Fans who have been waiting for Kingdom Hearts 4 news finally got the most significant update on the game yet at Disney’s recent D23 event, and Pixar’s Coco is confirmed to be one of the game’s many worlds. Square Enix has been keeping tight-lipped about how progress on Kingdom Hearts 4 has been going, but D23 finally brought some intriguing details and new footage into the spotlight. Coco looks to be a great addition to the franchise, and what’s even better is that it confirms that Kingdom Hearts 4 is still embracing a more cartoonish art style in some instances.
The previous Kingdom Hearts 4 teasers had largely focused on Quadratum. It’s a far more realistic world, so the character and city design reflect that. Even though that makes sense, longtime fans have been worried that Square Enix would be leaning too heavily into the more realistic art style. Kingdom Hearts‘ stylized art direction has been a hallmark of the series, and moving too far away from that risks the next chapter not feeling like a Kingdom Hearts game at all. The first look into the Coco world has hopefully reassured concerned fans, though.
Coco Is Proof That Kingdom Hearts 4’s More Realistic Art Style Is Far From the Full Picture
Compared to Quadratum’s muted, gray, drabness, Kingdom Hearts 4‘s Coco world is a breath of fresh air. Sora ventures to Coco‘s Land of the Dead, and it’s filled with all the vibrancy and beautiful art design that made the Pixar movie such a huge hit in the first place. Showcasing this specific world after a series of Quadratum-focused teasers was a smart move on Square Enix’s part, because it makes the world pop even more.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Wearing Dia de los Muertos skull face paint and wielding a beautifully-designed Coco-inspired Keyblade, Sora fights his way through the Land of the Dead with the help of Miguel and Hector. This is the first confirmed new Kingdom Hearts 4 world, and it sets a promising precedent for what worlds the rest of the game is going to feature. There have been a few significant Kingdom Hearts 4 world leaks over the years, and seeing Coco officially confirmed is exciting news for Pixar film lovers.
Disney/Pixar Worlds That Have Been Mentioned in Past Kingdom Hearts 4 Leaks
- Coco
- Hercules
- Moana
- Wreck-It Ralph
- Zootopia
- Princess and the Frog
- Inside Out
- The Incredibles
- Brave
- Star Wars
- Wall-E
Any leak or rumor regarding the Kingdom Hearts 4 worlds should be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s interesting that both Coco and Hercules were mentioned. The new Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay teaser shows Goofy and Donald visiting Hades to try and find Sora. So, Hercules and Coco were accurate, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the leaks will hold true. However, nothing is impossible, and the above list would be a solid world lineup for Kingdom Hearts 4.
If these worlds are set to join Coco and Hercules in Kingdom Hearts 4, then that leaves room for plenty of more level designs that play into the franchise’s beloved cartoonish art style. Kingdom Hearts 4‘s Quadratum is simply just a small piece of a much larger puzzle. For a series as popular as Kingdom Hearts, having such a visceral reaction to the Quadratum focus was understandable, but the Coco world reveal demonstrates that it’s sometimes easy to jump to conclusions and judge too quickly before more footage is debuted.
After Years of Waiting, Kingdom Hearts 4 Finally Has a Release Window
Square Enix may not be ready to announce a specific date yet, but the confirmation of a Kingdom Hearts 4 release window makes that game feel closer than ever. Director Tetsuya Nomura reassured fans at D23 that the game was set to launch sometime in late 2027. Even better, Nomura went so far to claim that the game would not be delayed. Kingdom Hearts 4 must be pretty far along for Nomura to be so confident that a delay is off the table.
During the D23 panel, actor Benjamin Bratt revealed that there is also an official Kingdom Hearts anime in the works that will eventually premiere on Disney+. The good news didn’t end there, though. Bratt also confirmed that he would be returning to voice Ernesto de la Cruz in Kingdom Hearts 4‘s Coco world.
Video games being delayed after having release windows announced is incredibly common in this day and age. Between the GTA 6 delays and Fable being pushed back several times, it’s almost expected at this point. So, Kingdom Hearts 4 meeting the same fate wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. However, if Square Enix is actually able to stick to its word and release in the time frame that Nomura has given, that would be pretty great.
More Kingdom Hearts 4 Worlds Could Be Revealed Before the Year Is Over
This is purely speculation on my part, but Square Enix revealing new Kingdom Hearts 4 details in the next few months isn’t outside the realm of possibility. Seeing whether the other leaked worlds are accurate or not would be exciting, but there is even the chance that Square Enix could reveal worlds that haven’t been mentioned before. Disney has a treasure trove worth of franchises that have yet to be used in the Kingdom Hearts games, so it’s going to be fascinating to see which ones are picked for this chapter.
Even if Square Enix holds off revealing more details until next year, it’s a relief to finally have a look into a Kingdom Hearts 4 world that isn’t Quadratum. The Coco-inspired world is brimming with life and color, and the rest of the yet-to-be-announced franchises hopefully allow for just as much creativity and strong level design. Franchises like Wreck-It Ralph, Zooptopia, and Moana would make for some truly eye-catching worlds, but that can really be said about almost every IP that has been mentioned in past leaks. Only time will tell what other worlds are confirmed next, but Coco has definitely set strong expectations.
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
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Kingdom Hearts
