Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura recently hinted at a pivotal shift for the series with the upcoming fourth mainline installment. This article delves into his revelations about this crucial chapter.
Nomura Hints at a Series Conclusion with Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4: A Story Reset, According to Nomura
The future of Kingdom Hearts appears both captivating and potentially conclusive, based on a recent interview with Nomura. His comments regarding Kingdom Hearts 4 suggest a significant turning point for the franchise.
In an interview with Young Jump (translated by KH13), Nomura stated that Kingdom Hearts 4 is being developed "with the intention of it being a story that leads to the conclusion." While not explicitly confirming the series' end, this strongly suggests the start of a final saga. The game launches the "Lost Master Arc," a fresh narrative accessible to both newcomers and veterans, regardless of prior storyline knowledge.
Nomura explained, "If you remember how the ending of Kingdom Hearts III goes, you'll understand that Sora ends up like that because he's ‘resetting’ the story in a way," adding, "So Kingdom Hearts IV should be easier to get into than before. I think that if you like the series, you'll feel like 'this is it', but I'm also hoping that as many new players as possible will play it."
While hinting at a potential end to the main storyline, Nomura's comments should be viewed within the context of the series' history. Kingdom Hearts is known for its unpredictable twists. What seems conclusive might be open to interpretation, paving the way for future spin-offs or side stories. The series boasts a rich cast of characters, each potentially leading their own adventures, especially with Nomura's confirmation of new writers joining the Kingdom Hearts universe.
Nomura told Young Jump, "Both Kingdom Hearts Missing Link and Kingdom Hearts IV have been created with a stronger focus on being new titles rather than sequels," highlighting the inclusion of writers new to the series. He clarified, "Of course, I will be editing it in the end, but I don't think it will be positioned as a work that needs to be done in the sense that the writer who has never been involved in the 'Kingdom Hearts' series is creating a new base."
The addition of new writers promises a breath of fresh air, potentially introducing innovative gameplay and unexplored areas within the Disney and Square Enix collaboration while retaining core series elements.
However, Nomura's own future is a factor. He acknowledged considering retirement within a few years, posing the question: "If this isn't a dream, then I only have a few years left until I retire, and it's looking like: will I retire or will I finish the series first?"
A New Arc, A Fresh Start
Announced in April 2022, Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently under development. The game's first trailer showcases the start of the "Lost Master Arc." Details are scarce, but the trailer reveals Sora awakening in Quadratum, a world Nomura described in a 2022 Famitsu interview as an alternate reality similar to our own.
Nomura stated (translated by VGC), "From each of our perspectives, our perceptions change. From Sora’s perspective, Quadratum is an underworld, a fictional world that is different from reality. But from the point of view of the inhabitants on the Quadratum side, the world of Quadratum is reality, and the world where Sora and the others were is the other side, the fictional world."
According to Nomura's Young Jump interview, this Tokyo-inspired world with a dreamlike quality isn't entirely new; he conceived the idea during the first game's development.
In contrast to the whimsical Disney worlds of previous games, Quadratum offers a more realistic setting. This, along with enhanced visuals, results in a reduced number of Disney worlds.
Nomura told GameInformer in 2022, "With regards to Kingdom Hearts IV, players are definitely going to see a few Disney worlds in there…Since each new title, the specs have been really increasing, and there’s so much more we can do in terms of graphics, it kind of limits the number of worlds that we can create in a sense. At this time, we’re considering how to approach that, but there will be Disney worlds in Kingdom Hearts IV."
While fewer Disney worlds are a departure, this streamlining could create a more focused narrative, potentially mitigating the complexity that sometimes challenged players in previous installments.
Regardless of whether Kingdom Hearts 4 concludes or initiates a new chapter, it promises a significant moment for Sora and his companions. For many fans, a final chapter under Nomura's direction, while bittersweet, would be a fitting culmination of a story spanning over two decades.
