Reliable leaker says Kingdom Hearts 4 is targeting a 2026 release, and that the RPG looks "different now than it did when it was revealed"

Kingdom Hearts 4 announcement — (Image credit: Square Enix)

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."

The currently planned release window for Kingdom Hearts 4 is in 2026.It is information I mentioned before, but this title looks different now than it did when it was revealed. But it is not bad.More information on the future of the series will be revealed at a later date. pic.twitter.com/1Ly6zS6CWpJune 8, 2024

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.

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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.

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.