In a move that surprised many across the world, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts 4 earlier this year, showing off a new trailer filled with teases and even some gameplay. This will mark the fourth mainline Kingdom Hearts game, with Sora returning as the main protagonist. Even though we didn’t get much in the way of a release date, some gameplay was shown off. It looks to be a decidedly different affair, with more realistic settings and increased fluidity in combat.
We’ll likely hear more later this year, but for now Square Enix is keeping fairly quiet about Kingdom Hearts 4. Until then, the fanbase is positively fervent with speculation, with forums bursting with guesses on new worlds, and eagle-eyed gamers busy unraveling the clues present in the new trailer. At present, we have little more than the trailer to go on, but there has been some interesting reporting on some possible hints to upcoming themes that will be front and center in the new game’s story.
To help you stay up to date with everything related to Kingdom Hearts 4, we’ve put together this everything we know guide. We’ll collect all official information as it is released, and take a look at the rumours and reporting that is being done as we get closer to a possible release date. Be sure to check back in regularly, as this page will be updated whenever new details are unearthed.
Kingdom Hearts 4 release date
First thing’s first, there is currently no release date for Kingdom Hearts 4. With other franchises it may be easy to speculate and guess as to a possible launch window, but Kingdom Hearts has never really played by the rules. Kingdom Hearts 3 was in active development for five years before launch, with even more time spent between main releases. As such, we will need to see more of KH4 before we can theorise about a possible release date.
Gameplay
Despite not giving out much info during the initial reveal for Kingdom Hearts 4, Square Enix did show off some gameplay. In the trailer, which can be viewed below, we see Sora using a Keyblade, grappling towards a giant heartless, and whipping between cars that float in the air. It seems fast and fluid, with Sora able to move quickly through the air while battling.
Reveal trailer
The reveal trailer showed off a very realistic looking Sora, who now sports a different design, and much smaller shoes. In fact, the reveal appeared to be set in Quadratum, in a more grounded setting when compared to previous games. This setting featured in the secret ending of Kingdom Hearts 3, and in the Re:Mind DLC.
At the end of the trailer we see Donald and Goofy traversing a dark landscape, before they are confronted by a booming voice spouting blue flame. This flame turns red as the voice gets angry, much like Hades. There’s no official word yet on who the booming voice belongs to, but it definitely gives off Hades vibes. Finally, the only other tidbit in the trailer was the mention of ‘The Lost Master Arc.’ This suggests a brand new story, and a new era after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3.
Could there be Star Wars and Marvel worlds in Kingdom Hearts 4?
Ever since Kingdom Hearts 3 ended, fans have been wondering whether or not Star Wars and Marvel worlds could be on the cards for future games. Disney obviously owns both properties now, so it’s all fair game moving forward. In fact, some believe they have spotted proof of a Star Wars area in the trailer. At around 30 seconds in, you can see a forest that looks an awful lot like Endor. There’s even what looks like the foot of an AT-ST hidden away in the background. Star Wars is a logical choice for a new world, though it remains to be seen whether it will feature in Kingdom Hearts 4.
Unreal Engine 5
Shortly after the reveal, Famitsu (as translated by VGC) reported that Kingdom Hearts 4 will use Unreal Engine 5. The trailer was running in Unreal Engine 4, but with the new version now out in the wild, it makes sense that we may see KH4 launch with improved lighting and textures. According to the publication: “The full game will be made with Unreal Engine 5, and the quality of lighting and detail will be several levels higher.”
That’s all we know so far about Kingdom Hearts 4. As more information is revealed we’ll be sure to add it to this page. Hopefully we’ll see more on a possible Star Wars level soon, and if we’re dreaming, some MCU goodness too. In the meantime be sure to take a look at our retrospective on 20 years of Kingdom Hearts.
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