While the franchise was initially conceived as a crossover between Square Enix’s Final Fantasy and the worlds of various Disney films, it’s still unclear how heavily the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 4 will utilize that original premise when it ushers in a new era for the series. The popularity of FF may not have wavered in the period of over 20 years since the original KH launched, but the connection between the two IPs has become more nebulous as original characters have progressively found themselves at the forefront of Kingdom Hearts. Given the shifting release trends of the publisher, however, increasing exposure surrounding the company’s flagship series could finally mean that substantial appearances by Final Fantasy characters are in store for Kingdom Hearts 4.
The extended development timelines of games released by Square Enix throughout the past decade and a half have become a staple, with its most major recent successes tending to take up to six years to make it from concept to market. Due to this apparent emphasis on long-term planning, it’s entirely possible that the anticipated launch strategies of Final Fantasy in recent years have directly informed a general sense of reduced representation within Kingdom Hearts. Now that KH4 is likely still being developed in the wake of those games’ successes, tying them back into a return to crossover appeal may be in the cards.
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Why Another Kingdom Hearts Game Like Birth By Sleep Shouldn’t Be Off the Table
A new Kingdom Hearts prequel sounds like spinning the franchise’s wheels at this point, but there’s precedent showing that it could be the right move.
The Decline of Final Fantasy Characters in Kingdom Hearts Has Seemingly Coincided with Console Exclusivity
FF7 Remake Saga and FF16 Have Earned Square Enix a Reputation for Timed Exclusives
Although FF15 arrived on both PS4 and Xbox One in 2016, subsequent high-profile releases in the series have been restricted to the Sony side for around a year upon initial launch. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Remake before it both took the better part of a year to make it to Windows, still managing to drive impressive sales and reception despite only being available to one share of the market.
The PS5 exclusivity of Final Fantasy 16 came as an even more explicit symbol of the ties between Square Enix and Sony, as it represented a brand-new world, years in the making, which could only be experienced by one set of players. Considering the boost in popularity that title has seen since its 2024 release on Windows as well, however, the company behind it is in a strong position to let the current state of FF tie into another major IP under its belt.
Multi-Platform Releases Could Mean More Final Fantasy Representation in Kingdom Hearts 4
Final Fantasy’s Current Prominent Lineup of Characters Have the Recognition to Drive Hype
There was already an undeniable recognizable quality to the cast of Final Fantasy 7 which drove that title’s remake saga in the first place, but Cloud and his party have once again been elevated to mainstream icons of a recent release. Clive Rosfield and his associates have similarly now had enough time in the spotlight to cement their places within FF history, an achievement significantly aided by launching on more than one platform. These respective casts could be seen as the premiere crossover choices for Kingdom Hearts 4, as there are few better options to sum up the viability of Square Enix’s latest efforts.
The Reintroduction of Cloud Wouldn’t Require the Same Establishing Arc of Clive Rosfield
With Cloud Strife’s appearances in Kingdom Hearts being a well-known element of the classic KH titles, there would probably be no shortage of rapport between him and Sora in Kingdom Hearts 4. Although that natural evolution could easily complement the upcoming end to the FF7 remake saga, there’s just as much potential for Clive to make his mark through a first meeting and earn a similarly iconic place in KH4‘s new Lost Master Arc.
