When are we expecting news?

[xenosaga]

But why do they have to make everything from scratch? What about all the UE4 assets? I mean, didn’t the majority of us expect the next entry to release earlier because of the engine switch to UE4?

That’s my biggest issue right now. I mean, I genuinely don’t understand it. I’d have been totally okay with another game using KH3 graphics in UE4 instead of waiting 6 years for the next big technical update

I doubt KH4 will be a completely start from scratch like how KH3 was. But at the same time, by the nature of KH (having brand new Disney worlds), it has to make most of the assets from scratch unless they reuse all the old Disney worlds again from KH3 somehow... and I doubt other than Olympus they would be reusing the KH3 worlds.
The original KH characters and returning Disney characters will probably be based off KH3 but improved quality (like the Donald and Goofy we saw in KH4 trailer) and other various smaller assets probably be reused, but it won't be anywhere near the extent of FF7R project when it comes to reusing the assets.

 

[olu]

Surely there must be a less shitty way to say this opinion

Apologies if I came off as rude but when a significant number of people are acting like a 4-year wait for a massive title after its prematurely released trailer is nothing but a bad omen, it gets frustrating. Incessant pessimism will do nothing except increase irritability and impatience. May even ruin the game for some due to higher expectations while waiting.

I'll just ignore the doom and gloom from here on out. I see that I'm only contributing to the darkness negativity that way.

TL;DR, this time the reveal being early very likely has nothing to do with the state of development.

I don't agree with this, based solely on the fact that Nomura admitted that KHIII (and FF7R) were announced too early. Again, to avoid leaks and allegedly "assuage the excitement of fans". I imagine KH has a more complex development cycle than other titles - resulting in a longer wait for your average AAA.

With that in mind, FF7R had been brought out of its early concept stages by the time of its early reveal. Apply that to KH4 with its elongated development cycle and.....

But ultimately, you're right. We're not developers for these games. We don't know how they operate. But outside KHIII's obscure circumstances behind its development, if you take their habits with early trailers in the past and try to estimate how far along development it is - you'll find that that game(s) during those moments of time are not very far along in a relative sense. But again, who knows. I won't cry if I'm wrong cuz if I am, that just means we're getting the game earlier than expected and that's awesome for everyone. Assuming the game is finished and polished that is.

We can also eat pizza bagels.

Now that, I can get behind.

 

[xenosaga]

I am almost certain the main reason KH4 was announced that day was because it was 20th anniversary. If 20th anniversary was this year, it would have been announced this year.

 

[olu]

I am almost certain the main reason KH4 was announced that day was because it was 20th anniversary. If 20th anniversary was this year, it would have been announced this year.

Nomura, as per the 20th Anniversary Event Q&A:

“Can't say much about the game right now. It was only shown early to avoid leaks, so there won't be any more news for a while.”

It being the big 2-0 for the series might have factored in, but I don’t see why he’d lie about the motive for the timing of the trailer…

 

[Chaser]

I bought V-Bucks because they had Alan Wake in the store, and now I have 1000 left over sooooo I'm ready for that Kingdom Hearts bundle, whenever you're ready to drop it Epic Games..... like today? Please?

 

[olu]

I downloaded Fortnite just to buy the Goku skins then immediately deleted it.

Sora joining the game would probably make me actually try it.

 

[Squood!]

I'm just sayin, I don't recall "avoiding leaks" being part of why KH3 was announced. But to appease fans? Prolly, given that KH3 didn't even have real in-engine footage at that time.

 

[2 quid is good]

Honestly there was no reason to announce KH3 in 2013. Certainly nobody was *seriously* expecting it - except that one guy who wrote a really convincing post on KH Ultimania a day before it was revealed xD.

The "one more thing" after the re-reveal of Versus 13/15 could just as easily have been a reveal of the PS3 remixes and that would have been fine tbh. The final mixes having an international release would have been good enough. I think Square Enix just wanted to go really big for their "Square Enix Presents" segment and bit off a bit more than they could chew.

I'm pretty sure 98% of people watching that trailer at the time thought it would be the Remixes until it switched to the Master Keeper footage.

 

[olu]

I'm just sayin, I don't recall "avoiding leaks" being part of why KH3 was announced. But to appease fans? Prolly, given that KH3 didn't even have real in-engine footage at that time.

“The director behind Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy 7 Remake has recently admitted that Square Enix announced both games too early, but said it was a necessary move to assuage the excitement of fans and prevent leaks and rumors.”

