Speaking in the latest issue of Dengeki magazine (via Gematsu), Kingdom Hearts III Director, Tetsuya Nomura, has confirmed that more information on the hotly anticipated sequel will be revealed at the upcoming D23 Expo in Japan next month.
Sadly that’s about all we have to go on right now, although it means we won’t have to wait long to find out more info on the game, which has dropped out of the limelight somewhat as of late. Square Enix has been focusing much of its attention on Final Fantasy XV, which has been officially confirmed for a 2016 release.
Kingdom Hearts 3 has yet to receive a launch window, although Square Enix has previously indicated it may be a long time before we get our hands on it. However, Nomura-san has admitted he knows when the game will be released; he’s just keeping details close to his chest for the time being.
The Japanese giant is attempting to make up for the lengthy wait by offering Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue, while compiles a number of previous games including Dream Drop Distance and a prequel titled Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep: A Fragmentory Passage. The game will utilize the same technology as Kingdom Hearts III. Currently there is no release window in mind, although the director did state that Dream Drop Distance will be more than just a rudimentary high-definition remaster.
Kingdom Hearts was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2002, and received a sequel two years later. It recent years, the franchise has been supported by a number of spinoffs and prequels, including Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. Despite Kingdom Hearts III missing out on the PS3 generation, Square Enix did remaster the previous games in the shape of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIXin recent years. There are currently no plans to bring the collections to PS4, however.
Kingdom Hearts III is currently in development for PS4 and Xbox One, and will include elements of Big Hero 6. The sequel will eschew the QTE elements seen in previous entries in the franchise, and may contain some form of online component if previous reports are anything to go by. Square Enix has promised the sequel will contain a more seamless gameplay experience with fewer loading times, and may feature a third playable character. Regardless, fans can expect to see a lot of familiar faces in the game.