News ► KH 20th anniversary event Q&A masterpost

[Xagzan]

— Why was there noise in the sky after Ephemer and Skuld left the data world in UX?
Nomura: There's no deeper meaning to this. It's just an effect.

Yeah...an effect signifying you're in the data world. Nomura you premiered canon dialogue in a concert. Gave a thorough dissertation on the rules of time travel and went out of your way almost 20 years later to explain why Mickey was shirtless in KH1. You don't get to say there's no deeper meaning lol

— Why did Master Xehanort take over Terra when he was old and not when he was young?
Nomura: Because he didn't have the power to do when he was younger. On the topic of Xehanort, the mysteries surrounding him will be revealed in the final chapter of DR.

Little confused why this was a question. He didn't when he was young because Terra wasn't born yet?

You'll also find out why Xehanort's hair became the way it did.

The dark mysteries of male pattern baldness.

— Why did the story diverge based on who won or lost the battle with Yozora?
Nomura: It's a difficult battle, so we thought it'd be nice to have something to see even if you lost. That's all there is to it.

Oh Nomura, I don't believe that for a second

 

[Silver_Soul]

Looking forward to playing Missing Link since it's actually an ARPG like the main series. Looks like the devs have been making steady progress on all of their projects. Good to see.

I wish people were more hyped about this. a multiplayer action KH game. That's huge!

 

[HakaishinChampa]

I wish people were more hyped about this. a multiplayer action KH game. That's huge!

It's a mobile game though. If it's available on consoles too - then that would be nice.

It looks like there will be disney worlds from KH3, I'm worried it's literally going to be KH3's worlds in it's entirety - no new locations.

 

[MoonRabbit]

On the topic of Xehanort, the mysteries surrounding him will be revealed in the final chapter of DR. You'll also find out why Xehanort's hair became the way it did.

I'm actually really intrigued by this. In Dark Road, Young Xehanort changed his hairstyle. After possessing Terra, Xehanort/Xemnas also styled his hair in this way. Also, despite having a different hairstyle in BBS, Saix chose to grow out his hair and style it in a similar way. I wonder if it was for the same reason.

 

[NoWay]

It's a mobile game though. If it's available on consoles too - then that would be nice.

It looks like there will be disney worlds from KH3, I'm worried it's literally going to be KH3's worlds in it's entirety - no new locations.

I actually don’t care about them reusing the KH3 worlds. What really bothers me: if they are already reusing the same worlds, Why do they not release the game on consoles? Why does it have to be a mobile game?

I really wouldn’t mind if it was copy paste KH3’s worlds with new gameplay mechanics

 

[HakaishinChampa]

I actually don’t care about them reusing the KH3 worlds. What really bothers me: if they are already reusing the same worlds, Why do they not release the game on consoles? Why does it have to be a mobile game?

I really wouldn’t mind if it was copy paste KH3’s worlds with new gameplay mechanics

I'd just love a new location or two like in Corona, would be cool going to the Snuggly Duckling

or Al's Toy Barn in Toy Box

 

[Henryp]

I actually don’t care about them reusing the KH3 worlds. What really bothers me: if they are already reusing the same worlds, Why do they not release the game on consoles? Why does it have to be a mobile game?

I really wouldn’t mind if it was copy paste KH3’s worlds with new gameplay mechanics

Because it's easier to produce than an underwhelming new gameplay mechanic for home consoles, and it'll probably give more money to SE with the whole gatcha thing than doing a single payment game for consoles. As far as I know, mobile games are huge in the east. Either way, I won't discard the possibility of the game, with similar gatcha mechanics, making it into home consoles as time goes by.

 

[MoonRabbit]

I wish people were more hyped about this. a multiplayer action KH game. That's huge!

TBH, I'm more hyped about Missing Link than KH4. The reason is this:

• Set during a blank time period between UX and DR
• A story that connects all of the mysteries up to now
• Key words: Multiple Scalas, Founder Ephemer, Secret Society of Keyblade Wielders. Everything is connected.

As a mobile game, it doesn't have to follow main series conventions, which means it has more liberty to focus on the past "blank periods" of the older Saga. The fact that the game is called "Missing Link" makes me very hopeful that Nomura is going to revisit some of the concepts from Birth by Sleep Volume II (which was the game teased during the "Blank Points" secret ending). BBSV2 was meant to be KH0.5. We only ever got 0.2, but we never got the missing 0.3. It is literally the missing link of the series. If Nomura is going to answer mysteries such as why Riku passed Kairi's Keyblade on to her, I expect it to happen in Missing Link.

