Exciting developments have emerged in the world of Kingdom Hearts as new screenshots of Kingdom Hearts 4 were revealed, coinciding with the unfortunate cancellation of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link. Dive in to discover the latest on these stunning new images and the surprising end to Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link's journey.
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 a three-year period of silence, Kingdom Hearts 4 has finally come back into the spotlight with a series of captivating screenshots. On May 15, official Kingdom Hearts social media accounts shared these eagerly awaited images, providing fans with their first glimpse at the highly anticipated sequel. Square Enix also included a message confirming that the development of Kingdom Hearts IV is still in full swing.
"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!" the 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 date was provided, the new screenshots have sparked a flurry of theories and renewed hope among the fanbase. One image that has particularly captured attention features King Mickey, hinting at the possibility of him being playable. Although Mickey has had playable roles in previous titles like Kingdom Hearts 2 and 358/2 Days, his involvement was often limited. In Kingdom Hearts 2, he would step in during critical moments when Sora was defeated, and in 358/2 Days, his playability was restricted to specific missions. The teased image suggests that Mickey might be playable once again, perhaps even in a more significant capacity.
Some fans speculate that the library where Mickey appears could be in Scala ad Caelum, a world Sora visited towards the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. It remains unclear what Mickey is doing there, but it's possible he might be researching the Foretellers, a group of Keyblade Masters expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming saga.
Other screenshots feature Sora, sporting his updated look with regular-sized shoes, in various scenes. One image suggests a battle against a new Heartless variant, while another shows Sora in the streets of Quadratum, with a shower of bright light visible in the distance. Notably, the former image hints at a "Build" mechanic, which could allow Sora to create weapons like grappling hooks or drills.
Another image showcases Strelitzia, a character from the game's reveal trailer and Kingdom Hearts Union X, alongside a rotary phone. Given that Quadratum, as series director Tetsuya Nomura mentioned in his 2022 Famitsu interview, is inspired by real-life Tokyo, the presence of rotary phones is intriguing. This could have implications for the gummiphones seen in Kingdom Hearts 3, though fans are hopeful they'll still be able to use them for taking and uploading pictures to the game's pseudo-Instagram app.
The release of these screenshots marks a significant day for Kingdom Hearts enthusiasts, coming after a long period of sparse official updates on Kingdom Hearts 4. The game was first announced in April 2022 during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event, and fans are eager to avoid another lengthy wait similar to the decade between Kingdom Hearts 2 and Kingdom Hearts 3.
For more insights on Kingdom Hearts 4, be sure to explore our detailed article below!
