Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura recently hinted at a pivotal shift for the series with the upcoming fourth mainline installment. Discover what he revealed 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 intriguing and potentially conclusive, based on a recent interview with Nomura. He suggests Kingdom Hearts 4 will be a major turning point.

In an interview with Young Jump (translated by KH13), Nomura stated Kingdom Hearts 4 is designed "with the intention of it being a story that leads to the conclusion." While not explicitly confirming the series' end, it strongly suggests the next saga could be the final one. The game initiates 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 of twists and turns. A seemingly definitive ending could still allow for interpretation or future spin-offs. The series' extensive cast also opens possibilities for individual character-driven adventures. This is further emphasized by Nomura's inclusion of new writers.

"Both Kingdom Hearts Missing Link and Kingdom Hearts IV have been created with a stronger focus on being new titles rather than sequels," Nomura told Young Jump. He elaborated on the inclusion of new writers, stating, "As a new experiment, we have had staff who have not been involved in the Kingdom Hearts series before participate in writing the scenario. 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."

This injection of fresh writing talent is exciting, potentially revitalizing the narrative while preserving core elements. New perspectives could lead to innovative gameplay and unexplored areas within the Disney/Square Enix crossover.

However, Nomura's own impending retirement adds another layer. He posed 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 in development. The "Lost Master Arc" begins in the first trailer, showcasing Sora awakening in Quadratum—a world Nomura described in a 2022 Famitsu interview as an alternate reality similar to our own.

Nomura explained (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."

This Tokyo-inspired world, with a dreamlike quality, is not entirely new; Nomura conceived it during the first game's development.

Quadratum's grounded, realistic setting contrasts with the whimsical Disney worlds of previous titles. This, combined 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 change, this streamlining could lead to a more focused narrative, mitigating the complexity of previous installments.

Regardless of whether Kingdom Hearts 4 concludes the series or initiates a new chapter, it promises a significant moment for Sora and his companions. For many fans, a full-circle conclusion under Nomura's guidance, while bittersweet, would be an epic end to a story spanning over two decades.