“Whenever I do have a chance to decide that we absolutely need to include a certain world. I generally think about how well it synergizes with the overall main story progression with Sora. When it comes to Kingdom Hearts 4, when I thought about the themes, we felt that Coco would be the best world that would help achieve that goal.”

Since Disney and Pixar have put out several movies since the 2019 release of Kingdom Hearts 3, Coco is unlikely to be the only entirely new world in Kingdom Hearts 4. There are plenty of strong candidates for Disney worlds to show up in the upcoming title thanks to the release of critically-acclaimed films like Luca, Soul, Encanto, and Elemental.

Interestingly, Disney has also focused quite a bit on releasing live-action adaptations of its older animated films in recent years, and as such, we might even get to see some of these make an appearance. Considering how much criticism films like 2019’s Aladdin and 2020’s Mulan have seen, however, this seems like an unlikely choice for Kingdom Hearts 4.

Coco was unveiled as one of Kingdom Hearts 4’s worlds with a trailer during D23. In it, we got to see Sora meeting Miguel, fighting Heartless during a performance, and even getting his hands on a new Keyblade design that matches the themes of The Land of the Dead. Adding an extra wrinkle to the proceedings is the fact that Donald and Goofy were both elsewhere – in the Underworld from Hercules – to meet Hades.

King Mickey will also be a playable character in Kingdom Hearts 4, with an extended version of the trailer giving us a glimpse at his sections. Co-director Tai Yasue has confirmed that Mickey’s sections involve “sort of puzzle-based game design that’s very different from Sora’s adventure, and I think it’s really refreshing and interesting.”

Kingdom Hearts 4 is being developed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. While Square Enix hasn’t yet announced a concrete release date, Nomura has reaffirmed that there are no planned delays and that the game will come out in late 2027.

“We announced that the game is going to be coming late 2027, and I saw online that some people were saying, ‘oh, you know, maybe the actual release date might still get pushed back’.

“I just wanted to set the record straight – that is not happening. So I do hope people look forward to the game coming in 2027. A lot of the marketing for the game has only just started, and so I do hope that people also look forward to hearing more news as well.”

For more on Kingdom Hearts, check Disney’s thoughts on the franchise when it comes to revenue.

We’ve already seen Prince Noctis and the Onion Knight, who bring varied playstyles and vastly different backgrounds to your party. That’s not to mention the Warrior of Light, who is something else entirely, although his raw power is sure to earn him more than his fair share of respect. We suspect he’s probably a real stand-up guy once you get to know him.

Well, there’s a new addition to their ranks in the form of Final Fantasy 13’s Lightning, a warrior whose seemingly sheltered life hasn’t been a relief from the “heavy burden” she carries. We suspect we’ll find out and, hopefully, do something about it to win her over, since she brings a devastating arsenal of attacks to the table. Effective at range from either the ground or the air, she summons lightning (duh) to a wide area before manipulating it to ensure that only the ashes of foes remain.

She’s definitely someone we want to learn more about when this one drops on October 22nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. We’ve left Lightning’s introductory trailer below for you to check out in the meantime.

As one of four country youths chosen for greatness by the Crystals, the Onion Knight seems quite adept at making his dreams of becoming a great warrior come true thanks to his proficiency with the blade. However, he doesn’t seem content with that and can switch over to either a Ninja or a Mage to wreak havoc among enemy ranks from afar. That’s quite the toolkit, and a very versatile one for a man who’s deadly up close, and perhaps even more dangerous at range.

The entire trailer is below if you want to see Onion Knight taking the fight to his enemies, and we must say he’s the one who intrigues us the most among all the Visions revealed thus far.

In the now-private Deep Dive panel (transcription via GamesRadar), co-director Tai Yasue provided more information on Mickey’s gameplay, saying it was a “sort of puzzle-based game design that’s very different from Sora’s adventure, and I think it’s really refreshing and interesting.”

As showcased in the trailer, Mickey ventures inside a book and effectively explores a paper world. Besides navigating a 2D side-scrolling plane, he also harnesses the paper to turn into a giant, smashing through walls.

