerged showing a new Keyblade, a playable Mickey Mouse, and more breadcrumbs barely nourishing starved fans. As recently as September, we had confirmation from Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura that the sequel is "progressing well."

Despite these reassurances, three years with no new trailer is concerning, and Kingdom Hearts 4 hopefuls are starved for updates, which is likely why so many fans are obsessing over this image shared by Osment on Instagram and captured by Aitai Japan creator and CEO Audrey Lamsam:

I was able to verify Osment's Instagram Stories post, and indeed, he appears to be in a voice recording studio. What he's recording for is unclear and Osment didn't share any additional context beyond stating he's "back to work," but sure, theoretically it could be Kingdom Hearts 4.

Talking about the fourquel in October 2024, Osment himself appeared to be unaware that it had already been confirmed, saying he hopes "that we hear something about it sometime soon" and, after learning it was announced, suggesting it might be time to wrap up the series for good. "I'm always the last to know, because I'm the last step in the process," he said at the time.

What that means is, if Osment is indeed recording voice work for Kingdom Hearts 4, the project would likely be well into full production. Still, just saying that feels gratuitous, as we have virtually no idea what Osment is working on. While Sora is his most identifiable voiceover role, there's every possibility he's recording for something else entirely.

And yet, the hopium continues:

"GUYS GUYS HALEY JOEL OSMENT JUST POSTED THAT HES IN THE RECORDING STUDIO TONIGHT THIS IS NOT A DRILL," replied one Twitter user.

"OMG OMG ITS HAPPENING. PLACES EVERYONE PLACES. THIS IS WHAT WE TRAINED FOR," said another all-caps hopium huffer.

"KH NEWS IS PROBABLY COMING SOON. I REPEAT KH NEWS IS PROBABLY COMING SOON," said another.

"YALL IS IT TIME??? IS IT FINALLY TIME????" asked a totally normal Kingdom Hearts fan.

You get the idea. The prevailing theory seems to be that Osment is recording lines for a Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer to be shown at The Game Awards 2025. I've been around the block enough to know not to extrapolate too much from things like this, but I'm not here to harsh anyone's mellow.... or lack thereof. Hope away, and I'll be here either to celebrate or commiserate in December.

In the meantime, here are the best games of 2025 so far.

One of the more interesting parts of the Hollow Knight Silksong saga was how the long wait leading up to its release pushed a fandom into 'silksanity', fuelling years worth of absurd memes and inside jokes that ran very deep. It seems the bug's now caught onto Kingdom Hearts 4 hopefuls who have only gotten nuggets of news in the three years since its first proper reveal.

It all started when Hollow Knight Silksong's September 4th release date was made official and a threatening post claimed the Kingdom Hearts subreddit was next. Since then, the online community has sort of devolved into sometimes nonsensical, silkpost-shaped copium.

Kingdom Hearts IV from r/KingdomHearts

The most prevalent posts, for some reason, are the random Genie memes, also silkpost-shaped in how they're hilariously photoshopped to appear official. All over the subreddit, people are inserting the Genie from Aladdin into actual Kingdom Hearts screenshots and artwork where he doesn't normally appear, while commenters gleefully play along. Feast your eyes.

I love the way the main four were dripped out for Halloween town in GH1 from r/KingdomHearts

Been stuck on Luxord. Hate when he turns me into dice from r/KingdomHearts

Still one of the coolest bosses in the series from r/KingdomHearts

Thing is, Kingdom Hearts 4 was only announced a mere three years ago compared to the Silkposters' six-year wait, so why all the fuss? Well, for one, Kingdom Hearts 3 also came out six years ago and ended on a giant cliffhanger, all but confirming a sequel before Square Enix ever needed to. Plus, Kingdom Hearts 3 itself was 14 years in the making, so maybe the community's simply expecting to strap in for a long ride.

In its defense, Square Enix finally ended the Kingdom Hearts 4 news drought just earlier this summer with a series of in-development screenshots that revealed a playable Mickey Mouse and a new Keyblade for Sora. The fandom had to deal with vague updates from series steward Tetsuya Nomura and re-releases of re-releases to get there, though.

Kingdom Hearts 4 voice recording may be underway as one actor claims to have been involved in the RPG in the last year

Everybody stay calm, but it appears that voice recording for Kingdom Hearts 4 could already be underway, according to one voice actor.

As highlighted by @Genki_JPN on Twitter, voice actor Zach Pokres (known as ZaccActs on social media) has sent the Kingdom Hearts fanbase into a frenzy after claiming that in the last year, he's been involved in Square Enix's upcoming RPG.

Pokres recently starred as the protagonist in horror-flavored adventure game MiSide, as well as Finley the sea serpent in Indigo Park – games which also feature in the actor's roundup of projects he's been part of "in the last YEAR," shared in a new post alongside Kingdom Hearts 4. He notes that "I'm in studio rosters that most people would DREAM of being in, all without an agent and just always pushing."

Referring to Kingdom Hearts 4 specifically, Pokres says that he has "permission to disclose without showing anything else regarding it," so, needless to say, we've not got any more details about what role he could be playing. The actor doesn't appear to have starred in any previous games in the series, so that doesn't help narrow things down, either.

Although it's worth taking this with a pinch of salt when it comes to what it could mean for Kingdom Hearts 4's current state or how close it is to completion, it does feel rather promising that this has happened closely on the back of Square Enix finally giving us a new look at the game. After literal years of nothingness, the company dropped some fresh screenshots of the RPG earlier this month, noting that it "can't wait to share more about Kingdom Hearts 4 when the time is right."

Again, when that time will be is another matter. We're fast approaching this year's Summer Game Fest, so there's no doubt fans will be hoping that the RPG could make an appearance. Hang in there, folks.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our roundup of the best RPGs you can play today.

Composer Yoko Shimomura has created some of the most memorable tracks in gaming history, from Street Fighter 2 to vast swathes of the Square Enix catalog. Arguably her most beloved work comes from across the Kingdom Hearts series, blending classic Disney tunes with the epic, nearly operatic tone Square is known for. Turns out that she was as shocked as anyone this was going to be the tone of the series.

"I was a bit surprised when they explained to me what songs they wanted me to write – there was quite a gap there," Shimomura says in an official Square Enix interview. "I thought: 'wait, it's a Disney game, but you want that kind of song there? That kind of track there?' So, I was quite surprised at the difference."

Kingdom Hearts does feature plenty of music that fits the vibes of the various Disney worlds the game takes place in, and Shimomura says these tracks offered a particular kind of difficulty, since she wanted to create something true to the spirit of the source material without simply rehashing the source material.

"I didn't focus on expressing my identity with the tracks," she explains. "I was only thinking to myself: 'What will be accepted by fans as new tracks that represent the specific Disney world?' So, I explored ways to create such tracks. Of course, I had already watched a number of Disney films at that point. So, I tried to look at it from the fan perspective. I always thought, 'Ok, as a fan of this Disney work, is what I’m making right or does it feel out of place?'"

For the game's original worlds, Shimomura took inspiration from the visual design the rest of the team was building. "For Hollow Bastion, for example, I actually got the game, played it and walked around inside the world to get a feel for the place. I really tried to create something based on the visual impressions it gave me."

Shimomura is set to return for Kingdom Hearts 4, and she says she hopes to "keep making game music for as long as I can and try not to fall short of the expectations of all the fans who are looking for more tracks from me." Given her track record, I doubt Kingdom Hearts fans are going to be disappointed.

The Kingdom Hearts 4 drought is over after 1,131 days as new screenshots of the RPG reveal another Keyblade, playable Mickey Mouse, and more.

Square Enix has finally ended the Kingdom Hearts 4 news drought and ever so slightly pulled the curtain back with new screenshots.

The Disneyverse-spanning RPG was announced a whopping 1,131 days ago (I've been keeping count) and aside from vague lore drops from director Tetsuya Nomura, publisher Square Enix has been relatively mute about the upcoming game.

That is, until now. Squeenix just dropped a collage of screenshots from the game, showing Sora duking it out with some Heartless in Tokyo while donning a new Keyblade, fresh renders of a brand new character called Strelitzia, a weirdly close shot of a random telephone that, knowing the series, is probably crucial to the plot, and confirmation that we'll once again be able to play as King Mickey Mouse in at least one section.

"We're currently working hard on Kingdom Hearts 4 and will continue pouring ourselves into the game's development," Square Enix writes via a new BlueSky update. "We're dedicated to making this an experience that lives up to your expectations!⁣"

"We've seen how excited you are, and we are truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts," it continues. "We are equally excited and can't wait to share more about Kingdom Hearts 4 when the time is right. Until then, we appreciate your patience.⁣ ⁣ Thank you for your continued support."

