Kingdom Hearts 4 Raises the Stakes: What Went Wrong in KH3's Reveal?

Kingdom Hearts 4, currently in development, is highly anticipated by fans. It was unveiled during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event in April 2022, surprising fans. At the event, attendees were treated to a brief teaser trailer, which was later shared online by developer Square Enix. However, Square Enix has not provided any additional details about the game since then, frustrating many fans. This mirrors a similar situation that occurred after the initial announcement of Kingdom Hearts 3. Despite the exciting reveal, Kingdom Hearts 4 seems to be repeating the same mistakes as its predecessor.

In the story of Kingdom Hearts 4, Sora finds himself in the realm of Quadratum after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3: ReMind. The trailer immediately caught the attention of gamers worldwide due to its realistic graphics and updated character designs for Sora and Strelitzia, featuring less cartoon-like proportions. Although the trailer did not showcase any of the worlds Sora will visit, it did tease the return of the Heartless. Despite being announced over a year ago, the reveal trailer remains the sole source of information for Kingdom Hearts 4.

Kingdom Hearts 3 Fans Endured Massive Wait

Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy 15 were both announced at Sony's E3 2013 Press Conference, exciting fans of Square Enix. Kingdom Hearts fans, in particular, were thrilled by the news, as it had been a long time since the release of Kingdom Hearts 2 for the PS2. Despite only a brief teaser and the acknowledgment that the game was still in development, the anticipation for Kingdom Hearts 3 was unmatched.

However, as time went on, the excitement turned into frustration for fans. Developmental changes and long periods of silence from Square Enix made the wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 feel burdensome. Finally, in January 2019, the game was released after almost six years of anticipation. Unfortunately, fans were disappointed with the final product. Many felt that the storyline had issues, important loose ends were left unresolved, and the overall tone was more childlike compared to previous entries and spin-offs.

Kingdom Hearts 4's Reveal Appears to Repeat KH3's First Mistake

The reveal of Kingdom Hearts 4 came as a surprise to dedicated fans, generating great excitement among the larger fanbase. Unlike the 14-year wait between Kingdom Hearts 2 and KH3, Kingdom Hearts 4 was announced only 3 years after the release of KH3. However, similar to the past, developer Square Enix has chosen to remain silent after the announcement, leaving fans uncertain and concerned that Kingdom Hearts 4 may have been announced prematurely like its predecessor.

This repetition of the developer's previous mistakes suggests that fans may have to endure another long wait for the game's release. Despite over a year passing since the reveal, no information regarding the game's worlds, storyline, or release date has been hinted at. This situation creates additional problems for Kingdom Hearts 4, as it may struggle to meet the high expectations that come with such a prolonged wait. Only time will tell if Kingdom Hearts 4's development can avoid the pitfalls of its predecessor. With Square Enix failing to provide consistent and realistic updates, fans are left to speculate blindly about what the eventual release of the game will entail.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently in development.