Kingdom Hearts 4: Everything we know so far

After a quiet spell, we finally had a little Kingdom Hearts 4 update, with Square Enix addressing the community with a statement back in May to confirm the development team are still hard at work on the next Kingdom Hearts game. The publisher accompanied the reassuring words with some exciting new screenshots of the game, which appear to show some gameplay elements and a location.

Initially revealed back in 2022 during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event, Kingdom Hearts 4 has been in the works for some time, and we've only gotten little snippets of news about its direction ever since.

But with the knowledge that it's set to be something of a soft reset that will build on Sora's last adventure in Kingdom Hearts 3, it continues to be one of the biggest new games currently in the works, and while we're awaiting official word on when it will arrive, speculation is already making the rounds that we could see it sometime in 2026. Only time will tell, but as we await further updates, read on below to find an overview on all things Kingdom Hearts 4.

Kingdom Hearts 4 release date speculation

Square Enix is yet to confirm a Kingdom Hearts 4 release date.

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 recently confirmed work is still underway on Kingdom Hearts 4 in 2025 in a statement that accompanied the news that mobile game Missing Link has been cancelled. Even so, we've yet to get an indication of when KH4 will arrive, and it looks like we'll still be in for a wait for the next entry to arrive - especially if the unverified rumors coming in 2024 suggesting that Kingdom Hearts 4 could release in 2026 are to be believed.

Kingdom Hearts 4 platforms

We're still waiting for official confirmation regarding Kingdom Hearts 4's platforms.

While we can only speculate for the time being, it does seem quite likely that will release on all major platforms. In the past, Square Enix worked with Sony to launch the likes of Forspoken, Final Fantasy 16, and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth as PS5 platform exclusives, but in 2024, the developer and publisher confirmed it's adopting a multiplatform strategy going forward that will see its games land on all platforms.

This, coupled with the fact that Kingdom Hearts has traditionally launched across a wider array of systems, makes us hopeful that we'll see it come to PS5 along with PC and Xbox Series X - and potentially even the Switch 2. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for further information.

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. 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

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 break down 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 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 for 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