Square Enix reveals Kingdom Hearts IV and Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link
During the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event today in Tokyo, Square Enix has officially announced Kingdom Hearts IV. No platforms or release window have been stated.
The announcement comes in the form of a compilation trailer for the 20th-anniversary events, which includes the final update for Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road, as well as the announcement for a new 3D action RPG mobile title Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link.
- The Kingdom Hearts IV footage shows a more realistic-looking Sora waking up in the world of Quadratum - the Shibuya-like world seen in Kingdom Hearts III and formally named in Melody of Memory. Here, we see a 3d rendered version of Strelitzia (from Kingdom Hearts Union χ), as well as a menacing appearance from a Darkside-like heartless, to which Sora thrusts himself into battle, with some gameplay-like footage shown.
- Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, on the other hand, is a mobile title that will let players experience a new story set 'from the realm of Scala ad Caelum into the real world'. A closed beta test will run in 2022.
According to Twitter user and series fan @aibo_ac7, who attended the event, the Kingdom Hearts IV trailer was rendered using Unreal Engine 4, but development will move to Unreal Engine 5. Additionally, aibo_ac7 states that KH4 will not be at "E3", but noting E3 has been canceled, this presumably means we won't see more KH4 in Square Enix presentations later this year.
The trailer can be found below, with timestamps for the three portions of the footage, alongside a press release and screenshots from Square Enix.
- 0:00 - Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road - finale update coming August 2022
- 1:54 - Kingdom Hearts Missing Link for iOS and Android - closed beta coming in 2022
- 4:06 - Kingdom Hearts IV
Today, as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Square Enix and Disney announced that Kingdom Hearts IV, the newest installment in the beloved RPG series, is in early development, and also revealed a brand-new mobile game, Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link.
In the announcement trailer, Sora makes a triumphant return with an updated look at the beginning of an epic new storyline titled the “Lost Master Arc.” Beginning with Sora facing off in a boss battle against a giant enemy, players are introduced to the Quadratum, a large, expansive city set in a gorgeous, realistic world unlike anything ever seen before in the Kingdom Hearts series. Fans will be excited to see the return of Sora’s well-known companions Donald and Goofy, in addition to the first appearance of Strelitzia, a mysterious new character who appears before Sora in this strange new setting.
Fans can also look forward to Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, an all-new game for iOS and Android devices, which allows players to embark on adventures from the realm of Scala ad Caelum into the real world. Players will be able to engage in exhilarating battles against the Heartless and discover a new, original story. A closed beta test is planned for 2022*.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary with the announcement of two new Kingdom Hearts titles,” said Kingdom Hearts series Brand Manager, Ichiro Hazama. “We’d like to thank the fans for all of their support over the years, and we can’t wait for them to experience all that’s to come for Sora.”
“Sora is an original Disney video game hero like no other, beloved by our team, and fans across the world. We’ve been honored to work with Tetsuya Nomura and his team for two decades to introduce these original stories of discovery, courage, and friendship,” said Nana Gadd, Director, Walt Disney Games. “This glimpse into Sora’s next adventure is just the beginning – we can’t wait to show more when the time is right.”
Additionally, the Kingdom Hearts team announced that the highly anticipated final chapter of Kingdom Hearts will be released in August 2022 as a free update to the Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road app.
Square Enix and Disney hosted the Kingdom HEarts 20th Anniversary event in Tokyo, Japan where together with fans, they celebrated the past 20 years of the beloved franchise and provided a first look at what’s to come next. The event also featured a live music performance, a showcase of stained-glass artworks and on-stage appearances from Series Director, Tetsuya Nomura, series’ composer, Yoko Shimomura, and other development members. Fans can enjoy photos from the event on the official social channels and look forward to a recording of the event which will be shared at a later date.