The update comes hot off the cancellation of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, the mobile spin-off that promised to tie in to the next full-fat mainline game, so perhaps the publisher was trying to alleviate fans' concerns about the state of the series.

And it worked! Kingdom Hearts sickos immediately mobilized to dissect every last detail in all of the screenshots. Seriously, some people have already geolocated Sora's whereabouts in Tokyo, meaning the map might be closer to its real-world counterpart than anyone was expecting. Now, can someone actually try to explain what the heck is up with that telephone?

To get through the Kingdom Hearts 4 news drought, Square Enix is re-releasing a 10-game collection full of other already re-released collections

Square Enix has officially pulled the plug on Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, its mobile game akin to Pokemon Go – but fans don't need to worry about Kingdom Hearts 4, as it's still in the works.

Revealing the cancellation of the GPS-based mobile game, the developers begin by apologizing to excited fans: "We wish to convey our heartfelt apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to the start of service."

According to the studio, as work on Missing-Link unfolded, the devs realized that the final product would potentially be unable to last in popularity over time, prompting them to rethink its future release entirely.

"Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development," explain the devs, going on to reference the now-canceled game's past beta tests – the last of which took place in 2024.

"We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to everyone who gave us their support and assistance with the multiple closed beta tests," states the studio. "We are truly sorry to have to make this announcement."

While it's certainly not great news for fans of the Kingdom Hearts series, the cancellation of Missing-Link doesn't spell the demise of any other future games – including the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts 4.

"The Kingdom Hearts series will continue," conclude the devs. "We are hard at work on Kingdom Hearts 4, and hope you'll continue to support the series as you keep an eye out for further updates."

To get through the Kingdom Hearts 4 news drought, Square Enix is re-releasing a 10-game collection full of other already re-released collections

Kingdom Hearts 4. Where is it? Who knows. But Square Enix is coping with its absence by re-releasing a collection that's full of other collections of previously released games. It's a re-re-releasing frenzy!

Kingdom Hearts All-In-One package previously got a physical PS4 release back in 2020 in North America, though the publisher is now sending the collection to EU retailers in June. (Thanks, Gematsu.)

But the collection of collections is almost as lovably convoluted as the series lore.

For those not deep into the winding KH rabbit hole, the All-In-One package includes Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (which itself bundles together two different collections of games that were once sold separately), Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (which has three chapters of the KH saga), and Kingdom Hearts 3 (that one's simple enough – it's just one game, minus the DLC.)

Here's the full rundown of what you get with too many brackets because this is a series that requires some extra explaining:

• Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
• Kingdom Hearts 1 Final Mix (the first game)
• Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories (a remaster of a remake of a card-based GBA game)
• Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (the DS game now as a non-interactive, movie-length cutscene)
• Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix (the second-ish mainline game)
• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix (the PSP prequel)
• Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (also a remastered, movie-length cutscene)
• Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
• Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD (the excellent 3DS game)
• Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep - A fragmentary passage - (a lead up to KH 3 and a pseudo-epilogue to Birth by Sleep... beating it is quicker than trying to say its name out loud)
• Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover (another movie-length cutscene that ties into the third game)
• Kingdom Hearts 3 (the third game)

Phew!

Having the whole saga so far on one disc is handy, but the lack of a bespoke PS5/Xbox Series X/ Switch 2 edition makes me think the collection still has at least one more re-re-release left in its bones, which would be hilarious for people like me who have been dealing with Kingdom Hearts 4's relative silence for the 1,103 days since its announcement.

To make matter worse (or slightly funnier depending on your perspective), Kingdom Hearts maestro Tetsuya Nomura recently revealed some potentially crucial fruit-based lore that even left Square Enix baffled. He also implied he has the whole story planned out already, in case you're worried about things flying even further off the rails.

After voicing Sora in 12 RPGs, Kingdom Hearts actor says maybe "the best thing to do" is let the long-running series end: "Even if you have something that you love"

Kingdom Hearts 4 was announced 1,084 days ago, the once annual series hasn't seen a new release in years, and this is easily the longest news drought Kingdom Hearts stans have ever lived through. But the ever-cryptic series director Tetsuya Nomura has just popped his head out of the shadows to reveal a bit of new, potentially crucial, fruit-themed lore that even has publisher Square Enix baffled.

To celebrate the first Kingdom Hearts game's 23rd anniversary, publisher Square Enix decided to try and wrangle some new info out of Nomura's head, specifically in regards to the star-shaped paopu fruit that appears in protagonist Sora's home island. "In the game, it's said if two people share a paopu fruit, their destinies become intertwined," a new social media post explains. "We asked director Tetsuya Nomura to tell us more."

His response may or may not surprise you depending on how numb you are to Kingdom Hearts bulls*** - which I love, by the way.

Square Enix asked the famed director if there are any "untold stories" behind the fruit, to which Nomura simply says "You mean the Paradise of Promise?" Square Enix's social media team seemingly has no idea what he's talking about, and asks if the word paopu came from "combining the words Paradise of Promise."

In keeping with the series' tradition of confusing retcons, Nomura then asks "or was it Paradise of Pure?... I guess there are no particular untold stories." The Square Enix team, echoing what everyone else is thinking, just responds with "Hmm?!"

I've been playing Kingdom Hearts for most of my lifetime, and I couldn't even begin to speculate about what Paradise of Promise/Pure even means. We might find out in Kingdom Hearts 4. We might find out in a social media post years from now. Or maybe the information will stay locked in Nomura's noggin for the rest of time. Regardless, it's at least slightly hilarious that the biggest news drop we have about one of Square Enix's biggest upcoming games is a piece of lore about fruit that even has the publisher lost for words.

After voicing Sora in 12 RPGs, Kingdom Hearts actor says maybe "the best thing to do" is let the long-running series end: "Even if you have something that you love"

It's been 1,005 gruelling days since we've had close to any news on Kingdom Hearts 4, the next game in Square Enix's Disney-verse-spanning series, but director Tetsuya Nomura has finally given fans the smallest crumb to hang on to. 

That's because Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep released on PSP 15 years ago today in Japan, January 9, and to celebrate the milestone, series director and infamous zip-lover Tetsuya Nomura wrote a commemorative message breaking down the spin-off's first teaser, originally included as a secret ending to Kingdom Hearts 2. The cutscene has the game's three heroes, clad in spiked armor, meeting in a dusty wasteland we now know as the Keyblade Graveyard, but Nomura explains that it actually ties into a larger series motif. 

"Meeting someone at a crossroads is actually a recurring motif in Kingdom Hearts," he wrote, referring to the endings of all three numbered games, plus multiple scenes from the series' many, many spin-offs. "Whenever there's something important going on, crossroads act as an important point of divergence."

It's not just a random setting, though. Nomura was "inspired by the well-known crossroad myth from American folklore" where "a young man makes a deal with the devil at a crossroads, trading his soul for the ability to play the guitar." The director then points out that a similar trade - "losing something to gain something" - happens every single time a crossroads pops up in the series.

"But wait... when the Lost Masters gather at the crossroads in KH3, what is gained and what is lost? That's a story for another time," he finally hints, referring to the threequel's epilogue.

It's a very vague description of the themes Kingdom Hearts 4 might play around with, but it does at least reveal Nomura had planned out where the series would be heading next years in advance. Interestingly, Sora wakes up in an alt universe version of Shibuya Crossing - yes, I'm not joking - in Kingdom Hearts 3's ending as well. Maybe he'll make a trade with Nomura himself while he's out there.

Read our list of all the new video game release dates heading our way this year.

If you ever found yourself struggling at all while playing Kingdom Hearts, then you should count yourself lucky, because according to the game's director, it was originally going to be much harder.

In a 2003 interview featured in Hyper PlayStation 2 magazine, now available on Shmuplations, Tetsuya Nomura discusses the development of the first Kingdom Hearts title, which was at the time a few months away from release, alongside Metal Gear Solid developer Yoji Shinkawa. At one point, Nomura notes that, despite being a Disney game, it's quite "hardcore", and had previously been even more so.

"My concept for Kingdom Hearts was that it would be a game with a lot of depth, something you could play for a long time," he explains. "I wanted to try making a game where the player could do anything. Even though Kingdom Hearts is a Disney game, there are quite a few "hardcore" elements that remain."

