Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development

Square Enix’s 20th-anniversary celebrations wouldn’t be complete without some form of a surprise in store for fans, and they didn’t disappoint. During a Sunday broadcast in Japan, they took the opportunity to announce that two new Kingdom Hearts games are in development—Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link and Kingdom Hearts 4. The subtitled announcement trailer is here (Missing-Link trailer starts 1:53 to 4:05 of the video, with the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer following after):

Director Tetsuya Nemura also tweeted the following announcement:

According to the Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link trailer, it will be a mobile game and a closed beta for iOS and Android will come later this year for specific regions. The press release states that the game "will allow 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."

As for Kingdom Hearts 4, it picks up directly after Kingdom Hearts 3, but with Sora in a new realm that resembles modern-day Tokyo. The press release states:

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. 

To be clear, Square Enix has not made announcements on launch dates and platforms. We will have to wait a while for solid news, but still, it’s great to hear this beloved franchise is back. We look forward to what new adventures Sora and the gang will bring us. If you feel the need to relive the story prior, pick up a Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue PC code or a Kingdom Hearts 3 PC key from our comparator.