When are we expecting news?

[1millionsquats]

Do you guys think it would've been more or less painful to wait for new information all these years if they hadn't announced IV at all?

 

[Darkspawn]

So, are we expecting a ML or even KH4 trailer during Summer Games Fest?
I’m still hoping for the Switch 2 ports but I really doubt it.
I actually don’t think we’ll get anything this year

I think it only shows up at SGF if they want to do a repeat of Ever Crisis and Rebirth with ML and KH4. Meaning ML would be coming out this year and KH4 sometime in the first half of next year. I don’t think they want to spend the money on marketing at these big events until games are within a year of release.

We have no more information now than we did last year to make any predictions other than that ML has had an extra full year of development time. But delaying it yet another full year on top of that would be insane when they said they were “preparing for launch”, so I think chances are still good that it releases this year.

If we don't hear anything by the end of 2025 and ML still isn’t out yet,
I'm beginning to think that Square might be saving KH IV as a 25th Anniversary title in 2027.
I'm still hoping for 2026 though.

I think the issue there is 2027 is also FFVII’s 30th anniversary and FF’s 40th overall. VIIR3 and another XIV expansion are already highly likely for that year. So trying to cram all three in there as big anniversary releases would probably result in the same sales issues they had with XVI/Rebirth/Dawntrail releasing within a year of each other. If KH4 doesn’t make 2026, I honestly think 2028 is more likely than 2027.

 

[Dandelion]

I honestly think 2028 is more likely than 2027.

This is a hate crime.

 

[Launchpad]

"I wasn't going to buy this game, but... It IS Kingdom Hearts's 25th anniversary, and anniversaries are huge for me... Okay, here's 80 dollars"

 

[the red monster]

I think it only shows up at SGF if they want to do a repeat of Ever Crisis and Rebirth with ML and KH4. Meaning ML would be coming out this year and KH4 sometime in the first half of next year. I don’t think they want to spend the money on marketing at these big events until games are within a year of release.

We have no more information now than we did last year to make any predictions other than that ML has had an extra full year of development time. But delaying it yet another full year on top of that would be insane when they said they were “preparing for launch”, so I think chances are still good that it releases this year.



I think the issue there is 2027 is also FFVII’s 30th anniversary and FF’s 40th overall. VIIR3 and another XIV expansion are already highly likely for that year. So trying to cram all three in there as big anniversary releases would probably result in the same sales issues they had with XVI/Rebirth/Dawntrail releasing within a year of each other. If KH4 doesn’t make 2026, I honestly think 2028 is more likely than 2027.

2028 would be crazy. like KH3 levels of crazy.
at least we had 2.8 DDD/0.2/x back cover back than
all we had so far is MoM and missing link, which is literally missing.

 

[Darkspawn]

This is a hate crime.

2028 would be crazy. like KH3 levels of crazy.
at least we had 2.8 DDD/0.2/x back cover back than
all we had so far is MoM and missing link, which is literally missing.

To be clear, I really think KH4 is a 2026 game. Even if it is a late 2026 release. That’s already 5+ years of development and as long KH3’s dev time. Given the whole 8-10 month marketing campaign trend, there’s still more than enough time for us to get a re-reveal and have it release next year.

It’s only if it wouldn’t be ready by the time they plan to start marketing VIIR-3 that I think they might push it to after that releases. Mainly because VIIR-3 is the end of a saga and likely still using UE4 assets and tech. So if they have to choose, they might as well release it first at that point to close out that saga. Then have the new saga for KH start after that with its fancy new UE5 tech on full display.

 

[SuperNova]

If KH4 is pushed towards 2028 then I'll have no more patience or desire for the series. Because KH3's development was bad enough waiting nearly an entire decade for ANY KH game is beyond a nightmare and I'm not paying 80 dollars for it.

 

[HakaishinChampa]

Even if KH4 were to release in 2027 or 2028, I'm still getting it but then we'd probably have to wait another 9+ years for KH5.

Which a hypothetical Playstation 7 would be out at that time.

And I know Square is doing this new marketing strategy with their games but it'd be nice to just get one little update. Like a Nomura interview talking about the development.

 

[Phoenix]

Even if KH4 were to release in 2027 or 2028, I'm still getting it but then we'd probably have to wait another 9+ years for KH5.

Which a hypothetical Playstation 7 would be out at that time.

And I know Square is doing this new marketing strategy with their games but it'd be nice to just get one little update. Like a Nomura interview talking about the development.

What, you didn't like the Paopu fruit deep lore ?

 

[Darkspawn]

Xbox Showcase set for June 8th.

This will probably be where they announce the Xbox port of FFXVI. I don’t think KH4 will be re-revealed here. But if it is shown elsewhere beforehand, there’s always the chance of a world reveal trailer.

 

[Dandelion]

So, SE is doing this thing, SquareEnix Spotlight, where they're highlighting a game over the course of a month and doing events and whatnot around it. This month, they're focusing on NieR with a livestream to celebrate the anniversary of the series, where they're rumored to be announcing a new NieR game.