He gives an example of navigation, with Kingdom Hearts featuring a 3D map but no 2D minimap, forcing players to explore and use their heads - something Nomura believes to be part of the fun. At this point, Shinkawa chimes in, saying that "Kingdom Hearts sounds like an easy game to get lost in," before Nomura explains that the game had previously been even harder. 

"It was actually MORE hardcore in the beginning. We had some puzzles in there that would make you go, 'what is this, Takeshi's Challenge?' We lowered the difficulty a bit, but it still has more bite to it than most mainstream releases today," explains Nomura, referencing Takeshi Kitano's infamously confusing 1986 NES title.

Thankfully, the game didn't turn out to be as difficult to understand as Takeshi's Challenge, though Nomura concedes that it probably wasn't as simple as many players thought it would be. "[It's] the Disney factor, it's a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing, isn't it? I think the gameplay is going to defy player expectations in that regard." At this point, I think it's safe to say that's exactly what it did.

If you're excited for the next game in the series, check out everything we know about Kingdom Hearts 4.

Final Fantasy veteran and Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura was dead set on having a non-Disney character lead his multiversal Disney series.

When first drawing up character designs and initial treatments for the very first Kingdom Hearts game, Nomura knew he wanted to create an original star, which eventually led to him sketching Sora for the first time, a cheery protagonist that mixes classic Disney colours with a little JRPG edge.

"We talked about using an existing Disney character as the protagonist, but from the beginning I knew I wanted the main character to be non-Disney, with an all-star cast of supporting Disney characters," Nomura said in a recently resurfaced interview with Metal Gear Solid artist Yoji Shinkawa, first published in a Hyper PlayStation 2 Magazine, now available on Shmuplations. "That was one thing I wasn't willing to budge on."

"For Sora's coloring, I was very conscious of Mickey Mouse," he continued. "Since all the other characters are not Square characters but Disney, I wanted Sora's design to be a kind of 'grand compilation' of all the characters I'd drawn up till then. So I think he resembles a lot of characters: there's a bit of Cloud, a bit of Tidus, some Sion too. I was very intent on that."

Part of the reason for a more mature, zip-ridden protagonist was because Kingdom Hearts wasn't exactly what you'd expect from a 2002 licensed Disney. It was an RPG that carried Final Fantasy's traditions in many ways - with summons and similarly named spells - but with an action slant, anime melodrama, and a weirder, slightly ominous undertone.

"My concept for Kingdom Hearts was that it would be a game with a lot of depth, something you could play for a long time," Nomura explained. "I wanted to try making a game where the player could do anything. Even though Kingdom Hearts is a Disney game, there are quite a few "hardcore" elements that remain. Things where you'd think, we probably have to make this more friendly―we dared to buck that expectation in a number of places. For example, the map is 3D, but we deliberately did not include an easy-to-understand 2D-overhead minimap display... Originally, getting lost and having to use your head was part of the fun, I think. I do wonder if all the recent hand-holding and over-explanation from developers is really a good thing…" A vision of the future perhaps.

Before Kingdom Hearts 4 gets going, Sora's main actor said maybe "the best thing to do" is to let the series end: "Even if you have something you love."

Kingdom Hearts content creator NobodyDaxian spends a lot of time enduring absurd challenges in Square Enix's beloved action-RPG series, but his latest effort might just be the most absurd yet: a multi-hour grind in a Kingdom Hearts 2 minigame repeating the same three-hit combo over and over again to max out the combo counter and earn an utterly meaningless reward.

The minigame in question is Grandstander, an early side activity in Kingdom Hearts 2 that challenges you to juggle a ball. It bounces into the air when you hit it, and you've got to keep it from hitting the ground as long as possible. The minigame grades you based on how many juggles you perform, with a reward of 10 munny - the game's currency - for four juggles, up to a reward of 50 munny if you surpass 20 juggles.

The maximum high score any reasonable person would attempt in this challenge is 100 juggles - the number it takes to grab the achievement required for 100% completion in Kingdom Hearts 2. But the onscreen combo meter tracks your juggles much, much higher than that. You could, in theory, reach a 9999-hit combo for a perfect score in Grandstander.

There are pretty efficient ways to rack up a massive combo as Sora, but how long would the 9999 hits take using Roxas's basic three-hit combo? About two hours and 19 minutes, as NobodyDaxian ably demonstrated during a recent Twitch stream (via Noisy Pixel). You can watch the full thing for yourself at that link if you've the patience to endure it, but the basic gist is that NobodyDaxian sends the ball over to a narrow alley and keeps bouncing it back and forth between two opposing walls. For two hours straight. Always knowing that any momentary lapse in concentration will break the combo and force a total restart.

"This is possibly the most stressful thing I've ever done and I took a public speaking class," NobodyDaxian said at one point during the attempt. The in-game reward for all this effort? Well, again, the game stops giving rewards past the 20-hit combo, so NobodyDaxian just got the standard reward of 50 munny. By my count, that's enough to buy exactly 1.2 basic healing potions.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is coming… someday, and here's hoping it can stand with its predecessors among the best RPGs out there.

According to a former Naughty Dog developer, Kingdom Hearts played a role in the studio's development of its beloved action-adventure sequel Jak 2.

Josh Scherr worked for over 21 years at Naughty Dog, with the first 13 spent as the cinematic animation lead on gems like Jak and Daxter, Jak 2, and Jak 3. Jak 2 shipped in 2003, and it featured many firsts for the iconic series - Dark Jak, Haven City, and cutscenes with unique character models. According to Scherr, though, it's actually another smash-hit title from many gamers' childhoods that inspired this shift to more high-resolution models in Jak 2.

Speaking in a recent post on the matter, Scherr reveals how Kingdom Hearts prompted Jak 2 devs to stop using the same character models seen during gameplay in cutscenes. In the first Jak and Daxter, he says Naughty Dog "used the same character models for both gameplay & cutscenes (Daxter didn’t have fully articulated fingers)." While making Jak 2, the studio "saw early screenshots of Kingdom Hearts" and "went 'oh shit.'"

That's when they opted to create "high-res models for cutscenes" - and "still did it without visible loading!" Scherr then shows an eye-opening before and after comparison of Jak 2's cutscene models, along with a screenshot of how Tarzan appeared in Kingdom Hearts' own. "Graphic fidelity was a big selling point in the PS2 era," he explains," much more so than now, so making the pivot to more detailed models made sense."

The changes are undeniably apparent - just look at how smooth everything appears to be in the screenshot featuring the reworked cutscene models. The new ones certainly give off a far less "low-poly" vibe than the original models did, although I'd be lying if I said I don't find them all charming. I'm just excited to learn that two of my favorite throwback games have some sort of connection - an arguably wholesome one, at that.

Love a good throwback? Here are some of the best retro games of all time.

Haley Joel Osment, who you might have seen on screen in The Sixth Sense and Spielberg's Artificial Intelligence, is better know in these parts as the voice behind Kingdom Hearts' endlessly optimistic protag Sora. But after playing the beloved character in 12 different games, Osment reckons that sometimes what's best is to hang up the gloves. 

Speaking to IGN, Osment wasn't actually aware that Kingdom Hearts 4 had been officially unveiled. "I hope that we hear something about it sometime soon," he said, "I guess it's rumored that there's going to be another one. I'm always the last to know, because I'm the last step in the process. So hopefully, sometime soon, I'll be back in the studio finding out what happened to everybody."

IGN then informed him that Square Enix announced the fourquel some time ago, and also asked him about series creator Tetsuya Nomura's recent comments about moving the story towards its final conclusion. The Sora steward said he's sure Nomura "has great plans to wrap it up in a satisfying way" - and, perhaps, "that's the best thing to do, even if you have something that you love and you feel like you want to play it forever."

Osment reckons it's better to say goodbye to a beloved series rather than let it drag "beyond where the creator wants it to go. I think that's the best way to go." And, hey, if you find yourself missing a version of Donald Duck that is canonically stronger than any other single black mage in Final Fantasy history, then there's still "many, many hours of gameplay for people to go back and revisit."

Tetsuya Nomura acknowledges that Kingdom Hearts 4 is more like Kingdom Hearts 13, but the story’s gotten a “reset” for newcomers. 

Kingdom Hearts 4 will, notably, not be the fourth entry in the famously convoluted lineage of the series, and director Tetsuya Nomura knows that all the backstory is intimidating for new players. That's part of why there's been a story "reset" leading into the new game.

"As everyone has said, 'Kingdom Hearts 4 was just announced, but it's really just like 'Kingdom Hearts 13,'" Nomura says in an interview with Japanese magazine Young Jump (Google translated). Nomura adds that, while players intimately familiar with Kingdom Hearts lore will have a deeper appreciation for both Kingdom Hearts 4 and the upcoming mobile game Missing Link, they're both "being made with a stronger focus on being new titles rather than sequels."

