When are we expecting news?

[Darkspawn]

And to me, it isn't even just that, I think one of the main reasons what KH4 has been so silent is because of the engine switch, sort of like what happened to KH3. Sure, switching to UE5 from UE4 isn't as intensive as with KH3, but even then, I've heard that switching to UE5 isn't as simple as just copying and pasting. As we saw in the trailer, KH4 already looked amazing on UE4. In an ideal world, they should have just kept KH4 on UE4, and saved UE5 for KH5. If that had happened, I'd like to think that we would have heard way more on KH4 by now, or maybe even had the game in our hands, especially when you consider that the NIVDIA leak mentioned that KH4's internal date was as early as September 2023, if memory serves. So to me, I think another part of the problem is that Square really shouldn't change engines in the middle of development, as that is always going to set things back a bit. Just look how quickly they are getting the VII Remake games out by comparison.

May be giving SE too much credit, but I don’t think the switch to UE5 is really the problem. We’re seeing plenty of games release now built on UE5 that started development around the same time. They’re even considering it for Remake Part 3 as long as it wouldn’t slow development. If UE5 had given the KH team trouble with their switch, I don’t think that idea would even be in the conversation. They also could be getting better support from Epic now that Disney has an ownership stake.

If a switch had to happen, I think this was the best time to do it with the start of a new saga. We were at a good spot in the narrative to take a break for a bit while they build a new foundation for the next few games. Having this kind of gap of content between 4 and 5 would be worse imo.

I also don’t think fans would have responded well if they didn’t announce anything at the 20th anniversary, especially we still hadn’t heard anything up to now. We’d probably be considering the franchise dead.

 

[Darkspawn]

The franchise is up to 37 millions units sold as of June 2024 per SE’s annual report, That’s up a million from the same time last year. (Surely we’ve given them enough of our allowance by now to get a little KH4 trailer in return.)

Also, we got snack wraps back at McDonald’s before KH4.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1864673413576429653

 

[olu]

this is a 206-page long thread so it's prolly already been talked about, but just in case: when do we think kh4 is dropping? i think we're getting news about it mid 2025 at least with a 2026 release date.

 

[Chaser]

this is a 206-page long thread so it's prolly already been talked about, but just in case: when do we think kh4 is dropping? i think we're getting news about it mid 2025 at least with a 2026 release date.

That’s what I’m thinking. There’s not really any major third party events until summer games fest so my guess is there and it’ll be out within the first half of 2026, hopefully.

 

[Darkspawn]

I don’t think Nomura would want to miss the opportunity of revealing the Star Wars world at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo. That’s in April. There’s no better place to show a game that features both Star Wars and a fictionalized version of Tokyo.

I could see the release being Friday, April 10th, 2026. Exactly 4 years from the original reveal date. FFVII Remake also released that day back in 2020 and sold well. While KH3 and Rebirth were released in January/February, that window has gotten really crowded with other releases recently. I think that’s a big reason Rebirth didn’t sell as well.

 

[Launchpad]

I don’t think Nomura would want to miss the opportunity of revealing the Star Wars world at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo. That’s in April. There’s no better place to show a game that features both Star Wars and a fictionalized version of Tokyo.

I could see the release being Friday, April 10th, 2026. Exactly 4 years from the original reveal date. FFVII Remake also released that day back in 2020 and sold well. While KH3 and Rebirth were released in January/February, that window has gotten really crowded with other releases recently. I think that’s a big reason Rebirth didn’t sell as well.

Thats the day after my birthday to be visited by Sora and his friends to celebrate my big day would be so so so nice, I'd be kicking my little feet with delight and I'd have a song in my heart too

 

[MATGSY]

Famitsu readers voted KH2 their 20th favorite PlayStation game:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1865058618242142547

 

[Launchpad]

Famitsu readers voted KH2 their 20th favorite PlayStation game:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1865058618242142547

kh2 is a fantastic game in its own right and so fucking far ahead of its time with how slick the combat was, but its immense popularity is 90% attributed to its crystalization as the most 2006 thing to ever exist in 2006. it grabbed the people it grabbed and it never let go, even 18 years on. KH1 and KH3 sold better (and i enjoyed them both a bit more than kh2 though not by much) but KH2's biggest fans have the most powerful and enduring love of them all. it's crazy

 

[Megavoltage]

I'm surprised KH1 isn't on the list.

