Kingdom Hearts IV received an official reveal this weekend. A debut trailer offered a glimpse at the continuation of the story 20 years in the making. However, according to Square Enix, the final game will look very different to the visual design seen in this first showcase.
A report from Famitsu offers a detailed breakdown of the reveal. While there’s still no suggestion of a release window or platforms, the article does discuss the development process. Both what’s already happened, and what is set to occur as development continues.
The trailer video is using real-time rendering using Unreal Engine 4. However, as a result of validating in Unreal Engine 5 at the same time, the main game will be made with Unreal Engine 5. This will result in the quality – such as lighting and detail – being improved by several steps.
Famitsu
This information is being reported as an analysis of the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event, held 10th April 2022. The publication also states that Kingdom Hearts IV is in production at the same studio that developed Kingdom Hearts III, Square Enix’s Osaka studio. This includes much of the same team, with Yasushi Yasue billed as co-director.
The Setting of Kingdom Hearts IV
According to Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts IV will mark the beginning of an “epic new storyline”, the Lost Master Arc. Players will be introduced to the Quadratum, which Square Enix describes as “a large, expansive city set in a gorgeous, realistic world unlike anything ever seen before in the Kingdom Hearts series.”
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary with the announcement of two new Kingdom Hears titles,
“We’d like to thank the fans for all of their support over the years, and we can’t wait for them to experience all that’s to come for Sora.”
Ichiro Hazama, Kingdom Hearts Brand Manager
Unfortunately it appears to be unlikely we’ll see any more of Kingdom Hearts IV in the near future. However, you can watch the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary trailer below. And be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
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