To that end, Nomura has tried things like bringing in devs who've never worked on Kingdom Hearts before to participate in writing the story. "I do think of Missing Link and 4 as a reset," Nomura says. "I wanted to end it with 3 or rather reset it, so I appointed new writers and even made a new logo to make it easier for new people to get into it."

This notion of a "reset" isn't entirely surprising - after all, the devs have been calling Kingdom Hearts 4 the start of a new story arc since it was first announced. But it's not as if the new game will completely ignore everything that came before. For example, Nomura teases that the famous line - "I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately like, is any of this for real, or not?" - has come to fruition in the new game's concept of Quadratum.

"For those who know how KH3 ends," Nomura says (this time translated by aitaikimochi on Twitter), "the reason why Sora ends up like that in the ending is because we wanted to reset the story in a way. This should make it even easier for newcomers to join the story starting from KH4. Fans of the Kingdom Hearts series will also be able to feel like 'oh so it's THIS,' but we're making this game with the hopes that new players can enjoy it as well."

Nomura says he started making hot characters after a friend said he didn't want to be "ugly" in games, and then never stopped.

Even the actor behind Kingdom Hearts' Sephiroth couldn't beat the ultra-tough boss. 

Anyone who has ever tried to 100% Kingdom Hearts knows about the vein-popping Sephiroth secret boss fight. You step into Hercules' Colosseum, a horror-tinged version of One Winged Angel begins to play, and there he is, all Kingdom Heartsified with belts on his legs and an actual wing creeping through his leather coat, ready to deliver non-stop stabs while he's protected by about ten health bars, give or take a few.

It's gruelling, but don't be disheartened if you struggled with the boss fight. Lance Bass, Sephiroth's voice actor and former NSYNC band member - a sentence that'll never stop astounding me - has also never beaten himself.

In a Reddit AMA about his upcoming TV special, one commenter asked about his surprising guest appearance in one of gaming's infamously hard fights. "Yeah, I'm kinda badass as Sephiroth," Bass wrote. 

"No, I've never been able to kill my own character," he continued. "He is so hard! But definitely one of the biggest surprises, when I tell people I voiced Sephiroth. In fact, I think a lot of people get upset, they get taken aback that I voiced Sephiroth. But God gives you a booming bass voice, and you gotta use it!"

Final Fantasy 7's big baddie showed up again as an optional boss fight in Kingdom Hearts 2 with a different voice actor attached, and was completely omitted in the threequel. Other renditions of the iconic villain in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Advent Children are also handled by different actors, but Bass can be satisfied knowing he was the first person to ever lend his "booming bass voice" to Sephiroth.  

Another fun fact: Kingdom Hearts' Sora is voiced by the Oscar-nominated "I see dead people" actor Haley Joel Osment.

Behold the power of PC gamers: The complete $100 Kingdom Hearts collection jumps 396 ranks in monthly sales chart immediately after Steam release.

It's been over two years since we saw the reveal trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4, but unfortunately for anyone itching to dive into the next RPG in Square Enix's beloved series, it sounds like we might still have a long time to wait.

That's according to reliable leaker Midori, who claims in a new post on Twitter that Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently planned to be released in 2026. Yup, if you thought that the wait for GTA 6 was taking too long, then this apparent release window really takes things to the next level. In addition, Midori claims "this title looks different now than it did when it was revealed. But it is not bad."

Midori doesn't elaborate on what "different" means for the RPG, so that's a bit of a mystery. When it was first shown in April 2022, we saw an older-looking Sora, as well as Strelitzia (a character from the spin-off game Unchained X) in some kind of apartment, as well as some gameplay footage of our spiky-haired protagonist fighting an enormous foe in the middle of the city. The story will kick off 'The Lost Master Arc,' succeeding the previous games' 'Dark Seeker Saga.' What that actually means for the plot is another matter, as that's still very much unknown at this point. 

It goes without saying that Kingdom Hearts fans have been desperate for more news ever since its reveal, and no one can blame them. Yesterday's Summer Game Fest stream came and went without a trace of the RPG, although that wasn't exactly a shock since host Geoff Keighley warned fans ahead of time that they were "setting themselves up for failure" by hyping themselves up for a new trailer at the showcase. Maybe next time, right?

For more games like Kingdom Hearts, be sure to check out our picks for the 25 best RPGs you can play right now.  

It looks like Kingdom Hearts 4 will not make an appearance during this year's Summer Game Fest after all if host Geoff Keighley's latest remarks are anything to go by.

Speaking during a recent Q&A live stream, SGF presenter Geoff Keighley seemingly reveals news that no Kingdom Hearts stan wants to hear - we probably won't see the upcoming RPG at this weekend's show. Following a slew of questions regarding Kingdom Hearts 4 and its possible presence during the event, Keighly notes that "people keep asking about Kingdom Hearts" but says that he doesn't "know why." He goes on to speculate that players may have expectations due to last year's announcement from Square Enix at SGF.

"I think it's because we did Final Fantasy [7] Rebirth last year," Keighley explains. The host then laughs awkwardly, saying that "people are setting themselves up for failure" by expecting a new look at Kingdom Hearts 4 following its big reveal during 2022's 20th-anniversary event.

The announcement trailer showed a matured Sora and provided a glimpse of the Tokyo-inspired city Quadratum - a bustling hub area home to the protagonist and his luxury apartment. Past that initial clip, Square Enix has yet to drop another trailer.

If Keighley's sentiment rings true, it seems excited fans shouldn't expect to see one during SGF, either - "but you guys can keep hoping." While the showrunner's Q&A reveal was undoubtedly disappointing for us longtime Kingdom Hearts players, the Summer Game Fest schedule this weekend offers plenty of other possible announcements and trailers to look forward to with the GTA 6 publisher, Xbox, and PlayStation all in attendance.

Need something new to play? Check out some of the best JRPGs available right now.

Kingdom Hearts 4 director Tetsuya Nomura revealed that the upcoming sequel changed direction after it was announced, but didn't explain why or how. 

As revealed by Twitter user @aibo_ac7 (and translated by @aitaikimochi), Nomura made an appearance during the Kingdom Hearts Second Breath concert in Tokyo over the weekend, and revealed that something happened shortly after Kingdom Hearts 4's announcement which "determined the direction" of the series.

Joining series composer Yoko Shimomura on stage, Nomura said: "Last year after the Kingdom Hearts event, there was something that happened that determined the direction of the Kingdom Hearts series." This was apparently news to Shimomura who responded with: "Huh, what? What happened?" to which Nomura replied: "Oh you didn’t know? I’ll tell you backstage."

Understandably, this has sent fans into a frenzy and has left us all now questioning what happened after the 20th-anniversary event and what it means for the future of the series.

One of the most popular theories floating around online is that Disney's involvement with the Square Enix series could have changed - this seems extremely unlikely though as if you remove Disney from Kingdom Hearts, you'll be missing a lot of key characters, storylines, and themes from the series so far. 

It's even less plausible when you remember that we saw Donald and Goofy (and maybe even Hades) in the Kingdom Hearts 4 announcement trailer last year. Not only this, but shortly after Square Enix debuted Kingdom Hearts 4's new, and much more realistic, art style, Nomura reassured future players by saying that Disney fans shouldn't worry about Kingdom Hearts 4 feeling "slightly different."

It's possible that Nomura could have been making reference to the role Final Fantasy plays in the upcoming game. As we already know, Nomura isn't sure if we'll be getting more Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts 4, especially since there was a distinct lack of them in Kingdom Hearts 3.

Right now, we'll all just have to stay on the edge of our seats until we get another update on Kingdom Hearts 4.

In the meantime, find out the 10 Disney worlds we want to see in Kingdom Hearts 4.

The first closed beta test for Kingdom Hearts Missing Link has kicked off in Japan today, and players have been sharing details about the upcoming mobile game.

Thanks to several Twitter users, we can get a good idea of what kind of game Kingdom Hearts Missing Link is shaping up to be. The rules of the beta test say that participants can't share screenshots or footage of the game but that they are allowed to share their thoughts online, and so several people have done exactly that. 

One of the first bits of information we got actually came from an official Kingdom Hearts Twitter account, and it details the mobile game's controls. According to the tweet below, Missing Link will be playable in both 'GPS Mode' and 'Pad Mode'. The former allows players to move around the map by physically walking outside (similar to Pokemon Go). The other mode works just like a standard mobile game and sees players touching an onscreen pad to get around. For 'GPS Mode' there's also a 'Hands-Free Mode' which will do all the battling for you. 