Yasue noted that Mickey is actually creating “origami paper copies of himself,” including “paper-thin Mickeys, giant Mickeys, a tiny Mickey, and box Mickeys. When you’re a paper-thin Mickey, [you can] go through the cracks in the walls, for example. If you throw him, he becomes a paper airplane [and] you fly around. And by utilizing these special abilities of these copies of origami Mickeys, you can solve puzzles.”

It’s very intriguing, and provides a nice counterbalance to the more combat-heavy sections that Sora (and now Donald and Goofy) will engage with. Kingdom Hearts has always pushed gameplay mechanics that fit the Disney worlds, so seeing something more puzzle-focused is a breath of fresh air for the franchise.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is slated to launch in late 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. And while that might give some fans pause or make them fear a delay, director Tetsuya Nomura assures that won’t happen.

Appearing during the series Deep Dive panel (which has since been privated), Nomura said via interpreter, as caught by VGC, “We announced that the game is going to be coming late 2027, and I saw online that some people were saying, ‘oh, you know, maybe the actual release date might still get pushed back’.

“I just wanted to set the record straight – that is not happening. So I do hope people look forward to the game coming in 2027. A lot of the marketing for the game has only just started, and so I do hope that people also look forward to hearing more news as well.”

You have to admit – given all those years after the sequel’s announcement with no details, it’s easy for fans to be skeptical. Given how much the development team has revealed thus far and Square Enix’s track record, Nomura may be right. Time will tell – it certainly wouldn’t be the first time that several titles had to change release dates to avoid something else.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Though it starts in Quadratum, the so-called “unreality” of the World where Sora ends up, various Disney worlds make an appearance, including The Land of the Dead from Coco. We even see the return of the Underworld from Hercules alongside some unique stages featuring Mickey Mouse. Stay tuned for more details en route to launch.

Aside from Coco’s The Land of the Dead, it’s confirmed that players will control King Mickey at points. After venturing into a mysterious tome, he can use the Keyblade to interact with parts of the environment, which open like a pop-up book. There’s also a side-scrolling platforming sequence and even a section where you control a giant paper-mache Mickey, breaking through obstacles.

As for Donald and Goofy, they aren’t just paying Hades a visit in the Underworld but fighting Heartless, sliding down slopes with the occasional magma stream and unleashing their own team-up. Both characters are playable, which raises even more questions when they also venture to the Land of the Dead, seemingly missing Sora along the way (though the latter can see their spirits).

What’s with all the Heartless and mayhem in Quadratum? Who are the other Keyblade wielders helping Sora? We’ll find out when Kingdom Hearts 4 launches in late 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

We get a look at the first Disney world: The Land of the Dead, the setting for 2017’s Coco. Sora meets with Miguel, fighting Heartless during his performance and even unlocking a new Keyblade form based on the world. In one sequence, he’s riding it on rails to battle a larger Heartless.

Meanwhile, Donald and Goofy travel to the Underworld from Hercules to meet with Hades, who reveals that Sora isn’t there. At one point in Quadratum, the latter sees his friends’ spirits and collapses before we cut to another scene where large Heartless attack. Another Keyblade wielder is with him, besides Strelitzia from Kingdom Hearts Union χ.

And what is Mickey Mouse doing? Hanging out in the library, noting that “This is a lot of new information.” Perhaps teasing fans that there’s more to come, especially with a Deep Dive panel set for today at 4:30 PM PST. Stay tuned for more details and updates in the meantime.

You can also check out the lat trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 here.

It’s Noctis Lucis Caelum from Final Fantasy 15 who you’re going to try to convince to join you this time around, and he’s definitely worth the effort from the little glimpse we’ve been given of him. He’s a prince who once struggled with the mantle of ruling his people in war-torn times, and he prefers to vent his frustration on the battlefield. Quite nimble, he can easily take to the skies and charge up some incredibly damaging moves, proving to be more than a match for even the deadliest of foes.

With aerial slams, light-based attacks, and dangerously proficient sword strikes, he’s a powerhouse that should work very well with the Warrior of Light, who was the focus of the last showcase. All in all, this is a group of warriors we can’t wait to bring together once the game releases on October 22nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Those keen on even more gameplay alongside quick look at the game’s soundtrack and core cast can head here.

