Operation Backlog Completion 2025

We Got a Tiny Update on Kingdom Hearts IV and Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3

 Video games  No Responses »  Tagged with: , , ,
Sep 052025
 

Earlier today, there was a Japanese-only live stream for Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, the mobile game I tried briefly before its gacha-ness got to me and I quit.

Anyway, during the broadcast, Nomura addressed two games that have been on everyone’s minds.

According to the translation from Gematsu, he said the third part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake is “progressing really smoothly” and “the release timing has already been decided.”

As for Kingdom Hearts IV, he said it’s “steadily moving forward according to schedule.”

The last time we got an update on Kingdom Hearts IV was when Missing Link got cancelled back in May, which I’m not sure we ever talked about. Square Enix followed the announcement with a couple new Kingdom Hearts IV screenshots to balance the bad news with some good.

Just from the way Nomura responded to the questions, I’d guess the third Final Fantasy VII Remake game is further along than Kingdom Hearts IV. It sounds like they’re just waiting for the right time to announce it.

I’m nowhere near ready to play that yet, since I never got around to playing Rebirth. On the other hand, I’ll jump on Kingdom Hearts IV as soon as it comes out. Maybe it’s a good thing for my backlog that we don’t have a release date for it yet.

Anyway, while it would have been nice to get more substantial news, at least we know things are going well. Maybe we’ll hear more during TGS?

New Kingdom Hearts IV Details from Interviews

 Video games  6 Responses »
Jun 152022
 

It’s still hard to believe that Kingdom Hearts IV was announced just a few months ago, but now we have some additional details thanks to new interviews with Nomura.

In a recent interview from Game Informer, Nomura revealed several interesting things about the series and Kingdom Hearts IV in particular, including that Sora will always be the lead for numbered titles.

The part of the interview that stands out to me the most is what Nomura had to say about Quadratum. Nomura described Quadratum as “the initial base” and said “you spend time there and then go to different worlds and then go back there.” So it sounds like Quadratum will function as a hub world.

I love hub areas in games, so I like the sound of that. He also said we’ll get to see Sora’s “day-to-day routines” due to this approach in Quadratum, which is interesting.

(I still want a remake of 358/2 Days with the castle as a proper hub.)

Some other highlights are that the new enemy “has a lot to do with” the Foretellers, and that Nomura is trying to find a balance when it comes to including Final Fantasy characters. As someone who never thought the Final Fantasy characters were that important to the story, I don’t mind that, although I know a lot of people were displeased by their initial exclusion from Kingdom Hearts III.

Meanwhile, an extended interview with Nomura was also published by Famitsu, and translated by KH Insider.

One interesting thing to come from this interview is that when asked about the woman from the end of Melody of Memory, Nomura said it’s a secret as to whether she’ll appear in the game or not, but “there was a time when I wasn’t sure whether I would choose KHIV or VERUM REX as my next project. However, she is a central VERUM REX character.”

That sounds to me like we’ll probably get Verum Rex as its own game someday.

Nomura also talked about how Akiko Ishibashi, who worked on NEO: The World Ends With You, has joined the writing team for Kingdom Hearts IV. Meanwhile, Ruiko Fukazawa, who previously worked on FFXIV: Heavensward, is writing the scenario for the new mobile game Missing Link.

I can’t wait to see where they go with Kingdom Hearts IV, especially now that we know a little more about it. What do you think about the latest Kingdom Hearts IV interviews?

Kingdom Hearts IV Really Was Announced!

 Video games  4 Responses »  Tagged with: , , , ,
Apr 112022
 

It actually happened!

Sure, I had Kingdom Hearts IV on my list of hopes and predictions for the weekend’s anniversary celebration, but I thought the best we could hope for was a title.

Instead, Square Enix officially announced Kingdom Hearts IV with a trailer and screenshots!

It is apparently part of the Lost Master Arc, so it seems we now have a title for the new story arc now that the Dark Seeker Saga is complete.

This news came as part of an anniversary trailer that also included an update about the finale of Dark Road, which is now set for August and looks like it should be quite exciting story-wise, as well as the announcement of a new mobile game called Missing Link.

(Kingdom Hearts IV starts at 4:06 in the trailer.)

Kingdom Hearts Missing Link appears to be set after the events of Union Cross. Despite being a mobile game, this one is 3D. It looks interesting, but I’m sure it will be another gacha game. A beta test for Missing Link will take place this year.

The Kingdom Hearts IV trailer begins with Sora waking up in Quadratum, which looks very much like our real world. Not only that, but Strelitzia is there with him! She refers to it as an “afterworld” for herself and Sora, which makes me wonder if people who die (or perhaps die in certain circumstances?) end up in Quadratum for some reason.

A giant Heartless appears in the streets, and Sora fights it. It actually shows gameplay for this part, although that might just be for demonstration purposes.

After the fight scene, we see two figures in black coats observing from above. Yes, two. One of them is probably the Master of Masters, but I’m curious about who the other is. Luxu shouldn’t be there, right? Luxord, maybe, or his Somebody?

The trailer ends with Donald and Goofy walking through a dark place before being confronted by someone indicated by blue fire, which probably means it’s Hades. (I’ve seen people say it sounds like his Japanese voice actor, too.) That would line up with the idea that they’re looking for help because Sora is “dead.”

Kingdom Hearts IV doesn’t have a release window yet, although I bet it won’t be as long as people are joking. I’m excited for this next game in the saga, and I can’t wait to learn more!

What are your thoughts on Kingdom Hearts Missing Link and Kingdom Hearts IV?