It’s a good time to be a Kingdom Hearts fan. Not only is the hit video game franchise getting the animated series treatment, but its latest mainline entry has finally unveiled a release window. At D23, the annual Disney fan event held from 14 to 16 August this year, the House of Mouse announced that the former will be coming to Disney+ and Disney Channel, with creator Tetsuya Nomura and developer Square Enix involved in development.
No additional details, including a premiere date and story specifics, were shared, but a first-look image features protagonist Sora — albeit more grown-up and muscular — and his signature Keyblade. The project is described as a reimagining of the “iconic adventure with a brand-new story that will expand on the universe of Kingdom Hearts while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world,” and to that, we say, ‘good luck,’ because the overarching lore is known to be notoriously convoluted.
Additionally, extended gameplay for the highly anticipated Kingdom Hearts 4 was showcased during the panel, coming after a surprise drop at the June 2026 Nintendo Direct. In it, fans can catch glimpses of the upcoming world inspired by Pixar’s Coco, Sora fending off the new version of the Heartless in Quadratum, and familiar action-RPG combat elements that will introduce wrinkles to the formula, including the ability to control Mickey and Goofy outside of combat, as well as fight alongside other characters on the battlefield (in the trailer, Sora is joined by Coco‘s Hector and Miguel).
As Mickey, players take the form of an origami Mickey, which is reminiscent of Paper Mario, while exploring a world that, per co-director Tai Yasue, boasts a “puzzle-based game design”. Oh, and Riku is back!
Kingdom Hearts 4 is slated for release in late 2027, and Nomura was quick to allay concerns of potential delays on the stage. “We announced that the game is going to be coming [in] late 2027, and I saw online that some people were saying, ‘Oh, you know, maybe the actual release date might still get pushed back’,” he said via an interpreter. “I just wanted to set the record straight – that is not happening. So I do hope that people do look forward to the game coming in 202
It’s been a long time coming for fans, though the wait pales in comparison to the 14-year gap between Kingdom Hearts 2 and its sequel. Since its debut in 2002, the franchise has sold over 39 million units worldwide across three mainline entries and multiple spin-offs, with the main plot centred on Sora’s journeys across various Disney crossover worlds to protect his friends and thwart the schemes of numerous villains.
The upcoming sequel sees the Keyblade wielder trapped in the life-like world of Quadratum and is set after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3 and Melody of Memory, kicking off the “Lost Master” story arc. It will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S late next year.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
