Kingdom Hearts 4 Shows Signs of Life, as Missing-Link Gets Canceled
Kingdom Hearts 4 Screenshots Show New Heartless Variant and a Playable King Mickey
After three years of silence, excitement rippled through the Kingdom Hearts community when official social media accounts unveiled fresh screenshots of Kingdom Hearts 4 on May 15. This rare update not only breathed new life into the anticipation for the long-awaited sequel but also came with a message from Square Enix reaffirming their commitment to the game's development.
"We’re currently working hard on Kingdom Hearts IV and will continue pouring ourselves into the game’s development. We’re dedicated to making this an experience that lives up to your expectations!" Square Enix's message began. It continued, "We’ve seen how excited you are, and we are truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts. We are equally excited and can’t wait to share more about Kingdom Hearts IV when the time is right. Until then, we appreciate your patience."
While no release window was disclosed, these new images sparked a flurry of fan theories and renewed hope. One screenshot in particular has captured the community's attention: King Mickey in what appears to be a playable role. Although Mickey has been playable in past titles like Kingdom Hearts 2 and 358/2 Days, his appearances were often limited. For example, in Kingdom Hearts 2, he would step in when Sora was defeated during crucial moments, while in 358/2 Days, he was playable only in specific missions. The new image suggests that Mickey might once again be playable, possibly in a more significant capacity.
Speculation abounds that the library in which Mickey is seen could be in Scala ad Caelum, a location Sora visited at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. What Mickey is doing there remains a mystery, but theories suggest he might be investigating the Foretellers, a group of Keyblade Masters expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming saga.
Other screenshots feature Sora in his updated look, showcasing him in various situations. One image shows him battling a new Heartless variant, while another captures him standing in the streets of Quadratum, with a shower of bright light visible in the distance. Interestingly, the battle scene hints at a "Build" mechanic, potentially allowing Sora to create weapons like grappling hooks or drills.
An additional screenshot includes Strelitzia, a character from the game's reveal trailer and Kingdom Hearts Union X, alongside a rotary phone. Given that Quadratum, as mentioned by series director Tetsuya Nomura in a 2022 Famitsu interview, is inspired by real-life Tokyo, the presence of rotary phones is intriguing. What this might mean for the gummiphones from Kingdom Hearts 3 is unclear, but fans hold out hope for continued features like photo-taking and uploading to the game's pseudo-Instagram app.
This recent update marks a significant moment for Kingdom Hearts fans, coming after a period with limited official information on Kingdom Hearts 4. The game was first announced in April 2022 during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event. Fans are hopeful that the wait for this mainline title will not stretch as long as the decade between Kingdom Hearts 2 and Kingdom Hearts 3.
For more insights on Kingdom Hearts 4, be sure to check out our detailed article below!
