Kingdom Hearts may seem like one of the more inconsistent franchises in gaming to an outside observer. The whopping 14-year gap between the second and third main series entries could make it seem as though it's a franchise that is accustomed to long wait times and infrequent deliveries, but that's really never been the case for Kingdom Hearts.

The Final Fantasy/Disney crossover video game series has enjoyed a number of releases coming fairly regularly since the first title back in 2002. Very few were numbered main series entries, and the matter of many side games containing essential main-series story content has been the subject of debate, but a solid number of games have continuously been added to the world of Kingdom Hearts. All of that has stopped in recent years, however, and there's little word from Square Enix as to why this tradition has silently fallen to the wayside.

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The Longest Kingdom Hearts Release Gap

2023 marks the first time since the Kingdom Hearts series began that more than two years have gone by without a new entry in the series releasing in some form. Prior to 2020, with the release of Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, there had only been four different years that went by without a KH release: 2003, 2006, 2011, and 2018. There really hasn't been much word from Square Enix or anybody on the Kingdom Hearts team as to why this peculiarly long gap is happening right now, although it feels safe to assume the COVID-19 pandemic plays at least a minor role in the lack of any new recent content.

The scale of Kingdom Hearts 3, combined with mixed reception towards its story, may also be a factor in the lack of any new titles or meaningful Kingdom Hearts 4 updates. The team behind the series may understandably want a bit of a break after a project as grand in scale as KH3, and the feedback from fans and critics may have Square Enix considering new options for the future of the series.

What's On The Horizon For Kingdom Hearts

The one game that is supposed to keep the Keyblade-wielding fanbase fed in 2023 is Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link. It's a mobile game that was revealed last year and should contain some important lore concerning the period between Kingdom Hearts: Union X and Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road. Many have become concerned, though, as summer 2023 approaches its conclusion and there's still no word as to when the game may be released on iOS and Android. The most recent news is that Missing Link had a beta test in the winter of 2022, and since then it's been nothing but silence from Square Enix about when the game may be available to the public.

Kingdom Hearts 4 news has also been tragically quiet. Most fans weren't expecting a rollout by now, considering the massive gap between the last numbered main series entries, but most are hoping the wait on KH4 won't be quite as long or arduous as the wait for Kingdom Hearts 3. Last year's initial trailer for the game made many believe that it may be here sooner than most had realized, but the lack of any news in 2023 may mean Kingdom Hearts 4 is still some ways away from being ready for a full release. Between Kingdom Hearts 2 and Kingdom Hearts 3 there were a number of other titles that kept the fanbase alive and excited like Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance. Hopefully, some new titles like that get announced soon so that the future of Kingdom Hearts won't seem so devoid of new content.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development.

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