WhenKingdom Hearts 4was surprise revealed earlier, the announcement caught fans completely off guard. The reveal trailer’s depiction of a more realistic art style combined with the Tokyo-like world of Quadratum was groundbreaking. Several months later and little is confirmed regardingKingdom Hearts 4but that hasn’t stopped fans from hypothesizing the various treats the game could have in store. Square Enix has described the title as the start of the entirely new “Lost Master Arc” it provides the perfect opportunity for Square Enix to experiment and showcase new Disney and Pixar worlds that haven’t been explored in aKingdom Heartsgame.
It’s not like Disney and Pixar haven’t been busy since the release ofKingdom Hearts 3in 2019. There is a bevy of new properties that could theoretically be explored. Audiences would be thrilled to see some ofDisney’s newest cartoons in aKingdom Heartsgame, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg since Disney now owns Marvel and theStar Warsfranchise. The playing field has never been wider andKingdom Hearts 4is in a unique position to fully harness the power of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X/S to bring players to worlds that have yet to be portrayed in aKingdom Heartsentry.
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The Exciting Disney and Pixar Possibilities For Kingdom Hearts 4
One of the most acclaimed features ofKingdom Hearts 3was the reveal of worlds based on smash hit Pixar movies such asToy StoryandMonsters Inc. Audiences had been hopeful that the beloved films would one day make their appearance in aKingdom Heartsgame and the move to do so was a watershed moment that breathed new life into the franchise. Another popular Pixar film that gamers would like to see inKingdom Heartswould beInside Out. The film’s narrative detailing the complicated relationships humans have with their emotions would be a perfect match with theKingdom Heartsfranchise themes of darkness and light. Likewise, more recent Pixar films likeSoulorCocowould be welcome additions to the roster.
Alternatively, many players celebrated the debut of the classic DisneySteamboat Willieworld inKingdom Hearts 2. Disney has a rich backlog of vintage media that’s just begging to be explored properly. IfKingdom Hearts 4embraces vintage Disneyit would give the game a unique opportunity to introduce new generations of gamers to old school Disney art. Even more enticing is the fact that so much of Disney’s older backlog is now available to stream on Disney Plus. The marriage of a newKingdom Heartsgame with characters and setting modern audiences aren’t familiar with would encourage players to explore Disney’s backlog and further round out their breadth of knowledge with the companies classic characters and stories.
The enticing and vast possibilities ofMarvel orStar Warsworlds inKingdom Hearts 4also cannot be ignored. The Dark and Light side of The Force could ease themselves nicely intoKingdom Heartslore of light and darkness, and audiences would be thrilled to battle the heartless alongside Luke Skywalker or The Avengers. Since more often then not, the Disney worlds inKingdom Heartsare primarily self-contained narratives this gives Square Enix and Disney lots of room to collaborate and re-create iconic set pieces in a whole new way.
Only time will tell ifKingdom Hearts 4leans more into Pixar’s catalogor instead further embraces Disney properties old and new. Regardless of Square Enix’s decision, gamers eagerly await more news regardingKingdom Hearts 4. It is an exciting time to be a fan of the franchise, and with the fourth entry heralding a brand-new arc the stage is set for players to explore worlds never before seen in aKingdom Heartsgame.
Kingdom Hearts 4is in development.
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