Kingdom Hearts is the latest title in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, which started in 2002 with the original Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom HeartsIV was revealed during a special 20th-anniversary celebration of the franchise in 2022. No news on the game was reported, until now. Kingdom Hearts 4, amongst other things, is set up as a ‘story reset’ for the fans. This puts the series in an interesting position with the Lost Masters arc.
What is ‘Kingdom Hearts’?
Kingdom Hearts is a 2002 3D platformer Action RPG story developed by Squaresoft (now Square Enix). The franchise is well-known for its crossover aspect, which originates in this title. For example, you are teamed up with Donald Duck and Goofy, your supporting party members. You meet numerous characters from the Final Fantasy series, such as Cloud Strife from VII or Squall Leonhart from VIII. You even get to fight Sephiroth, who is a bonus boss in both the original Kingdom Hearts and 2005’s Kingdom Hearts 2.
In Kingdom Hearts, you play as ‘Sora’, a young hero from Destiny Islands who becomes a Keyblade Wielder. Sora is desperate to find his friends, Riku and Kairi, who were lost in the same storm that destroyed his world. Along the way, he teams up with the iconic Donald Duck and Goofy. The three of them venture to the various Disney Worlds, fighting off evil shadowy monsters known as the Heartless. Throughout the story, you discover numerous hidden truths about ‘Kingdom Hearts’, Kairi, and the mastermind behind the Heartless invasion.
New Arc, New Logo, And A Reset
A recent interview with Jump Magazine has revealed new information about Kingdom Hearts 4. The game is slated to be a ‘new reset’ for fans, bringing in new writers and a new logo for the series. The purpose of this reset is to make it easier for new gamers to jump on and be engaged in the story. Through the reset, players will not be bogged down by extensive continuity references to older titles in the series.
Kingdom Hearts 4 was first revealed in 2022 during the 20th anniversary event. The game only showed Sora in combat against a hulking heartless, a new iteration of the iconic ‘Darkside’. The trailer showed brief bits of gameplay, including Sora sliding through buildings and using a chain-like weapon from his keyblade. Kingdom Hearts 4 is the beginning of the ‘Lost Masters Arc’, and follows directly from the events of Kingdom Hearts 3. The preceding game focused on the ‘Dark Seeker Saga’, focusing on the evil Xehanort, and his machinations to attain Kingdom Hearts.
Nomura’s Eventual Retirement
The interview has revealed the future of the franchise, concerning Tetsuya Nomura and Kingdom Hearts as a whole. Tetsuya Nomura is developing Kingdom Hearts 4 as the beginning of its ‘conclusion’. IV will lead into the franchise’s finale, wrapping up a journey that has spanned more than twenty years.
Fans are left conflicted by this reveal, but many are calling for the end. Kingdom Hearts has spent 22 years inspiring people, and the franchise deserves to rest. With Kingdom Hearts 4, fans may finally have a way out for the series to reach its satisfying conclusion.
Kingdom Hearts’ Bright Future
The future looks bright for the franchise, and Kingdom Hearts 4 is still on the horizon. The franchise’s ‘next’ entry is the mobile game, Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link. It promises to dive into the deep history of Scala Ad Caelum, offering fans more world-building lore. The release date will be set before the end of 2024, putting this mobile game sooner than expected.
We do not know what else is in the future, beyond a rumored ‘Verum Rex’ title that was mentioned in passing. Kingdom Hearts 4 has no real release date plans, and fans do not anticipate seeing it any time soon. If you are interested in checking out what has been said, you should read the interview.
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