‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ is officially in development, but do not expect a release date announcement anytime soon

Square Enix and Disney celebrated the 20th anniversary of the “Kingdom Hearts” franchise in the best way possible -- with the announcement of “Kingdom Hearts 4.” The developer released the first trailer for the next main series title, however, it does not look like fans are getting release date information soon.

For a brief recap, it can be recalled that Sora sort of died at the end of the “Kingdom Hearts 3” base game. The “Re:Mind” DLC revealed that he was still alive but he was in a different world, where he also encountered the mysterious character Yozora. Since then, many fans believed that Yozora would play an important role in the future of the franchise.

While Yozora did not appear in the “Kingdom Hearts 4” trailer, the video was primarily set in the afterworld called Quadratum. That is the same place where Yozora is from, suggesting that the character is still likely a key figure in the next game.

The trailer also shows a strikingly different appearance of Sora and the overall animation of the game. The setting and character models look very realistic, but the story behind that remains a mystery. “Players are introduced to the Quadratum, a large, expansive city set in a gorgeous, realistic world unlike anything ever seen before in the KINGDOM HEARTS series,” Square Enix said in a press release.

The “Kingdom Hearts 4” trailer also introduces an all-new character named Strelitzia. The role she will play is still unknown, but it seems like she is going to be Sora’s guide in the new world.

Donald and Goofy also appear at the end of the “Kingdom Hearts 4” trailer, but they are separated from Sora. Based on the differences in the appearance of Quadratum and the dark place where Donald and Goofy are in the trailer, it appears that the group has been separated. The two are confronted by a terrifying character, who is not shown in the trailer, which is yet another mystery that players might not solve anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Square Enix also revealed that “Kingdom Hearts 4” will mark the beginning of a new saga and the next story is going to be called the Lost Master Arc. Fans may also notice that the upcoming game’s logo has a new style that signifies the beginning of a new arc.

Japanese content creator @toro_cocoron0te shared excerpts from series director Tetsuya Nomura’s speech during the 20th-anniversary event in Japan. Nomura reportedly advised fans that the next announcements and release of new teasers for “Kingdom Hearts 4” are still far off. And this may also be hinting at another long wait for the release of the next game.