Kingdom Hearts 4 Will Reboot the Series

Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura recently hinted at a pivotal shift for the series with the upcoming fourth mainline installment. This article delves into his revelations about this crucial new chapter.

Nomura Hints at a Series Conclusion with Kingdom Hearts 4

Kingdom Hearts 4: A Story Reset, According to Nomura

The future of Kingdom Hearts appears both captivating and potentially definitive, based on a recent interview with creator Tetsuya Nomura. Anticipation for Kingdom Hearts 4 is high, and Nomura's comments suggest a significant turning point for the franchise.

In an interview with Young Jump (translated by KH13), Nomura stated that Kingdom Hearts 4 is designed "with the intention of it being a story that leads to the conclusion." While not explicitly confirming the series' end, this suggests the beginning of a final saga. The game initiates the "Lost Master Arc," a fresh narrative accessible to both newcomers and veteran players, regardless of prior storyline familiarity.

Nomura explained, referencing Kingdom Hearts III's ending: "If you remember how the ending of Kingdom Hearts III goes, you'll understand that Sora ends up like that because he's ‘resetting’ the story in a way," adding, "So Kingdom Hearts IV should be easier to get into than before. I think that if you like the series, you'll feel like 'this is it', but I'm also hoping that as many new players as possible will play it."

While hinting at a potential conclusion to the main storyline, it's crucial to remember the series' history of unexpected twists. A seemingly definitive ending might allow for interpretation or future spin-offs. The series' extensive cast also presents opportunities for individual character-driven adventures, especially with Nomura's confirmation of new writers joining the Kingdom Hearts universe.

Nomura told Young Jump, "Both Kingdom Hearts Missing Link and Kingdom Hearts IV have been created with a stronger focus on being new titles rather than sequels," explaining the inclusion of writers new to the franchise: "For example, as a new experiment, we have had staff who have not been involved in the Kingdom Hearts series before participate in writing the scenario. Of course, I will be editing it in the end, but I don't think it will be positioned as a work that needs to be done in the sense that the writer who has never been involved in the 'Kingdom Hearts' series is creating a new base."

This injection of fresh creative voices is exciting, potentially revitalizing the narrative while retaining beloved elements. New perspectives could also introduce innovative gameplay and unexplored territories within the Disney and Square Enix collaboration.

However, Nomura's own future is a factor. He has indicated consideration of retirement within a few years, posing the question: "If this isn't a dream, then I only have a few years left until I retire, and it's looking like: will I retire or will I finish the series first?"

A New Arc, A Fresh Start

Announced in April 2022, Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently under development. The game's initial trailer showcased the beginning of the "Lost Master Arc." Details remain scarce, but the trailer reveals Sora awakening in Quadratum, a world Nomura described in a 2022 Famitsu interview as an alternate reality similar to our own.

Nomura explained (translated by VGC): "From each of our perspectives, our perceptions change. From Sora’s perspective, Quadratum is an underworld, a fictional world that is different from reality. But from the point of view of the inhabitants on the Quadratum side, the world of Quadratum is reality, and the world where Sora and the others were is the other side, the fictional world."

According to Nomura's Young Jump interview, this Tokyo-inspired, dreamlike world is not entirely new; he conceived it during the first game's development.

In contrast to the whimsical Disney worlds of previous titles, Quadratum offers a more realistic setting. This, along with enhanced visual fidelity, has resulted in a reduced number of Disney worlds.

Nomura told GameInformer in 2022: "With regards to Kingdom Hearts IV, players are definitely going to see a few Disney worlds in there… Since each new title, the specs have been really increasing, and there’s so much more we can do in terms of graphics, it kind of limits the number of worlds that we can create in a sense. At this time, we’re considering how to approach that, but there will be Disney worlds in Kingdom Hearts IV."

While fewer Disney worlds are a change, streamlining could lead to a more focused narrative, potentially mitigating the complexity that has sometimes challenged players.

Regardless of whether Kingdom Hearts 4 concludes the series or initiates a new era, it promises a significant moment for Sora and his companions. For many fans, a culmination under Nomura's guidance will be an epic conclusion to a story spanning over two decades.