It's been almost two years since Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts 4, and we're sadly none the wiser about when we'll get to reunite with Sora, Donald, and Goofy. After debuting during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event in 2022, fans have been desperate to know more and have already begun cooking up theories as to what the next chapter of the series will do. It's me, I'm fans.
Kingdom Hearts 4 was already something to look forward to but it's an even bigger deal as it will mark the start of 'The Lost Master Arc', the next chapter of the Kingdom Hearts story, which follows on from the previous 'Dark Seeker Saga'. Although this is technically the fourth entry in the long-running series, there are 13 other games to get through before you play 4 - that is if you want any hope of understanding what series' creator Tetsuya Nomura has planned.
The main thing to know right now is that so far we've had an announcement trailer (which we've included below) that features a much more realistic-looking Sora who appeared to be in a luxury Tokyo apartment and was joined by Strelitzia - a character from one of the Kingdom Hearts spin-off games, Unchained X - who seems like they're set to play a bigger role in the series. We also got a brief look at Donald and Goofy who seem to be searching for Sora... again.
We've probably still got a bit of a wait before we get our hands on it ourselves (I've got my fingers crossed that it won't take as long as Kingdom Hearts 3 did) but until then, here's everything we know so far about Kingdom Hearts 4.
Kingdom Hearts 4 release date
As of 2024, there is no release date for Kingdom Hearts 4. In April 2022, it was reported that Kingdom Hearts 4 is in "early development" but it's difficult to know where Square Enix is now two years later. I know what you're thinking: "Are we going to have to wait five years like we did for Kingdom Hearts 3?" and the answer to that is hopefully not. Other than the trailer, the only evidence we have of the Kingdom Hearts 4 production timeline is that Goofy's English voice actor hadn't recorded his lines as of May 2022 – he also didn't even realize Kingdom Hearts 4 had been announced at the time.
Kingdom Hearts 4 platforms
Square Enix is yet to confirm the Kingdom Hearts 4 platforms. Given how early in development the game is, it'll likely be some time before we learn where this new adventure will land. Since Kingdom Hearts 3 launched on PS4 and Xbox One in 2019, and was later brought to PC and Nintendo Switch, we can only hope that Square Enix will bring this all-new adventure to all platforms. However, it's worth remembering that the publisher isn't afraid of exclusivity deals – Forspoken launched on PC and PS5, while Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth are PS5 exclusives.
Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer
We got our first look at the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer in April 2022, as Square Enix celebrated the series' 20th anniversary. It came as a shock to fans of the series, not only because of the unexpected nature of the reveal but also because it features an art style that is completely different to anything Kingdom Hearts has had before. The photo-realistic trailer features appearances from Sora, Strelitzia, a Darkside heartless, a brief appearance from Donald and Goofy, and a little gameplay in the world of Quadratum.
Kingdom Hearts 4 story
Trying to predict what the Kingdom Hearts 4 story will be is futile, because who knows what director Tetsuya Nomura has been cooking up. What we do know though, 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 just take place outside of the realm of reality and resembles Shibuya in the real life Tokyo. What this means for the likes of Donald and Goofy is yet to be revealed.
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.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Sora
Although he may look slightly different from his previous appearances, we will be getting 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
Appearing alongside Sora in the reveal trailer was Kingdom Hearts 4's Strelitzia. This mysterious maiden 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 series before Kingdom Hearts 4, 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
If you've already played through Kingdom Hearts 3, I'm sure you would have noticed the distinct lack of Final Fantasy characters in the game. The first two games in the series feature cameos from the likes of Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, Squall 'Leon' Leonheart, Aerith Gainsborough, Yuffie Kisaragi, Cid Highwind, and more. As for whether we'll see any Kingdom Hearts 4 Final Fantasy characters, well Tetsuya Nomura has said that the future of Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts is currently uncertain.
Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay
It's difficult to tell exactly what the Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay will be like, but we did get a very brief look during that first reveal trailer. From this footage we can see that some kind of variation of the flowmotion mechanic will be returning, as well as the usual abilities such as magic and just whacking darkness with the keyblade. It looks like Sora will also be able to use the keyblade's keychain as some kind of grappling hook to get him closer to enemies and, like in Kingdom Hearts 3, traverse up the side of buildings. To me, it looks like more of the Kingdom Hearts gameplay we know and love but with a few upgrades.
Now fancy catching up with the Square Enix series? Take a look at our how to play the Kingdom Hearts games in order before Kingdom Hearts 4.
