Kingdom Hearts III
Encyclopedia
Kingdom Hearts III is an upcoming video game of unknown release and platform. It has been the subject of much rumour and speculation, though the project has yet to begin development, due to series producer Tetsuya Nomura
's focus on Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance and the upcoming Final Fantasy Versus XIII
.
finished development of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+
, Kingdom Hearts producer Tetsuya Nomura
was approached by Disney who expressed interest in a sequel. In regard to a possible release of a Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura said "We have various ideas, but we're not at the point where we can say that." He added that due to the development of Final Fantasy Versus XIII
, "it's physically impossible at the present. I feel that it's not the right time to talk about the future of Kingdom Hearts." In response to questions as to the secret movie in Final Mix+, Nomura noted that it was of a "new series" in Kingdom Hearts rather than Kingdom Hearts III. When asked about Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura noted that fans and partners alike were interested in its release, and would work to "realize it" as soon as possible. In the Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Ultimania guide book, Nomura announced three upcoming titles, one of which was Kingdom Hearts III. However, Final Fantasy Versus XIII was still his primary focus, preventing him from starting production on Kingdom Hearts III. He later noted that Kingdom Hearts III would not see a release until after 2012, due to his pressing on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, regardless of the 10th anniversary of the series occurring in that year. The Nintendo 3DS
video game Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance was announced to connect to Kingdom Hearts III, both in terms of gameplay system and story.
's Frank Caron noted that speculation existed whether the gap between Kingdom Hearts II
and III would be similar to the gap between the first game and II, where both would have spin-off titles in between them. In an interview conducted between Nomura and Famitsu
, Nomura mentioned a secret video in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
of the "next title." When asked if this was of Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura responded by saying "the next title is the next title." A rumour in the Official PlayStation Magazine
suggested that Kingdom Hearts III would be exclusive to the PlayStation 3
and would be revealed at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show
. 1UP.com
's Kris Pigna said it was nothing more than a rumour, however, citing a recent false rumour made in a previous issue of the magazine. Shack News speculated whether Kingdom Hearts III would be featured on the Xbox 360
, considering Final Fantasy XIII
was released on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 previously. Metro noted rumours that Kingdom Hearts III would appear on the Wii
, though added that due to recent comments on high-definition graphics, this was unlikely. They did note, however, that another rumour indicates that Kingdom Hearts III would appear on next-generation consoles, specifically the recently announced Wii U.
's Ryan Clements, as a result of his Kingdom Hearts fandom, created a concept of how he wanted such a game to be; in particular, he wanted it to show a more romantic relationship between Sora
and Kairi, darker antagonists, and a deeper combat system. Due to the buyout of Marvel Comics
by Disney, it was speculated whether Marvel characters or themes would appear in a future Kingdom Hearts game. Metro criticized Kingdom Hearts Re:coded along with the other spin-offs following Kingdom Hearts II, wanting Square Enix to "hurry up and get on with" Kingdom Hearts III, feeling that it would provide an opportunity for the series to be revamped. G4TV's review of Re:coded gave similar criticism, calling it "no Kingdom Hearts III." The Escapist
's John Funk joked that we would see Kingdom Hearts III released alongside Diablo III
and Half-Life 2: Episode 3, two other upcoming video games notorious for taking a long time to be released."
Tetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
's focus on Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance and the upcoming Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Final Fantasy Versus XIII
is an upcoming action role-playing game published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and currently being developed by the company's 1st Production Department. Alongside Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Final Fantasy Type-0, the game is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final...
.
History
After Square EnixSquare Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
finished development of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
, Kingdom Hearts producer Tetsuya Nomura
Tetsuya Nomura
is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix , best known for his work on both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series.-Time before Square:Nomura was born in Kōchi, Japan...
was approached by Disney who expressed interest in a sequel. In regard to a possible release of a Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura said "We have various ideas, but we're not at the point where we can say that." He added that due to the development of Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Final Fantasy Versus XIII
is an upcoming action role-playing game published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and currently being developed by the company's 1st Production Department. Alongside Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2, and Final Fantasy Type-0, the game is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final...
, "it's physically impossible at the present. I feel that it's not the right time to talk about the future of Kingdom Hearts." In response to questions as to the secret movie in Final Mix+, Nomura noted that it was of a "new series" in Kingdom Hearts rather than Kingdom Hearts III. When asked about Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura noted that fans and partners alike were interested in its release, and would work to "realize it" as soon as possible. In the Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Ultimania guide book, Nomura announced three upcoming titles, one of which was Kingdom Hearts III. However, Final Fantasy Versus XIII was still his primary focus, preventing him from starting production on Kingdom Hearts III. He later noted that Kingdom Hearts III would not see a release until after 2012, due to his pressing on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, regardless of the 10th anniversary of the series occurring in that year. The Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
video game Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance was announced to connect to Kingdom Hearts III, both in terms of gameplay system and story.
Rumours and speculation
Ars TechnicaArs Technica
Ars Technica is a technology news and information website created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games. Ars Technica is known for its features, long articles that go...
's Frank Caron noted that speculation existed whether the gap between Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
and III would be similar to the gap between the first game and II, where both would have spin-off titles in between them. In an interview conducted between Nomura and Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
, Nomura mentioned a secret video in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and Disney for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in Europe on September...
of the "next title." When asked if this was of Kingdom Hearts III, Nomura responded by saying "the next title is the next title." A rumour in the Official PlayStation Magazine
Official PlayStation Magazine
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine is a now-defunct monthly video game magazine, published by Ziff Davis Media. It was a sister publication of Electronic Gaming Monthly. The magazine focused exclusively on PlayStation hardware, software, and culture, covering the original PlayStation, PlayStation...
suggested that Kingdom Hearts III would be exclusive to the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and would be revealed at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Kris Pigna said it was nothing more than a rumour, however, citing a recent false rumour made in a previous issue of the magazine. Shack News speculated whether Kingdom Hearts III would be featured on the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, considering Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
is a console role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Released in 2009 in Japan and 2010 in North America and PAL regions, it is the thirteenth major installment in the Final Fantasy series...
was released on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 previously. Metro noted rumours that Kingdom Hearts III would appear on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, though added that due to recent comments on high-definition graphics, this was unlikely. They did note, however, that another rumour indicates that Kingdom Hearts III would appear on next-generation consoles, specifically the recently announced Wii U.
Expectations
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Ryan Clements, as a result of his Kingdom Hearts fandom, created a concept of how he wanted such a game to be; in particular, he wanted it to show a more romantic relationship between Sora
Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Square Enix's best-selling Kingdom Hearts series. Introduced in the series' first game in 2002, Sora is a cheerful teenager who originates from Destiny Islands and has been best friends with Riku and Kairi since early childhood. When they plan to...
and Kairi, darker antagonists, and a deeper combat system. Due to the buyout of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
by Disney, it was speculated whether Marvel characters or themes would appear in a future Kingdom Hearts game. Metro criticized Kingdom Hearts Re:coded along with the other spin-offs following Kingdom Hearts II, wanting Square Enix to "hurry up and get on with" Kingdom Hearts III, feeling that it would provide an opportunity for the series to be revamped. G4TV's review of Re:coded gave similar criticism, calling it "no Kingdom Hearts III." The Escapist
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
's John Funk joked that we would see Kingdom Hearts III released alongside Diablo III
Diablo III
Diablo III is an upcoming dark fantasy/horror-themed action role-playing game in development by Blizzard, making it the third installment in the Diablo franchise...
and Half-Life 2: Episode 3, two other upcoming video games notorious for taking a long time to be released."