Square Enix’s announcements at D23 have finally provided a release window for the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts 4 while also introducing a new anime series for Disney+. As reported in DualShockers, the RPG is targeting late 2027 and will launch on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store from day one. Additionally, Disney has greenlit an animated Kingdom Hearts project with creator Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix’s creative team involved.
The D23 showing is significant as it transforms years of anticipation into a tangible timeline. Kingdom Hearts 4 was first revealed in 2022; now, Square Enix has attached a late-2027 window and confirmed a multiplatform release on launch day.
Coco Brings Marigolds, Music, and Heartless to Kingdom Hearts 4
The new 90-second D23 trailer centers on Pixar’s Coco. Sora arrives in the Land of the Dead with Día de Muertos face paint, while Miguel performs on stage and Sora battles Shadows with his Keyblade. The footage also shows Sora, Miguel, and Hector teaming up in combat.
This setting is a natural fit for the series. Coco embodies the visual language that Kingdom Hearts embraces: music, family, memory, and vibrant marigolds, all set against an afterlife depicted in colors that complement oversized Keyblades and boss arenas. The world-themed Keyblade showcased in the trailer incorporates guitars, bones, marigolds, and sugar skulls.
The trailer also revisits Quadratum, the city setting introduced in the original Kingdom Hearts 4 teaser, where giant Heartless invade urban streets. Hades appears alongside spectral versions of Donald Duck and Goofy—details that will keep longtime lore fans analyzing every frame.
Visually, the character models closely resemble Pixar’s film style, continuing the more grounded aesthetic Square Enix established in the game’s early footage. This contrast between a realistic city under siege and the whimsicality of the Coco world highlights the series’ blend of Disney fantasy and Square Enix storytelling.
Disney+ Gets a New Kingdom Hearts Story, Not a Straight Adaptation
The other major announcement extends beyond the next game. Disney has greenlit a Kingdom Hearts anime series for Disney Channel and Disney+, currently using Kingdom Hearts as a working title. Nomura and Square Enix’s creative team are directly involved in its development.
The project’s description refers to it as a “reimagining” and a “brand-new story,” rather than a direct retelling of the games. This leaves room for a separate timeline or unexplored aspects of the existing mythology. No release date beyond “coming soon” has been announced.
Nomura’s involvement is crucial. Kingdom Hearts lore spans many games and formats, but its emotional core—the themes of friendship, loss, identity, and the series’ unique quirks—has always been closely tied to its creators. A new story could provide an entry point for new viewers without oversimplifying the series.
A Late-2027 Release Turns Kingdom Hearts Into a Two-Part Return
These announcements complement each other. Kingdom Hearts 4 offers established players the next major chapter and a wider platform rollout than the series has often seen, while the anime provides Disney a way to tell a fresh story outside the complex game continuity.
For players, the immediate appeal is clear: Square Enix is pairing a new Quadratum mystery with one of Pixar’s most emotionally rich worlds, bringing Sora’s next adventure to console and PC audiences simultaneously. The anime is the more unpredictable element but could become the more accessible one if its promise of a new story holds.
Which D23 reveal has you more excited to jump back in: Sora’s Coco adventure in Kingdom Hearts 4, or a completely new anime story on Disney+?
