Kingdom Hearts IV Features Characters from an Unplayable Game in a Fitting Twist

When gamers hear “spin-off,” they often think of additional content that isn’t essential for enjoying the main storyline. However, that’s not the case with Kingdom Hearts. Every title in this series, whether it follows Sora, Donald, and Goofy on their Disney adventures or not, feels like required reading. Kingdom Hearts IV appears to continue this trend, as the latest trailer hints at several characters from a game that many fans likely haven’t experienced. The catch? That game is no longer available.

The Kingdom Hearts IV trailer features familiar faces like Sora and Luxord, recognizable to anyone who has played the mainline games, even if the new photorealistic art style makes them look a bit different. However, there are also characters that only those familiar with the mobile spin-offs, Kingdom Hearts Union X and Dark Road, will recognize. This prequel dives into the Keyblade War that set the series in motion and explores the backstory of the series antagonist, Xehanort. Unfortunately, this dual package was removed from digital storefronts in 2024, and as of now, there’s no way to catch up on these crucial narratives, which seem to play a significant role in the upcoming game.

Ahead of Kingdom Hearts III, cutscenes from some of the less accessible titles were included in remastered compilations, allowing players to catch up on the story. It’s possible that a similar approach will be taken for Kingdom Hearts IV, making these important story elements more accessible before its release. In the meantime, fans have uploaded all the cutscenes to platforms like YouTube for those who want to dive into the lore without waiting for an official re-release.

It’s quite the Kingdom Hearts move to make a game that’s no longer accessible a key part of a sequel. While I appreciate the series’ commitment to ensuring every piece of its story is significant, it’s hard to believe that the challenges of live-service shutdowns or digital delistings were on anyone’s radar when the series first launched on the PlayStation 2 back in 2002.

Kingdom Hearts IV doesn’t have a release date yet, but it’s confirmed for PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S whenever it finally drops.