‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ release date, gameplay rumors: When to expect the next game and is Sora still the main protagonist?

It has been more than a year since “Kingdom Hearts 3” was released, so it is not surprising that fans are starting to wonder about the franchise’s future. Aside from the possible release date of “Kingdom Hearts 4,” avid players of the series are also wondering what is Sora’s role in the future going to be.

‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ development and release date speculations

Before delving deeper into the possibilities for “Kingdom Hearts 4,” it is important to note that there was more than a decade of a gap between “Kingdom Hearts 3” and its main installment predecessor. This might help fans to manage their expectations when thinking about the possible release date of “Kingdom Hearts 4.”

It sure appears that another long wait is going to be on the horizon. In an earlier interview of “Kingdom Hearts 3” director Tetsuya Nomura, it was mentioned that there are no hard plans yet about the next series title.

However, he was not shutting down the possibilities of seeing “Kingdom Hearts 4” get made. “Even if we're talking about a hypothetical KH4, there's something that must be written before it, so I'm looking into the possibility of sandwiching it between works,” Nomura added (via a fan translation). “To all the fans: to realize the first step beyond the Dark Seeker arc, I thank you for your continued support.”

This means that there might be another important “Kingdom Hearts” title before the next numbered installment is out. This is not new for the franchise since it explored many other plot directions between KH2 (released in 2002) and KH3’s launch in 2019. As for the release date, fans eager to see “Kingdom Hearts 4” should be prepared to wait for it for the long haul.

‘Kingdom Hearts 4’ gameplay, plot: What to expect

In terms of story, there is also a good chance that the series would lead to the release of “Kingdom Hearts 4.” Fans should note that KH3 was not the end of the series, but it was meant to close the Dark Seeker Saga focused on Xehanort.

Fans may recall that mystery character who was pointing a heart-shaped hand gesture toward the moon. That has been revealed to be Yozora in “Kingdom Hearts 3: ReMind.” And anyone who has played the DLC would agree that Yozora very likely has a future role in the series. What is going to be much more interesting are the roles (of there would be) of Sora, Riku, and Kairi.