“The way Disney is shaping the future of interactive entertainment through games is really acknowledging that games have become a foundational part of the broader entertainment landscape,” he explained. This strategy has already gone on to pay dividends.

“We’ve built a really foundational footprint in games today,” he continued, going on to mention that the company has “nine games that have grossed over $1 billion at retail. So, it’s about telling truly original stories that really are unique to this medium, specifically.”

Looking to the future, Shoptaw spoke about wanting to build new franchises based on its various IPs, with this year’s attempts including the recently-released fighting game Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and the upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine.

“These are platforms where Gen Z [and] Gen Alpha primarily are spending a lot of their time, hanging out with their friends. It’s a really good example of just how powerful and meaningful these worlds can be.”

Disney is also continuing its relationship with Epic Games to tap into the audience that Fortnite has garnered. Shoptaw called the partnership a “really important one” since it gives Disney “a ton of opportunity to bring our great characters, stories, and worlds into that universe and build something truly unique to Disney.”

The Kingdom Hearts deep dive panel will take place on August 15th at 4:30 PM PT, and will feature actors Haley Joel Osment (Sora, Vanitas) and David Gallagher (Riku), along with Kingdom Hearts 4 co-director Tai Yasue. From Disney, the panel will feature voice actor Renée Johnson and Disney & Pixar Games representative Nana Gadd.

It is worth keeping in mind, however, that Disney hasn’t made any official statement about the panel being exclusively about Kingdom Hearts 4. However, the timing of the panel, coming just a few months after Kingdom Hearts 4 got a proper trailer, would indicate that Square Enix and Disney are getting ready to reveal more details about the title.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is being developed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The title is slated to be the second entry in the Lost Master story arc that was kicked off in 2020’s Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory. The story will revolve around Sora’s continued battles against the forces of darkness as well as his attempts to escape the Quadratum.

The last mainline entry in the franchise was Kingdom Hearts 3 in 2019, which acted as a grand finale for the Dark Seeker Saga that was first started with the original Kingdom Hearts. It got an expansion in 2020 – ReMind – which revolved around Sora coming to terms with the consequences of some of his choices.

It is worth noting that Disney hasn’t yet stated whether this panel will focus on Kingdom Hearts 4, or if it will instead be a deep dive on the entire franchise. However, considering the fact that we got a trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 this year, Square Enix and Disney are likely getting ready to reveal more details about the upcoming game.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is being developed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2, and while it doesn’t have a release date yet, rumors have indicated that it might come out sometime in 2027. Since being discovered in June, however, the two separate store listings that had mentioned Kingdom Hearts 4 have removed mentions of the release windows.

Story details about Kingdom Hearts 4 haven’t been revealed. However, back in January 2025, franchise director Tetsuya Nomura had discussed the concept of crossroads playing an important role in the series on the 15th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.

“Apparently, the plan is to release my comment alongside the teaser trailer for BBS from the secret movie in Kingdom Hearts 2,” he said at the time. “So, taking my cue from that video, I’d like to give you an insight into the crossroads.” He went on to discuss the video, which featured three Keyblade users waiting for someone at a crossroads. “Meeting someone at a crossroads is actually a recurring motif in Kingdom Hearts. At the beginning of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (CoM), Sora meets someone in a black coat and is invited to Castle Oblivion.”

The more recent Kingdom Hearts 3 had crossroads appearing as well, where the Lost Masters gather before things take a dramatic turn. “But wait… when the Lost Masters gather at the crossroads in KH3, what is gained and what is lost? That’s a story for another time,” Nomura concluded.

The most recent mainline entry in the Kingdom Hearts franchise was 2019’s Kingdom Hearts 3, which served as the finale for the Dark Seeker Saga that was kicked off with the original Kingdom Hearts. It got an expansion pack in 2020, dubbed ReMind, which involved Sora trying to undo some of the tragedy that took place during the Keyblade War.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is slated to be the second game in what has been described as the Lost Master Arc of the franchise. Following up on the 2020 rhythm game Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, Kingdom Hearts 4 will focus on Sora’s continued fight against the darkness while also trying to escape the Quadratum.