Currently, there have been no announcements on what's next (it's also unclear to me if they're doing a new spotlight every month or what) but I have a suspicion that Kingdom Hearts will have its spotlight at some point, and my big conspiracy theory is that it'll be in May or in June to coincide with the SE Linking Hearts Kuji event -- THIS IS THE FIRST KH ICHIBAN KUJI THAT THEY HAVE EVER REPEATED and evidence suggests that last year's was to coincide with the opening preregistration of Missing Link which ended up not happening.

So. Missing Link themed Kuji + SE Spotlights = KH news next month?

I am struggling to cope.

 

[Darkspawn]

So, SE is doing this thing, SquareEnix Spotlight, where they're highlighting a game over the course of a month and doing events and whatnot around it. This month, they're focusing on NieR with a livestream to celebrate the anniversary of the series, where they're rumored to be announcing a new NieR game.

Currently, there have been no announcements on what's next (it's also unclear to me if they're doing a new spotlight every month or what) but I have a suspicion that Kingdom Hearts will have its spotlight at some point, and my big conspiracy theory is that it'll be in May or in June to coincide with the SE Linking Hearts Kuji event -- THIS IS THE FIRST KH ICHIBAN KUJI THAT THEY HAVE EVER REPEATED and evidence suggests that last year's was to coincide with the opening preregistration of Missing Link which ended up not happening.

So. Missing Link themed Kuji + SE Spotlights = KH news next month?

I am struggling to cope.

There’s also the release of the All in One package June 12th in Spain. I know that’s a very small thing, but could be another reason for that month to be KH-focused.

If nothing happens by June, I will be officially dried up of any theories of when we might get something.

I did not think I was going to be stuck as Darkspawn for over a year…

 

[Dandelion]

I did not think I was going to be stuck as Darkspawn for over a year…

Maybe you should go back to being zip, because that's how much news we've had.

 

[Chaser]

Wait a minute, it's April 10th....

Happy 3 year anniversary to the two game announcements wooooooo

 

[SuperNova]

This situation is turning into the ultimate monkey's paw, I recall the days people were complaining about the tiny bits of info we would get about KH3 from 2014-2018 and now zip, zilch, nada. I can't decide which is worse.

 

[Chaser]

This situation is turning into the ultimate monkey's paw, I recall the days people were complaining about the tiny bits of info we would get about KH3 from 2014-2018 and now zip, zilch, nada. I can't decide which is worse.

I wish people didn't take that time for granted.

2013 - announcement in June, D23 early gameplay video in October
2014 - 2.5 remaster with a hint of story for KH3
2015 - Tangled and Big Hero 6 reveal, 2.8 reveal
2016 - 2.8 marketing, Union x released on mobile in English for first time
2017 - 2.8 release, orchestra trailer, Toy Box reveal
2018 - Monsters Inc reveal, Premium Showcase, Frozen reveal, Pirates reveal, Big Hero 6 trailer, Final Battle trailer

And there were interviews sprinkled throughout too. I think I do prefer that over silence, even if it was frustrating to hear them say the game is 60% done and then 2 years later say it's 65% done lol


Edit:

 

[Launchpad]

No, Patrick, KH4's 3-year media absence does not mean that KH3's spoiler trailers were a good thing

 

[Chaser]

If they go back to that (which they will when KH4 marketing actually starts) then choose not to watch them then and let those of us fanging for trailers enjoy them. I loved every KH3 trailer, was always so excited to see the worlds and piece the plot together. It was fun guessing that Hades would send Maleficent to find Pandora's box and that ended up happening in the game.

 

[Launchpad]

let those of us fanging for trailers enjoy them.

but I've singularly stopped people from enjoying 999 different things, would you really stop me before I reach 1000?

 

[Liodin]

There’s also the release of the All in One package June 12th in Spain.

Confirmed in Australia too, and it will likely be released in other european countries as well. It releases on the same date as the Steam version last year, a week after the SGF

How we've ended up exactly the same as we were a year ago

If nothing happens by June, I will be officially dried up of any theories of when we might get something.

Nah, that's not happening and you know it. You always end up finding some info to theorize about, whether it's dates, events, products, etc. You'll not be you if you stopped!

In fact, don't rule out the possibility that you might be the reason we don't have news, and that they've canceled their marketing strategy because you've leaked the surprise

Wait a minute, it's April 10th....

Happy 3 year anniversary to the two game announcements wooooooo

The anniversary trailer was released at 7:00 AM EDT / 1:00 PM CEST / 8:00 PM JST.

We haven't reached three years yet, there's still time!

---

I have many reasons to believe that ML and KH4 were going to be at last year's SGF, or around that time, and I want to believe that the relaunch of the Ichiban Kuji and the All-in-One package for that same date is not a coincidence.

I didn't know about the Square Enix Spotlight, so that's interesting too. Let's see what they do this month with Nier, and maybe it will give us clues about what a KH Spotlight would be like.