Summary
Square Enix has given a brief update onKingdom Hearts 4, the next game in the long-running action-RPG series.Kingdom Hearts 4was first announced in April 2022. Since then, updates on the game have been few and far between, with fans still having no idea when exactly they will be able to play it.
While someKingdom Hearts 4gameplay details have been revealed, the game is still mostly shrouded in mystery. Fans know thatKingdom Hearts 4will feature Shibuyaand will once again star longtime series hero Sora as the main protagonist, but otherwise, not a lot is known about the game. We still have no idea whenKingdom Hearts 4will be shown off next, but Square Enix has at least acknowledged the game recently.
Tucked away at the bottom of its announcement confirming theKingdom Hearts Missing-Linkmobile game cancellation, Square Enix promised fans that theKingdom Heartsseries will continue. It added that the studio is “hard at work” onKingdom Hearts 4and asked fans to “keep an eye out for further updates.” While this isn’t likely to drum up much excitement, it is at least reassuring thatKingdom Hearts 4development is still going strong. The relative silence about the game has understandably left some fans worried about the project, but it doesn’t seem as though they have any cause for concern.
Square Enix is ‘Hard at Work’ on Kingdom Hearts 4
Concern forKingdom Hearts 4has only increased in the wake ofKingdom Hearts Missing-Link’s cancellation. While main series fans likely weren’t all that interested in the mobile game spin-off anyway,Missing-Link’s connectionstoKingdom Hearts 4has caused worry that its cancellation isn’t a good omen for the new game. The two games were meant to have character and story ties to each other, but it seems those plans have been scrapped.
SomeKingdom Heartsfans may even look atMissing-Link’s cancellation as a good thing. TheKingdom Heartsfranchisehas long been criticized for having important story developments take place in spin-off games and handheld titles, as opposed to the main series console entries. Some would have felt compelled to play the mobile game to fully appreciateKingdom Hearts 4, but that will no longer be necessary withMissing-Link’s cancellation.
We know thatKingdom Hearts 4development started in 2020, so the project has been in the works for at least five years at this point. Unless there have been some serious behind-the-scenes development struggles, one has to imagine that a more substantial update onKingdom Hearts 4will come sooner rather than later. It’s possible the game will be featured atSummer Game Fest this June, but fans should keep their expectations in check.