As for what testers have been saying, several people have commented on the game's visuals, sharing that it looks impressive for a mobile game and that it could be on par with the Nintendo Switch's graphics. Participants have also shared that the game has a CGI intro, similar to all the mainline games, and even its own version of the Kingdom Hearts opening song 'Dearly Beloved'. The character customization is also very varied, allowing players to choose their own hair style and color, eye colour, outfit, accessories, and more. 

Missing Link's gameplay also sounds fairly intuitive and makes reference to previous Kingdom Hearts titles. According to players, Missing Link will have story quests but they're not available in this beta version. There's also been reports that the jewels and gacha from fellow Kingdom Hearts mobile game Unchained X are back, as well as other materials from previous games, and completely new items too.

A few other details have also been revealed including that changing between keyblades will switch up the game's battle styles, weather conditions can affect which Heartless appear on the map, and (as of right now) there's no controller support for the game.

A lot of exciting things have already come out about this game, with more expected as the Kingdom Hearts Missing Link beta continues over the weekend. It's important to remember though that this is a beta test and that some of these features could change by the time Missing Link actually launches.

If you're wondering if it's worth playing this one when it eventually releases, well, according to series director Tetsuya Nomura, Missing Link will have connections to Kingdom Hearts 4. So if you don't want to miss out on any of the sequel's story, we suggest getting up to date with everything before Kingdom Hearts 4 releases. 

Want to catch up on the series so far? Take a look at our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order guide. 

Square Enix has revealed more info about its upcoming mobile game Kingdom Hearts Missing Link, as well as released its first piece of concept art, which has caught fans by surprise. 

Over the weekend, it was revealed that beta testing for Kingdom Hearts Missing Link is due to begin on January 13, 2023 - January 18, 2023, with sign-ups now available via the new Kingdom Hearts Missing Link website until December 26, 2023. The only catch is that this beta test is only available in Japan and on iOS devices right now. 

As revealed in a tweet from the Kingdom Hearts Dark Road account, this "prototype test" isn't your normal closed beta test, as it'll only feature some of the full game's functions on a small scale. According to the same tweet, an official closed beta test will apparently be announced later. So we may get a chance to take part worldwide soon after. 

Along with this news, Square Enix has also released some new Kingdom Hearts Missing Link artwork. It's a very different look from what we're used to seeing from Sora, Donald, and Goofy's previous adventures and the comparisons to Bloodborne have already begun. It's not hard to see why several fans have been reminded of the FromSoftware game as the art features a dreary colour scheme, intimidating architecture, and what looks like a lot of mist.

If Kingdom Hearts Missing Link is news to you, let us catch you up. Originally revealed during the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event in Tokyo last April - the very same event where Kingdom Hearts 4 was first revealed - Kingdom Hearts Missing Link has been a bit of a mystery up until now since all we've had to go off of is a short teaser trailer. In the trailer, we are introduced to a host of new characters in a version of the Kingdom Hearts 3 world Scala ad Caelum. 

It's probably worth keeping an eye on this mobile game, especially considering the role Kingdom Hearts X (aka 'Unchained X' or 'Dark Road') played in the overall story of Kingdom Hearts 3. Series director Tetsuya Nomura has already said that Missing Link will have connections to Kingdom Hearts 4, so you better be ready to play this one when it does eventually release. 

Fancy getting started with the long-running series? Find out where to start with our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order guide. 

Kingdom Hearts fans are currently in the middle of a very passionate debate about what button is best for which magic shortcuts.

If you've played Kingdom Hearts 1 and Kingdom Hearts 2, you'll already be familiar with the concept of command shortcuts. To save Sora from flicking through the magic and item menus in the heat of a battle, players can instead assign things like magic and potions to a button on the controller. For argument's sake, we're talking about when Kingdom Hearts released the first time around on PS2, so your options are X, Circle, Square, or Triangle. 

For many, including myself, X was always the go-to for the magic ability Cure; which would give Sora back some of his HP if he was on his last legs. It turns out, however,
that there are some people out there that actually prefer to use other buttons. This has actually come as quite a shock and caused a divide within the Kingdom Hearts community. It seems that most fans go for X, some go to Triangle, and some unhinged individuals go for Square or Circle. 

The majority of this debate has taken place on Twitter. As one tweet reads: "If cure isn't X you are one of the following: Odd, strange, weird." Another chimed in the discussion with: "The only time Triangle is acceptable for cure in Kingdom Hearts is when you are playing Birth by Sleep or Dream Drop Distance" - two of the spin-off games in the series. 

The tweets have since got a little bit more personal though. As pointed out by Team Triangle, it makes sense to apply Cure to the green PlayStation button as the color of the item matches. Although this makes sense in theory, one fan has responded to this by bringing the PS5 into the discussion, which doesn't have any colored buttons on it at all. 

Another just went straight for the jugular by making a chart that gives each of the shortcut buttons their own personality types and frankly calling each of them out in their own way. 

For the record, the best shortcut setup is X for Cure, Square for Thunder, Triangle for Fire, and Circle for Blizzard. I will not be taking any questions at this time. 

We'll probably be waiting to find out the result of this discussion long after Kingdom Hearts 4 has released.  

Democrat representative Maxwell Frost has been elected into US Congress - and they just so happen to be a not-so-secret Kingdom Hearts fan. 

Following Frost's victory during the 2022 elections, one of the member of Congress' old tweets has resurfaced on Twitter. This isn't a bad thing though, as the tweet in question reads: "Haven't played video games in years but I'll always remember how awesome Kingdom Hearts is," with a link to the Kingdom Hearts 2 menu song 'Dearly Beloved II'. 

This has, of course, got Kingdom Hearts fans across the US celebrating Frost's win, and fans all over the world making lighthearted jokes about the whole thing. "Kingdom Hearts fans are infiltrating Congress," one Twitter user said. Another praised Frost by tweeting: "Confident @MaxwellFrostFL will do well in congress because he understands complex topics like the Kingdom Hearts storyline." 

Another Twitter user had a more proactive response when they tweeted: "Okay, I demand that Congress now pass a measure to make Kingdom Hearts make sense." Kingdom Hearts aside, Frost's win is admirable all on its own as he is just 25 years old. He's also now being referred to by several media outlets (including the BBC) as the first Gen Z member of Congress.

Now I've never won an election so I can't relate to that, but I have beaten Kingdom Hearts 1, 2, and 3 on Proud Mode - which I imagine is just as exhilarating as winning an election. I wonder if Frost is just as excited for Kingdom Hearts 4 as the rest of us? Either way, congrats on your win, Maxwell Frost!

If you're hoping to get started with the Square Enix series, take a look at our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order guide.

We've brought together absolutely everything that's been revealed about Kingdom Hearts 4 so far, so you can find all of the latest news and updates in one place.

Kingdom Hearts 4 has been in the works for a long time, with the initial reveal of the new game coming by way of the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event back in 2022. The team at Square Enix has been pretty quiet on Sora's return ever since. However, we finally got another look at the game in June 2026, along with platform confirmations. So, it looks like there may be a wave of new information hitting us soon.

While there is still a lot that needs to be revealed, I've gathered all the current news, leaks, and theories out there. So, if you're keen to learn more while we eagerly await further updates, read on below to find a full recap of everything you need to know about Kingdom Hearts 4.

Kingdom Hearts 4 release date speculation

Square Enix is yet to confirm a Kingdom Hearts 4 release date. However, it was recently shown during the June 2026 Nintendo Direct, so hopefully that signals that a release window will be revealed soon.

The game was said to be in early development back in 2022, and it had been quite quiet on the update front following the announcement - even Goofy's English voice actor didn't realize it had even been announced that same year. But the publisher confirmed work was still underway on Kingdom Hearts 4 in May 2025 in a statement that accompanied the news that mobile game Missing Link has been cancelled.

Some months later in September 2025, Tetsuya Nomura said Kingdom Hearts 4 is "progressing well." Even so, we've yet to get an indication of when KH4 will arrive. Nomura also said it's on schedule, but we still don't yet know when it's expected to arrive.

Kingdom Hearts 4 platforms

Good news, everyone! As of 2026, we now know that Kingdom Hearts 4 will be coming to the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store) once it releases.

Square Enix shared this news after the June 2026 Nintendo Direct, and honestly, it's great to see that the game will be available to all gamers no matter their console of choice. Hopefully, they will stick with this multiplatform strategy. We'll keep you posted if anything changes, though.

Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer

We got our first official look at the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer in April 2022, as Square Enix celebrated the series' 20th anniversary. However, more excitingly, we got another trailer during the June 2026 Nintendo Direct, which you can watch for yourself above.

In the teaser, we see a photorealistic style that features appearances from Sora, Strelitzia, a Darkside Heartless, a brief appearance from Donald and Goofy, and a little gameplay in the world of Quadratum. Hopefully, we get more trailers soon, as well as a release window.

Kingdom Hearts 4 story

Back in 2022, it was said that Kingdom Hearts 4 would see an "epic new storyline". But trying to predict exactly what direction the Kingdom Hearts 4 story will go in isn't easy by any means - nobody knows what director Tetsuya Nomura has planned next. What we do know is that this will be the first chapter of 'The Lost Master Arc', which succeeds 'The Dark Seeker Saga' – that's the saga we played through in the previous games.

We also know that some of Kingdom Hearts 4's story takes place in Quadratum, a world made up of neither light or dark that might take place outside of the realm of reality and resembles Shibuya in the real life Tokyo. What this means for Donald and Goofy is yet to be revealed.

As fans of the series will no doubt know, droplets of canon lore can also come from the most unexpected of places when it comes to Kingdom Hearts 4, and Tetsuya Nomura shared some curious fruit lore on the first game's anniversary that's pretty baffling - whether it'll be connected to the next entry's story is a big question mark, but it certainly gave fans some food for thought.

Thankfully, Nomura also acknowledged that Kingdom Hearts 4 will be something of a "reset" to keep new players from getting confused, so it'll be interesting to see how approachable the upcoming installment is.

Looking to catch up on the series to prepare for Kingdom Hearts 4? Take a look at our breakdown of how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order. Or if you need a quick recap ahead of the new game, you can check out our article explaining the Kingdom Hearts 3 ending.

Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay

We're still waiting to see more Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay in action, but we did get a very brief look during that first reveal trailer. From this footage, we can see that a variation of the Flowmotion mechanic will be returning, as well as the usual abilities like magic and the Sora's signature keyblade.

It also looks like Sora will also use the keyblade's keychain as a grappling hook to get him closer to enemies and, like in Kingdom Hearts 3, traverse up the side of buildings.

We got another look at the grappling-hook-like movement in a screenshot Square Enix dropped on BlueSky (as seen above), which shows Sora balancing on chains to catapult through the air. The signature command inputs in the bottom left corner of the screen can also be seen, which show we can attack, use magic, and access items. Curiously, there's also a "build" option, which may link to how we can use the grappling-hook-like feature, or point towards something else we'll be able to do. We've yet to see this in action to know for sure, but it's certainly exciting.

Elsewhere, we can also see Mickey Mouse atop a chandelier, which could hint at some platforming-style sections, and possibly tease that we may be able to control the famous mouse at certain points.

All signs point to more of the Kingdom Hearts gameplay we know and love, with a few upgrades. For a refresher on how the previous entry plays, check out our Kingdom Hearts 3 review.

Kingdom Hearts 4 worlds

In terms of Kingdom Hearts 4 worlds, all we know for sure so far is that Quadratum is one of them. Speaking with Game Informer, Tetsuya Nomura has confirmed that Quadratum is the "initial base within the game" and that we will "spend time there and then go to different worlds and then go back there." He also confirmed that "there will be Disney worlds in Kingdom Hearts 4", but is yet to share any details.

All we can do is speculate at this point, but there are some theories about what Disney-themed worlds might be making an appearance – a few eagle-eyed fans have spotted potential references to a Star Wars-themed world in Kingdom Hearts 4.

Using geo-location, some folks have even worked out that the latest screenshot of Sora in combat appears to be set on a street in Tokyo - which may indicate the game will take place in real-world locations.

Kingdom Hearts 4 Sora

Although he may look slightly different from his previous appearances, there will be a Kingdom Hearts 4 Sora. The spikey-haired guardian of light is a main staple of the Kingdom Hearts series and has appeared in almost all 13 of the games.

This time around, Sora will sport a much more realistic look. As we can see from the reveal trailer, his hair is a little less tall and his clown shoes have been swapped for a pair that actually fit him. Don't panic though, he's still going to wield the signature Kingdom Key keyblade.

Kingdom Hearts 4 Strelitzia 

Kingdom Hearts 4's Strelitzia appeared alongside Sora in the initial reveal trailer. This mysterious girl was thought to be a newcomer to the series, however, those who played Kingdom Hearts Union X know exactly who she is. So, who is Strelitzia in Kingdom Hearts 4?

We won't spoil anything in case you do go back and play the full series, but let's just say that Strelitzia is a keyblade wielder whose story takes place years before Sora, Donald, and Goofy get together. How she ended up with Sora will hopefully be revealed in the upcoming game.

Kingdom Hearts 4 Final Fantasy 

A big question is will Kingdom Hearts 4 have Final Fantasy characters? If you've already played through Kingdom Hearts 3, you would have noticed the distinct lack of Final Fantasy characters. The first two games in the series feature cameos from Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, Squall 'Leon' Leonheart, Aerith Gainsborough, Yuffie Kisaragi, Cid Highwind, and more.

As to whether we'll see any of these characters again, Tetsuya Nomura has said that the future of Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts is currently uncertain.

Check out some of the best JRPGs to play while you wait for Kingdom Hearts 4.

The pilot episode of the canceled Kingdom Hearts animated series from 2003 has appeared online after someone working on the show uploaded it to YouTube. 

Seth Kearsley, who worked as executive producer on the project before it was scrapped, has been teasing on Twitter over the last few weeks that they were in possession of the original Kingdom Hearts pilot animatic on VHS. Now, they've uploaded the entire 11-minute pilot to YouTube. 

Talk of a Kingdom Hearts animated TV show has been floating around online for a long time now, but other than the odd storyboard or script, we've never seen anything really from it. That is of course, until now. According to Kearsley, who replied to a fan on Twitter, the Kingdom Hearts TV series was commissioned by Disney but later scrapped due to Disney and Square Enix "doing more games." 

As you can imagine, what with this just being just the pilot of the proposed show, the animatic doesn't look exactly like how the final product would. Simply speaking, this is just a collection of storyboard animations pieced together to get an idea of what the actual show would look like. You can see what would have been for yourself below. 

So what happens in the pilot? Well, just like at the start of the first Kingdom Hearts game, Sora, Riku, and Kairi are hanging out on Destiny Islands when a bunch of Heartless show up and separate the trio, spreading them out across far-off worlds. Deviating slightly from the game's plot, Sora is then traveling with Donald and Goofy and manages to find Riku in Agrabah. Think of it as a condensed - and slightly altered for TV - version of the plot of the first game. As Kearsley said themselves: "I had 11 minutes to set up the entire concept and tell a story."

If you recognize a few of the voices in the pilot, that's because a lot of the original cast apparently returned for the series. As revealed in another tweet by Kearsley, which featured a photo of the pilot's cast list, David Gallagher came back to voice Riku, as well as Hayden Panettiere as Kairi, Tony Anselmo as Donald, Bill Farmer as Goofy, and a few others. The only main difference was that Sora is not voiced by Haley Joel Osment this time around and instead is voiced by actor Bobby Edner.

It's so surreal seeing what could have been and has led to many fans asking for a new Kingdom Hearts series for Disney+. Although not completely out of the realm of possibility, it might be a bit of a tall order now considering that the Kingdom Hearts series as grown exponentially in the last 20 years. Trying to fit all of that lore into a single animated series may be a bit of a challenge, even for the most dedicated Kingdom Hearts fan. 

But hey, at least we've definitely got Kingdom Hearts 4 to look forward to! 

An extremely dedicated Kingdom Hearts speedrunner is attempting to platinum all of the games in the series in one continuous stream, adding up to a week-long marathon. 

As of the time of writing this, Ninten has been nonstop streaming for over 185 hours (that's around 7 days) and documenting the entire thing on Twitch. If you're wondering how they've managed to do this for over a week, the answer is sleep breaks. That's right, Ninten plays a Kingdom Hearts game for the full day, sleeps (whilst still broadcasting), wakes up, and repeats the cycle. Which sounds like an ideal day if you ask me. 

Heading toward the end of the challenge now, Ninten has managed to earn the platinum trophy for Kingdom Hearts, Re: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts 2, Birth By Sleep, Dream Drop Distance, and a gold trophy for Kingdom Hearts 0.2 - with just Kingdom Hearts 3 and Melody of Memory left to go. We previously reported on another Kingdom Hearts streamer who was attempting to get 7 platinum trophies in 7 days but that now looks easy compared to Ninten's hardcore speedrun. 

