When Kingdom Hearts 4 was 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 regarding Kingdom Hearts 4 but 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 a Kingdom Hearts game.
It's not like Disney and Pixar haven't been busy since the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 in 2019. There is a bevy of new properties that could theoretically be explored. Audiences would be thrilled to see some of Disney's newest cartoons in a Kingdom Hearts game, and that's just the tip of the iceberg since Disney now owns Marvel and the Star Wars franchise. The playing field has never been wider and Kingdom Hearts 4 is 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 a Kingdom Hearts entry.
The Exciting Disney and Pixar Possibilities For Kingdom Hearts 4
One of the most acclaimed features of Kingdom Hearts 3 was the reveal of worlds based on smash hit Pixar movies such as Toy Story and Monsters Inc. Audiences had been hopeful that the beloved films would one day make their appearance in a Kingdom Hearts game 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 in Kingdom Hearts would be Inside Out. The film's narrative detailing the complicated relationships humans have with their emotions would be a perfect match with the Kingdom Hearts franchise themes of darkness and light. Likewise, more recent Pixar films like Soul or Coco would be welcome additions to the roster.
Alternatively, many players celebrated the debut of the classic Disney Steamboat Willie world in Kingdom Hearts 2. Disney has a rich backlog of vintage media that's just begging to be explored properly. If Kingdom Hearts 4 embraces vintage Disney it 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 new Kingdom Hearts game 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 of Marvel or Star Wars worlds in Kingdom Hearts 4 also cannot be ignored. The Dark and Light side of The Force could ease themselves nicely into Kingdom Hearts lore 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 in Kingdom Hearts are 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 if Kingdom Hearts 4 leans more into Pixar's catalog or instead further embraces Disney properties old and new. Regardless of Square Enix's decision, gamers eagerly await more news regarding Kingdom 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 a Kingdom Hearts game.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development.