It’s been three years sinceKingdom Hearts 4shared its reveal trailer, and just when the player base was mourning the loss ofKingdom Hearts Missing-Link, new screenshots have been shared to cushion the blow. One bright glimpse of the future after a saddening cancellation has left many series loyalists in a tailspin of emotions. The surprise is understandable as the screenshots tease CGI cutscenes,special Keyblade abilities, and even playable Mickey.
News on theKingdom Heartsseries in general, much lessKingdom Hearts 4, has been extremely quiet since the series' 20th anniversary in 2022.Missing-Link, its development, and closed beta tests have been the only substantial moving piece of the franchise outside of merchandise for the last while. Now, the only development fans have been able to follow openly has completely halted. It makes sense as to why Square Enix would shift its focus to the fact thatKingdom Hearts 4is still chugging its way down the track, with how there isn’t much to look forward to afterMissing-Link’s cancellation. However, the sudden shift in attention may lead to something more, considering this directional swap happened at a key time of year for the gaming industry.
Square Enix Could Be Going All in On Kingdom Hearts 4 News Over the Next Month or So
Kingdom Hearts 4 Could Be Primed for a Summer Game Fest Appearance
June has consistently been an important time for all sorts of gamers. It acts as a sort of “Christmas in July” for gaming companies, developers, and players alike. Titles that have been developed in secret are announced, and big reveals of upcoming titles, like demos and release dates, are written down on calendars in excitement. Evenas E3 has come and gone, this hasn’t changed with Summer Game Fest and other events filling in the space left behind.
The idea ofKingdom Hearts 4appearing at Summer Game Festin particular has become a bit of a joke in gaming communities, like waiting forHollow Knight: Silksongor any other silently-in-development title. However, in a year when many gaming impossibilities are becoming reality, there are rumors circling thatKingdom Hearts 4at Summer Game Fest may be a dream made reality this time. Even if it isn’t part of Geoff Keighley’s presentation, there are plenty of other windows of opportunity that could pop up as part of the industry boom typically expected in June.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Will Likely Make Itself Known Sooner Rather than Later
Regardless of howKingdom Heartsmakes itself known, it’s very easily arguable that there’s been a shift in the winds for the Disney andFinal Fantasycrossover franchise. It’s true that theKingdom Hearts 4screenshots were meant to shed light on the saddeningnews ofMissing-Link’s cancellation, but after such a long period of silence, even a small tease like this isn’t done lightly. It’s a tactical marketing move on Square Enix’s end to get fans to focus their attention onKH4instead, and that could be because the series is about to make the biggest moves it’s made in years.
Kingdom Hearts 4’s developmentbegan in 2020. It’s been 5 years, which has been an important juncture in many development cycles for all kinds of games, usually serving as a good time to prepare for, if not fully, release.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthfollowed this same timeframe, starting production in 2019 and releasing in 2024. All signs are pointing toKingdom Hearts 4ramping up to bombard fans with everything they’ve been waiting for, even if it won’t hit the shelves for a while yet.
Fans ofSora and friendsshould remain alert for anything new, be it from something big like Summer Game Fest or something unexpected like aKingdom Heartslivestream announced a few days in advance. Even if June isn’t the time forKH4to wake up from its hibernation, Tokyo Game Show in September could still be a prime time to release whatever Square Enix is working on. No matter what, the time seems right forKingdom Heartsto take the stage, and the recent screenshots may just be a warm-up.
