New Kingdom Hearts games are resets for the series

A new interview with series director Tetsuya Nomura revealed some key details surrounding Kingdom Hearts 4.

A popular Japanese magazine, Young Jump, conducted this interview that unraveled many interesting topics around the newest entry in the Kingdom Hearts series. One of the most surprising things is that the series is heading towards a conclusion sooner than some fans may be expecting. This may be at least partially due to Nomura’s own retirement. Google Translate provided all translations for this article.

“I have only a few years until retirement, and it seems as if retirement age is already ahead or completion (laughs). However, the “Kingdom Hearts IV” that I am currently working on is intended to be a story that is moving toward its conclusion.”

The interview also mentioned that both Kingdom Hearts 4 and Missing Link will be “resets” for the series, allowing new players to experience the games without needing to play the rest of the series.

“for the time being, I intend to reset Missing Link and IV.”

The previous game stories will remain important, but Nomura recognizes that Kingdom Hearts 4 is, in actuality, more like Kingdom Hearts 13. 

“Kingdom Hearts IV has just been announced, but it’s actually Kingdom Hearts XIII.”

Nomura feels deeply about making both Kingdom Hearts 4 and Kingdom Hearts Missing Link accessible for players without knowledge of the deep and complex history of the series. Even staff who have never worked on the series lore are contributing to Missing Link.

“For example, as a new attempt, we are inviting staff who have never been involved in the “Kingdom Hearts” series to participate in the scenario.”

The goal appears to be something that will allow longtime fans to enjoy the series even more while ultimately not feeling like a game everyone will have to play. The game is being developed this way, in part due to its being a mobile title.

“After all, “Kingdom Hearts Missing Link” is a “blank history,” so it is assumed that it is missing. If you know it, you can enjoy it intensely.”

Nomura and the rest of the team behind the series sometimes have to reference things like YouTube videos when they need to remember specific details.

“I’ve written quite a bit in the notes I mentioned earlier, but I think it’s a matter of having the staff remember them or watching videos on YouTube because I like watching videos. Basically, rather than looking back at my notes, I try to get the staff to remember them and ask them what happened in the past titles.”

It’s unknown how many games will make up this new saga, but it will be interesting to see how Kingdom Hearts 4 sets up the future of the series. Kingdom Hearts 3 ended the “Dark Seeker Saga” and saw the ultimate defeat of longtime series antagonist Xehanort and his many associates.

Currently, Kingdom Hearts 4 does not have a release date but has a trailer that was released two years ago for the series’ 20th anniversary. In three more years, the series will celebrate its 25th anniversary, and this would be an opportune time to potentially release the title, although some rumors may point to a sooner release date.