All the Latest Details on Kingdom Hearts IV

Kingdom Hearts IV has been somewhat of a mystery since its announcement in 2022. While there have been two trailers, a handful of screenshots, and some scattered details from Square Enix, fans are left piecing together what they can. So, what do we actually know about Kingdom Hearts IV beyond the wild theories? Let’s break down the confirmed information.

The story of Kingdom Hearts IV is a bit complex. It seems to shift away from the series’ Disney origins and focuses more on its original lore. The trailers reveal Sora in a world called Quadratum, inspired by real-life Shibuya. Initially introduced as the setting for an in-universe game called Verum Rex, Quadratum now plays a significant role in the series’ expansive multiverse. Sora finds himself in this world after the events of Kingdom Hearts III and its Re:Mind DLC, with his friends Riku and Kairi eventually discovering his location in the rhythm game Melody of Memory. Riku ventures into Quadratum to find Sora, while Kairi stays behind to update their Disney allies.

That’s the basic premise, but anyone familiar with the series knows it’s rarely straightforward. Over the past 24 years, Kingdom Hearts has woven a complex narrative that makes every game essential to understanding the whole story. If you’ve only played the mainline titles, you might feel a bit lost.

From the trailers and screenshots, it’s evident that many familiar characters will appear in KH4, though their roles remain unclear. Sora is back as the main character, but it seems he won’t be the only one you can control. A screenshot suggests that Mickey Mouse will be playable in certain segments. Donald and Goofy, Sora’s trusty companions, make brief appearances in the trailers, but we haven’t seen them fighting alongside Sora yet. Hades’ voice actor has hinted at recording for the game, indicating the return of the Hercules villain, who has appeared in every mainline entry so far.

Aside from the Disney trio and Hades, the cast of Kingdom Hearts IV will include original characters from the series, some of whom may only be recognizable to those who followed the now-defunct mobile games. Luxord, the card-wielding member of Organization XIII, will appear in Quadratum, along with mobile game characters Strelitzia, Valdi, and Sigurd. The mysterious Master of Masters and his apprentice Luxu are also set to make an appearance. Interestingly, Xehanort, the series’ original antagonist, will return in his younger form rather than the older version we defeated in Kingdom Hearts III. There’s been no word yet on whether any Final Fantasy characters will join the fray, as they were largely absent from Kingdom Hearts III until the Re:Mind DLC.

Riku, a key character in the series, hasn’t been featured in any promotional material for KH4 yet, but since he was heading to Quadratum at the end of Melody of Memory, he’s likely to show up.

Visually, Kingdom Hearts IV appears to lean more towards a mainline Final Fantasy aesthetic than previous entries. The series has typically embraced an anime-inspired art style that blended Sora into Disney worlds without feeling out of place. After Kingdom Hearts III, the visuals took on a more plastic, toy-like quality, but KH4 seems to aim for a photorealistic look. According to Square Enix, this is because Sora is in Quadratum. In past games, Sora and his friends have transformed to fit the aesthetic of the Disney worlds they visit, so this shift, while significant, has some narrative grounding.

“From Sora’s perspective, Quadratum is an underworld, a fictional world that is different from reality,” director Tetsuya Nomura explained. “But from the point of view of the inhabitants on the Quadratum side, the world of Quadratum is reality, and the world where Sora and the others were is the other side, the fictional world.”

So far, we’ve primarily seen Quadratum, and if Kingdom Hearts IV includes Disney worlds, we haven’t glimpsed them yet. Hades’ involvement suggests a potential return to Olympus, but that remains unconfirmed. In one screenshot featuring Mickey, he appears to be in Scala ad Caelum, the origin point of the Kingdom Hearts universe. This aligns with Mickey being sent there by Yen Sid at the end of Melody of Memory, but if you’re hoping to see characters from Moana or Zootopia, there’s no information on that yet.

However, there is a shot in the original trailer that fans speculate might hint at a sequence set in a Star Wars world. Given the brand synergy, it seemed inevitable that Star Wars or Marvel would eventually make their way into Kingdom Hearts.

It’s uncertain how the canceled mobile game Missing-Link, which was supposed to release before Kingdom Hearts IV, will factor into the new game. Based on leaked footage, characters intended for Missing-Link, like Sigurd, are believed to be included in KH4. Given the importance of previous games in the series, it wouldn’t be surprising if significant story elements were planned for Missing-Link before its cancellation. We’ll have to wait and see how Square Enix integrates these characters and plot points into KH4.

From what we’ve seen of Kingdom Hearts IV’s combat, it looks to maintain the series’ fast-paced action. Sora is shown battling Heartless with his keyblade, performing stylish moves and tricks, including zipping around and grinding on buildings while taking on a massive boss. Quick Time Event-driven special moves appear to be returning as well. However, we haven’t yet seen Sora fighting alongside his party members. Donald and Goofy are currently separated from him, leaving us wondering when they’ll reunite and how their teamwork will play out this time.

Kingdom Hearts IV is set to launch on Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, but there’s no release date or window information available yet.