 

[Squood!]

kh2 is a fantastic game in its own right and so fucking far ahead of its time with how slick the combat was, but its immense popularity is 90% attributed to its crystalization as the most 2006 thing to ever exist in 2006. it grabbed the people it grabbed and it never let go, even 18 years on. KH1 and KH3 sold better (and i enjoyed them both a bit more than kh2 though not by much) but KH2's biggest fans have the most powerful and enduring love of them all. it's crazy

KH2FM replacing Vanilla in people's minds prolly helped too :T

 

[Darkspawn]

Kitsae and Hamaguchi will be doing a community event for Rebirth after the Game Awards next week. I’m guessing this means Nomura isn’t coming. Makes it a bit less likely that we get any KH there.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1865154519694524661

 

[Squood!]

Kitsae and Hamaguchi will be doing a community event for Rebirth after the Game Awards next week. I’m guessing this means Nomura isn’t coming. Makes it a bit less likely that we get any KH there.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1865154519694524661

What's Kingdom Hearts?

 

[2 quid is good]

KH2FM replacing Vanilla in people's minds prolly helped too :T

People keep bringing this up as if it somehow discredits what the original game was capable of, and I really don't think it has as big of an impact as some say

EDIT: Gran Turismo 1 on the top half of that list.... I say that's my baby and I'm proud.... I've always been a GT1 Truther

 

[Dandelion]

People keep bringing this up as if it somehow discredits what the original game was capable of, and I really don't think it has as big of an impact as some say

EDIT: Gran Turismo 1 on the top half of that list.... I say that's my baby and I'm proud.... I've always been a GT1 Truther

I disagree. Most of the things that people use to praise the game are the result of Final Mix. That isn't why they like the game but they cite those things to justify/double down when the reality is mostly what Launchpad has said.

 

[Launchpad]

2 is frustrating because it abandons the best things about its predecessor and proceeds to break new ground in a completely different area. They made one elite game and then made another game that is the exact inverse but still elite somehow

 

[Squood!]

Like I'm just sayin', I've seen people treat 2FM as if it were the first release lol

 

[Phoenix]

I disagree. Most of the things that people use to praise the game are the result of Final Mix. That isn't why they like the game but they cite those things to justify/double down when the reality is mostly what Launchpad has said.

Just anecdotally, KH2 is my all time favourite game and I haven't even played FM. I played it when it came out, played it a bunch more in the PS2, and then emulated it when I wanted to play it again.

Whatever KH2 does that works for me it did on release.

 

[1millionsquats]

I don't think I engage in a deep enough level with the combat systems to appreciate all of the changes FM made, but I enjoy the extra stuff like the boss fights. As a kid, I only had access to vanilla and would always look at videos of the Cavern of Remembrance and Organization fights like a hungry dog looking at rotisserie chicken. KH1 was always my favorite, though.

 

[Launchpad]

younger me wanted each game to capitalize on the previous game's best qualities, but older me is grateful that kh1 and kh2 are such wildly different experiences, as going from one to the other feels super refreshing. I still think KH2 pooed the bed when it comes to the worlds, but can I really be upset about that for 20 years when KH3 levels are a lot better?

If you were to play, say, Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 3 back to back, you're really getting the same core gameplay loop twice over. After you've experienced the excellent little stories those games have to offer, the simple experience of playing them is so damn similar. Meanwhile, if you go through a cutscene skippin' run of KH1, KH2, and KH3 back to back, it's crazy how different each game feels to go through.

The variety is nice, but I would also like to see a KH4 that brings it all together and beats the rest. probably wont happen but i'm also just excited to see what kind of game it is.

drought so crazy we're unearthing kh1 vs kh2

 

[2 quid is good]

KH1 vs KH2 is literally SA1 vs SA2 with all of the same arguments for and against. Weirdly though I prefer SA1 and I severely disliked SA2 for the longest time, meanwhile for KH its the inverse. I never disliked KH1 though I just didn't think it was quite as good.

I disagree. Most of the things that people use to praise the game are the result of Final Mix. That isn't why they like the game but they cite those things to justify/double down when the reality is mostly what Launchpad has said.

I completely agree with what Launchpad said and I feel like I've said it myself at some point - KH2 is the most late 2000s game to ever late 2000 and that's a significant factor to its popularity, I guess if we're talking from a hard-core fandom view then sure, you're right, things like Critical Mode and Lingering Will are what's talked about a lot.

Crazily though, you ask anybody with passing knowledge of KH and they probably played KH2 on the PS2 and that was enough for them to sing its praises since. You see it all the time, especially when KH is trending, casuals come out of the woodwork to simply go "man I liked KH2" and I severely doubt they know what a cavern of remembrance is.

How much of the current casual interest in KH is down to the PS2/NDS era? Specifically KH1-Days? All that hype generated with KH3 and they've shot themselves in the foot here by losing it and instead focusing even more inwards.