If you're wondering why only eight out of 13 of the Kingdom Hearts games are counted in this run, it's simply because the likes of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Re:Coded, Dark Road, and more don't have a platinum trophy available to earn. Here's hoping Ninten attempts the same challenge again once Kingdom Hearts 4 releases. 

If you've been out of the loop on all things Kingdom Hearts lately, let us get you up to speed. The series recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, which is where we got our first glimpse of Kingdom Hearts 4. It's also where we found out that Kingdom Hearts 3 was the best-selling game in the series (so far) and all about the upcoming mobile game Kingdom Hearts Missing Link - which is said to have connections to Kingdom Hearts 4. 

Are you now inspired by Ninten to start your own series playthrough? Take a look at our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order guide to get started.

Kingdom Hearts fans are waiting with bated breath for this year’s D23 Expo after it was suggested that we could get news on Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link at the event. 

Following a Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Q&A session with series director Tetsuya Nomura, fans have begun speculating that we could be getting some news about the upcoming mobile game Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link during the Disney fan convention D23. Like most things to do with Kingdom Hearts, this theory has many layers, so buckle in. 

As shared by Twitter users and Kingdom Hearts fans @aitaikimochi and @xenosaga7, a Kingdom Hearts YouTuber in Japan - known as @toro_cocoron0te - has made a very interesting observation about Nomura’s recent Q&A session. As pointed out by the content creator, and translated by @xenosaga7, the Q&A has been transcribed and shared by Square Enix however some of the questions are laid out differently from others. 

Eagle-eyed fans would have already spotted that each of the questions starts with the usual "Q1, Q2, Q3", etc. however, question 4 is instead been labeled as "O4" and the same can be said for question 10. Although this could be considered a potential typo, Kingdom Hearts fans have learned that nothing is accidental with the cryptic game designer and are now theorizing that the numbers four and ten are significant in some way. 

One theory is that the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event - where Kingdom Hearts 4 was announced - took place on April 10, that's right 10/4. Many fans will also know the importance of the 104 building in Kingdom Hearts 3 and fellow Square Enix IP The World Ends With You, and, if we're being real conspiracy theorists here, the Q&A was held on August 26, 2022, meaning 14 (10 + 4) days before September 9 aka the very same date that D23 Expo's video game event is set to be held. It's also worth noting that technically Kingdom Hearts 4 will be the 14th game in the series if you don't include the final mix and re-released games.

Although this sounds coincidental and potentially far-fetched, fans are convinced it's not. It's not been confirmed whether we'll see Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link - or any Kingdom Hearts content for that matter - at D23 Expo but the game is set to get a closed beta later this year, so the timing does add up. 

Unfortunately, it's unlikely that we'll be getting any Kingdom Hearts 4 news during the event. Nomura has already said that fans shouldn't expect any more Kingdom Hearts 4 news until "way after E3 period." That isn't to say that we shouldn't be excited though as Nomura has also said that Missing-Link will have connections to Kingdom Hearts 4.

Looking for a way to get into the Disney and Square Enix series? Take a look at our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order before Kingdom Hearts 4 guide. 

A Kingdom Hearts streamer is attempting to platinum all of the games in the series on PS4, and they plan to have it all done in just seven days. 

Streamer and speedrunner 'desa35' is the brave volunteer undertaking this challenge, which they began earlier this week. The idea of the challenge is to play all of the main series games that are available on PS4 - this means Kingdom Hearts 1, 2, Re: Chain of Memories, Birth By Sleep, Dream Drop Distance, 0.2, and 3 - and obtain the platinum trophy for each of these games as quickly as possible. 

If you didn’t know, each of the games listed above has an average play time of around 20 - 30 hours, and that’s just the main story. So in total, you’re looking at approximately 115 hours to complete all of these. However, desa35 is aiming to get it all done in just under seven days. So far, they’ve managed to get the Kingdom Hearts 1 Final Mix platinum in just 11 hours and Re: Chain of Memories in "less than 20 hours."

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing though for this Kingdom Hearts fan though. In fact, just one day into the challenge desa35 accidentally saved over their Re: Chain of Memories save file and lost over five hours of progress. So, they did what any logical person would do and completely restarted the challenge again, going back to Kingdom Hearts 1 Final Mix. While playing KH1 again, they encountered a bug during the Deep Jungle section of the game and had to start over… again. 

In other Kingdom Hearts news, Square Enix recently released footage of the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary celebration event that was held in Tokyo in April 2022. During the event, it was revealed by producer Ichiro Hazama that Kingdom Hearts 3 is the best-selling console game in the series. We also got to relive the now-iconic moment when Kingdom Hearts 4 was first revealed to the group of attendees at the event. And yeah, it will probably give you goosebumps all over again. 

Want to give the same speedrunning challenge a go, or just get into the series? Plan the perfect playthrough with our guide to how to play the Kingdom Hearts series in order.

Kingdom Hearts 3 is the highest achieving console game in the series, selling 6.7 million units globally. 

This figure comes from producer Ichiro Hazama who spoke during the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event in April of this year. During the event, fans got to experience a live orchestra, insights into the series' development, and perhaps most excitingly, their first look at Kingdom Hearts 4. 

The aforementioned event took place in Tokyo, Japan, and has now been released online for fans all over the world to see for themselves. The video doesn't include everything that happened during the event, but it does feature the important parts, including chats with the developers, including series director Tetsuya Nomura, a cameo from Kingdom Hearts theme song writer musician Utada Hikaru, and footage of the in-person crowd reacting to the reveal of Kingdom Hearts 4 - which made me emotional all over again. 

During the presentation, Hazama reflected on the success of Kingdom Hearts saying: "In total, there are many entries including final mix and others, but after taking all things into account, there are 13 entries in the series." Hazama continues, "and can you believe it, over 35 million units have been sold." 

Perhaps most impressive of all, though, is that Kingdom Hearts 3 alone has sold 6.7 million copies globally. Hazama explains that this makes it "the highest achieving console game in the series over these last 20 years." Clearly, a 14-year wait in between mainline games will only make the heart grow fonder. 

Towards the end of the video, fans of the Kingdom Hearts mobile game Unchained X (aka Dark Road) got a pleasant surprise as Square Enix subtly revealed the official release date for the offline version (Ver. 5.0.0) of Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road. Fans will be able to experience this for themselves on August 26, 2022. 

Want to catch up with the series before Kingdom Hearts 4? Take a look at our how to play Kingdom Hearts in order guide. 

Kingdom Hearts fans are mourning the handheld collection they could have had after Square Enix announced a full Nintendo Switch port for NieR Automata. 

During yesterday’s Nintendo Direct Mini it was revealed that Square Enix’s action-RPG NieR: Automata is getting a full Nintendo Switch port. Although great news to those who want to take 2B’s post-apocalyptic adventure on the go, some Kingdom Hearts fans can’t help but feel a bit bitter after Square Enix only released Cloud versions of the Disney-themed RPG to the Nintendo console earlier this year. 

The biggest gripe fans have with the Kingdom Hearts 'Integrum Masterpiece' collection for Nintendo Switch is that - generally - the games don’t perform very well on the system. In fact, on the collection's release day Square Enix had to put out a day one patch as some players couldn’t even access the titles due to a bug that prevented the games from launching upon start up.

Not only this, but the fact the Nintendo Switch has to be connected to the internet in order for players to even gain access to the Cloud versions of the games kind of defeats the purpose of having the Kingdom Hearts series on a handheld, and therefore transportable, console. 

Following yesterday’s announcement, the Kingdom Hearts subreddit is now populated with a variety of memes which, in one way or another, pokes fun at Square Enix’s preferential treatment of NieR: Automata. Of course, you could argue that it is a lot more work to port all 10 games in the 'Integrum Masterpiece' collection than the one NieR Automata game but, as many fans have pointed out, a lot of the games in the collection were originally PS2 and Nintendo DS games. 

sorry_kh_fans_you_deserve_better from r/KingdomHearts

Twitter shows much of the same vibe with Twitter users such as @MomoPkmn95 saying: "I have every reason to be mad that Nier gets to be on the Switch physically and digitally with no cloud version while Kingdom Hearts Only gets the Cloud Version. Unacceptable." 

Another Twitter user @SkywardWing also vented their frustration with the Cloud ports by saying: "Nier and Persona 5 are running on the Nintendo Switch. Natively. While Kingdom Hearts has been reduced to a cloud port."

