Kingdom Hearts creator, Tetsuya Nomura, recently hinted that the upcoming fourth installment will serve as a pivotal turning point for the entire series. This article delves into his revelations about this crucial new chapter.
Nomura Hints at Series Conclusion with Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4: A Story Reset, According to Nomura
The future of the Kingdom Hearts franchise appears both captivating and potentially conclusive, based on a recent interview with Nomura. He suggests Kingdom Hearts 4 will be a significant turning point.
In an interview with Young Jump (translated by KH13), Nomura stated Kingdom Hearts 4 is being developed "with the intention of it being a story that leads to the conclusion." While not confirming a series finale, this sets the stage for a potential final saga. The game initiates the "Lost Master Arc," a fresh narrative accessible to both newcomers and veterans without requiring extensive prior 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. A seemingly definitive ending could be open to interpretation or pave the way for future spin-offs. The series' extensive cast also presents opportunities for individual character-driven narratives. This is further supported by Nomura's announcement of new writers contributing to 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," noting the inclusion of writers new to the franchise. 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 is an exciting development, potentially injecting fresh energy into the narrative while preserving beloved core elements. This could also lead to innovative gameplay and unexplored territories within the Disney and Square Enix collaboration.
However, Nomura's own future is also a factor. He confirmed consideration of 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?"
New Arc, New Beginnings
Announced in April 2022, Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently under development. The game's initial trailer showcases the start of the "Lost Master Arc." Details remain scarce, but the trailer reveals Sora awakening in Quadratum, a world Nomura described in a 2022 Famitsu interview (translated by VGC) as an alternate reality similar to our own.
Nomura stated, "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-esque 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 titles, Quadratum offers a more grounded, realistic setting. This, along with enhanced visual fidelity, 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, potentially mitigating the complexity that sometimes overwhelmed players in previous installments.
Regardless of whether Kingdom Hearts 4 concludes the series or initiates a new era, it will be a momentous occasion for Sora and his companions. For many fans, a full-circle conclusion under Nomura's direction, while potentially bittersweet, would be an epic culmination of a journey spanning over two decades.
