Summary
Kingdom Heartsmay seem like one of the more inconsistent franchises in gaming to an outside observer. The whopping 14-year gap between the second and third main series entries could make it seem as though it’s a franchise that is accustomed to long wait times and infrequent deliveries, but that’s really never been the case forKingdom Hearts.
TheFinal Fantasy/Disney crossover video game series has enjoyed a number of releases coming fairly regularly since the first title back in 2002. Very few were numbered main series entries, and the matter of many side games containing essential main-series story content has been the subject of debate, but a solid number of games have continuously beenadded to the world ofKingdom Hearts. All of that has stopped in recent years, however, and there’s little word from Square Enix as to why this tradition has silently fallen to the wayside.
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The Longest Kingdom Hearts Release Gap
2023 marks the first time since theKingdom Heartsseries began that more than two years have gone by without a new entry in the series releasing in some form. Prior to 2020, with therelease ofKingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, there had only been four different years that went by without aKHrelease: 2003, 2006, 2011, and 2018. There really hasn’t been much word from Square Enix or anybody on theKingdom Heartsteam as to why this peculiarly long gap is happening right now, although it feels safe to assume the COVID-19 pandemic plays at least a minor role in the lack of any new recent content.
The scale ofKingdom Hearts 3, combined with mixed reception towards its story, may also be a factor in the lack of any new titles ormeaningfulKingdom Hearts 4updates. The team behind the series may understandably want a bit of a break after a project as grand in scale asKH3, and the feedback from fans and critics may have Square Enix considering new options for the future of the series.
What’s On The Horizon For Kingdom Hearts
The one game that is supposed to keep the Keyblade-wielding fanbase fed in 2023 isKingdom Hearts: Missing Link. It’s a mobile game that was revealed last year and should contain some important lore concerningthe period betweenKingdom Hearts: Union XandKingdom Hearts: Dark Road. Many have become concerned, though, as summer 2023 approaches its conclusion and there’s still no word as to when the game may be released on iOS and Android. The most recent news is thatMissing Linkhad a beta test in the winter of 2022, and since then it’s been nothing but silence from Square Enix about when the game may be available to the public.
Kingdom Hearts 4news has also been tragically quiet. Most fans weren’t expecting a rollout by now, considering the massive gap between the last numbered main series entries, but most are hoping the wait onKH4won’t be quite as long or arduous as the wait forKingdom Hearts 3. Last year’s initial trailer for the game made many believe that it may be here sooner than most had realized, but the lack of any news in 2023 may meanKingdom Hearts 4is still some ways away from being ready for a full release. BetweenKingdom Hearts 2andKingdom Hearts 3there were a number of other titles that kept the fanbase alive and excitedlikeBirth by SleepandDream Drop Distance. Hopefully, some new titles like that get announced soon so that the future ofKingdom Heartswon’t seem so devoid of new content.
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