On top of that, it looks like a lot of fun. It is 3D and action-oriented, which is a huge upgrade from Union X. I like how the "medals" look like Super Smash Bros. trophies. Also, Missing Link looks more "canon" to me. This may be controversial, but I kinda wish Nomura had just made Verum Rex instead of KH4. KH4 looks nothing like a KH game. It's just wish fulfillment for Nomura to recreate Versus XIII. Any KH lore appears to be an afterthought.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I'm actually really intrigued by this. In Dark Road, Young Xehanort changed his hairstyle. After possessing Terra, Xehanort/Xemnas also styled his hair in this way. Also, despite having a different hairstyle in BBS, Saix chose to grow out his hair and style it in a similar way. I wonder if it was for the same reason.

I mean, it was always a visual indication of their relation to Xehanort.

I’m sure now it’ll mean it is a visual connection to Darkness.

 

[MATGSY]

I'm just sick of mobile games & hate that they replaced proper handheld entries. Come on Square, make a new game on Switch that isn't rhythm or cloud!

 

[MoonRabbit]

I mean, it was always a visual indication of their relation to Xehanort.

I’m sure now it’ll mean it is a visual connection to Darkness.

Yeah, all those physical traits have to be related somehow. The hairstyle, the pointy ears, the yellow eyes. Maybe it's all related to how the Master of Masters looks.

 

[Nayru's Love]

— Are Nobody emblems natural? Do humanoid Nobodies have them?
Nomura: Is this something you all care about? (laughs)

— When did Namine and Ansem meet?
Nomura: It wasn't, but I didn't show it because I thought people would be able to figure out what happened on their own.

Nomura Translation: What stupid fucking questions

Sleep-deprived Nomura is just shooting the shit and I'm loving it...Looking forward to more interviews with this madman.

 

[MATGSY]

Yeah, all those physical traits have to be related somehow. The hairstyle, the pointy ears, the yellow eyes. Maybe it's all related to how the Master of Masters looks.

I think it's broader than that:

Darken skin & yellow eyes are basically a visual shorthand that tells audiences "hey, this is a bad guy!" There's enough prior examples of it happening in Disney media that they likely influenced (if subconsiously) Nomura's designs for the heartless. & then the heartless designs influence Ansem's design, which in turn influenced every other Xehanort off-shoot.

 

[AdrianXXII]

— Where did Riku get the Keyblade he gave to Kairi in KH2?
Nomura: If you're asking about that... I'll follow up on it. If I don't, then we'd just be throwing that all away.

I don't even know what Nomura is trying to say here.

 

[Sign]

Made another batch of updates thanks to Famitsu and Gamer JP's recaps. Really hope this will be the last time lol I don't want to edit this thing again

 

[2 quid is good]

— When did Namine and Ansem meet?
Nomura: When there was no one else left in Castle Oblivion. Organization XIII had been eliminated, and Sora and Riku were gone, so they were like "Well now what we do?" (laughs) Hazama: It wasn't that amicable, was it? (laughs) Nomura: It wasn't. I didn't show it because I thought people would be able to figure out what happened on their own.

Surprised this was even asked, like Nomura, I thought it was pretty obvious. Some of these questions picked could have gone to much better ones

 

[Sign]

Surprised this was even asked, like Nomura, I thought it was pretty obvious. Some of these questions picked could have gone to much better ones

I feel like whoever went through the list picked these out intentionally to waste time.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

• First started work on KH in 1997.

That explains the level design and the platformer-esque style of Kingdom Hearts.

 

[Sign]

That explains the level design and the platformer-esque style of Kingdom Hearts.

We knew Nomura started working on KH after FF8, but he'd been vague about what that actually meant (after he completed his work on FF8? after the game released?) so it's nice to finally have the answer and pinpoint an exact year.

 

[Xx_HS_xX]

— When did Namine and Ansem meet?
— Why did Riku's hair get cut in KH3D?
— Master Xehanort hijacked Terra's body...why didn't he do anything about it while he was still young?

Barring the fact that some of the questions were, unfortunately, just plain pointless to ask, my issue is actually towards the staff who actually went through these questions and chose them. I pretty sure there was hundreds upon hundreds of questions that were submitted for the event. Were these the ones they thought were good? Really?

(I swear that Ansem question was already answered way back when in the interview or Ultimania)