Here’s hoping that Square Enix decides to fully port the entire Kingdom Hearts series onto Nintendo Switch eventually, hey maybe it'll even be done before Kingdom Hearts 4 releases?

If you’re now considering trying out the whole series yourself (Cloud versions or not), find out how to get started with our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order guide. 

Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura has said that the upcoming mobile game Missing Link will have links to Kingdom Hearts 4.

In an interview with Game Informer, Nomura spoke about the upcoming mobile game Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link and said: "Compared to our past mobile releases, it's a lot closer to the series and also connected in many ways to Kingdom Hearts 4." If you didn’t know, Missing Link was announced during the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary celebration in April and will apparently be launching as a closed beta later this year.  

"The easiest way to get more new information and hints about Kingdom Hearts 4 would be first to play Missing Link," Nomura revealed in the same interview. "I know that not everybody is really into smartphone games, so some fans might not be really excited for it, but we are making it so that it's something that anyone can jump right into."

Previous Kingdom Hearts games such as Kingdom Hearts X (aka 'Unchained X' or 'Dark Road') provided a lot of context for Kingdom Hearts 3. These smaller titles did appear to overcomplicate an already complex story, especially if you didn’t dip your toes into the spin-off stories at all before playing Kingdom Hearts 3, so it’s good to hear that Nomura is considering newer fans this time around with Missing Link. 

It doesn’t look like Nomura is leaving Kingdom Hearts X out of Kingdom Hearts 4 though, as in the reveal trailer we can see that Strelitzia makes an appearance in the sequel after mostly only appearing in Kingdom Hearts X. So it's probably wise at least familiarise yourself with all of Nomura’s past Kingdom Hearts efforts before the release of Kingdom Hearts 4.

Elsewhere in the interview, Nomura gave an insight into the future of Final Fantasy in Kingdom Hearts 4. 

The future of Final Fantasy’s role in Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently uncertain, according to series director Tetsuya Nomura. 

In an interview with Game Informer, Nomura discussed the lack of Final Fantasy characters in the more recent Kingdom Hearts titles explaining: "A lot of fans are saying that Kingdom Hearts is this collaboration between Disney characters and Final Fantasy characters. But I really feel like that's not the basic concept of Kingdom Hearts; that's not exactly what Kingdom Hearts is."

If you weren’t aware, in the first Kingdom Hearts game our protagonist Sora meets up with the likes of Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, Squall Leonhart (aka Leon), Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, Tidus, and more. In its sequel, Kingdom Hearts 2, we were then introduced to more Final Fantasy characters such as Tifa, Auron, Yuna, Rikku, and others. So when Kingdom Hearts 3 rolled around, fans were surprised to not see any Final Fantasy characters until the game’s DLC Kingdom Hearts Re:Mind was released. 

Giving more context to why the classic Square Enix characters were ever involved in the first place, Nomura said: "When we released the first title, we had only a few original Kingdom Hearts characters. When they were interacting with really well-known, beloved Disney characters, I felt nobody really knew these new characters, so it was harder for them to stand their ground just yet." Nomura’s solution was to introduce a lot of recognizable Final Fantasy characters to "lend a hand for everyone to get to know these [original Kingdom Hearts] characters better."

As for whether we’ll see our favorite Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts 4, Nomura revealed: "That's something we definitely are thinking about. But just with the sheer number of original characters that we have now, it's hard to say what the exact balance is going to be and how it will play out in Kingdom Hearts 4." 

Now feel like catching up with this magical Square Enix series? Let us to point you in the right direction with our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order guide. 

While Kingdom Hearts 4 is going for a more realistic visual style, director Tetsuya Nomura says fans shouldn't worry about Disney being downplayed in the upcoming game.

"With regards to Kingdom Hearts 4, players are definitely going to see a few Disney worlds in there," Nomura tells Game Informer. "I just want to mention that they don't need to worry so much about this aspect of the game. It might feel slightly different from previous Kingdom Hearts titles, but once players have had a chance to play the game, I'm sure they'll be relieved to find that it is definitely a Kingdom Hearts title."

Nomura does note that the increase of graphical qualities in each successive Kingdom Hearts game "kind of limits the number of worlds that we can create in a sense. At this time we're considering how to approach that, but there will be Disney worlds in Kingdom Hearts 4."

The continued inclusion of Disney shouldn't come as much of a surprise - after all, Donald and Goofy were in the debut trailer. But the focus on the hyper-realistic Quadratum location in that trailer suggested that we might be seeing more grounded locations in the new game.

Nomura adds that Kingdom Hearts' most realistic world was previously Pirates of the Caribbean, and "this time around we’re spending some time in the actual real world." The devs aimed to challenge themselves to see "just to see how realistic can we make this."

While there will be plenty of Disney, Nomura seems to suggest that there won't be much Final Fantasy this time around. Nomura describes the inclusion of FF characters in the original Kingdom Hearts as a way to help introduce players to the game's original cast. Once the new characters became established, "it was hard to find room for including more Final Fantasy characters. We're trying to find a good balance for that."

Don't miss any of the best JRPG games.

The news that Kingdom Hearts 4 is on the way was as much a surprise to Goofy’s English voice actor as the rest of us. 

The announcement of Kingdom Hearts 4 was undoubtedly a surprise to us all, but no one more than Bill Farmer who, despite playing one of the main characters in the series, only found out that a sequel was in the works this weekend. 

This news comes from Twitter user @Gandheezy (thanks, The Gamer), who says that they broke the news to Farmer during a meet and greet at MomoCon 2022 over the weekend. "You know, they never tell me these things, I only find out from fans at conventions," Farmer responded, before adding: "At least I know I've got work coming."

We’re sure the news must have just gotten lost in the Traverse Town post office and is no way a sign that Farmer is not returning for the sequel. In fact, the short teaser released last month hasn’t yet been dubbed in English, or any other languages for that matter. 

What this probably means is that Square Enix really is still in the early stages of development with Kingdom Hearts 4, so most likely hasn’t started recording or casting for the English language version yet. Hence why Farmer - probably much like a few other members of the international Kingdom Hearts cast - has only just found out about his future role. 

If you too have only just heard about Kingdom Hearts 4, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming sequel: After being unexpectedly announced during the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary celebration in Japan in April, series director Tetsuya Nomura has revealed a few minor details about the upcoming game in a number of interviews. 

So far, we know that Sora’s next adventure is going to take place in Quadratum - a world more similar to the real-life Tokyo than the fantasy worlds our main protagonist is used to exploring - and that he will be joined by Kingdom Hearts X character Strelitzia as well as Donald and Goofy at some point. There are also theories that Kingdom Hearts 4 could be the game to finally incorporate the likes of Star Wars into the Disney x Final Fantasy crossover series. 

Want to get started with the long-running series and don’t know where to start? Take a look at our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order before Kingdom Hearts 4 guide. 

Kingdom Hearts protagonist Sora has made an unexpected cameo in a new Taco Bell commercial, and fans can’t believe what they’re seeing. 

As highlighted by several Kingdom Hearts fans, including Twitter user @aitaikimochi, Taco Bell has released a new commercial advertising its recently released Mexican Pizza dish, and Sora gets a mention in the jingle. 

A few seconds into the ad, the line: "We eating all our order, key to my heart like Sora" can be heard. Although it’s only a brief mention, there’s no doubt that the advertisers working on this campaign were making reference to the Square Enix protagonist. You can see it for yourself below. 

As expected, fans were completely dumbfounded by Sora’s mention in the advert with several taking to Twitter to share their shock and a series of hilarious memes. This even includes @aitaikimochi who also shared this meme of Sora working behind the Taco Bell counter due to the suspected high cost of his $1.2 million apartment in Tokyo - as seen in the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer. 

The recent Kingdom Hearts weirdness doesn’t end there though. Over the same weekend, it was also revealed that Sora makes an extremely brief cameo in the new Disney+ film Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers. During one scene, fans have spotted not one but two references to the spikey-haired keyblade wielder. Speaking of, the two references are Sora’s iconic hairdo and the equally as recognizable Kingdom Key. 

Despite being one of Square Enix’s biggest IPs, it’s always a surprise to see references to the game in other media. In 2022 alone, references to the JRPG were spotted in Disney’s The Proud Family revival as well as in the Disney+ film The Wonderful Spring of Mickey Mouse. Here’s hoping we see more not-so-subtle cameos leading up to the release of Kingdom Hearts 4. 

In even weirder Kingdom Hearts news, it turns out Goofy's English voice actor didn't even know Kingdom Hearts 4 was happening until a fan told them.