 

[2 quid is good]

Lol see, it's right there in the first part of that sentence "assuage the excitement of fans". They just wanted a win.

KH used to be notorious for never leaking. Pre KH3, the only thing that ever leaked was a screen grab of a rock from 0.2. It may even have been fake. And yet again, "leaking" that KH4 is a thing that exists wouldn't have done much damage at all. I'm sure everyone was already aware it was in place and statements like that do the rounds all the time for many franchises.

It's not hard to admit they dropped the ball. We have got to stop taking Square's/Nomura's word for something and act like it's law. It's not like Square's gonna ever say "yeah we announced too early, our bad, we don't have any excuses for this whatsoever". They're ALWAYS gonna find an excuse to justify their decisions, we don't have to accept them though.

Unpopular opinion, maybe, but there it is. And no, I don't think 2025 is unreasonable at all. Here's hoping it's Q4 2025 so we still have a win :V

 

[olu]

It's not hard to admit they dropped the ball. We have got to stop taking Square's/Nomura's word for something and act like it's law. It's not like Square's gonna ever say "yeah we announced too early, our bad, we don't have any excuses for this whatsoever". They're ALWAYS gonna find an excuse to justify their decisions, we don't have to accept them though.

I agree with this for the most part. A lotta these claims are for damage control. But who else are going to turn to for updates and news on developments? Nomura and SQENIX are developers of this series. They know what’s going on. Whose word are we to take as law if not theirs?

Skepticism is natural and even welcomed at this point but if you want legitimate, concrete updates - I’m afraid it’s Nomura and SQENIX you’re gonna wanna turn to.

Late-2025 would be nice. But I’m hoping for a fully realised, grand-scale game with the utmost polish. So imma keep rooting for mid-2026.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1799616488401502414

My god.

 

[xenosaga]

This long wait just makes me more curious about the thing Nomura said at the concert that happened after 20th anniversary event.

 

[olu]

What'd he say?

 

[xenosaga]

What'd he say?

hey was very vague saying something like a bit after the 20th anniversary (sometime that year) something happened that changed the direction of Kingdom Hearts series or something.

 

[Chaser]

What'd he say?

Who knows

Joining series composer Yoko Shimomura on stage, Nomura said: "Last year after the Kingdom Hearts event, there was something that happened that determined the direction of the Kingdom Hearts series." This was apparently news to Shimomura who responded with: "Huh, what? What happened?" to which Nomura replied: "Oh you didn’t know? I’ll tell you backstage."

Kingdom Hearts 4 got a behind-the-scenes pivot after its reveal, but its director won't say why

Fans have been theorizing what this means for the future of the series

www.gamesradar.com

 

[olu]

Ohhh, I remember that. I remember people speculating that Disney would be detaching itself from the series - which makes 0 sense whatsoever. Whatever it is, I hope it's something positive and not detrimental.

Back then, I read that event as Disney allowing Nomura to do something with the series he wasn't allowed to do before. I don't really know where I got that idea from though.

 

[Darkspawn]

You know what late 2025/early 2026 is? The 20th anniversaries of KH2. Maybe Nomura wants it out around that time.

It’d be kind of fitting for it to be announced around the KH1 anniversary and release around that of KH2. Especially with how this is set to effectively be Osaka’s KH2 (reaction commands returning, refined combat based on lessons learned from Re:Mind, etc.)

 

[olu]

Good shout. I also believe they're bringing back Triangle Commands after fans advocated for its return after KH3.

 

[Squood!]

I'm pretty sure 98% of people watching that trailer at the time thought it would be the Remixes until it switched to the Master Keeper footage.

Considering most of the recorded reactions to it on Youtube usually involve "Oh it's just the Remix" and "wait 2.5?"...

Who knows

Kingdom Hearts 4 got a behind-the-scenes pivot after its reveal, but its director won't say why

Fans have been theorizing what this means for the future of the series

www.gamesradar.com

Honestly still think he shoulda just...not said that at all lol

Even more wack is we don't even know if this was a bit Yoko was in on or not lol

 

[Darkspawn]

Good shout. I also believe they're bringing back Triangle Commands after fans advocated for its return after KH3.

Yeah Reaction Commands are coming back. While it gets a lot of comparisons to KH1 due to marking the start of a new saga, I think this game is going to be a sibling to KH2 in a lot of ways.