The years-long wait for the next mainline Kingdom Hearts game may finally be nearing its end if the latest insiders rumors are to be believed. According to prominent leaker DanielRPK, highly-anticipated action RPG Kingdom Hearts IV is reportedly targeting a release in 2025 for unspecified platforms.
In a recent post on his Patreon, DanielRPK claimed to have insider knowledge pointing to Kingdom Hearts IV launching next year. The credible leaker, who recently accurately revealed Sonic Frontiers is receiving a follow-up title, states Square Enix’s biggest upcoming game has been in development for around 4 years already.
“The long awaited Kingdom Hearts IV might be coming sooner than anticipated,” wrote DanielRPK. “If an insider is to be believed, the game is reportedly releasing in 2025.”
Precious little is officially known about Kingdom Hearts IV since its initial announcement back in 2022 beyond a cinematic reveal trailer. However, that preview did confirm some key details – the game kicks off the new “Lost Master Arc” storyline and introduces the stunning realistic Tokyo-inspired world of Quadratum as a major setting.
Gameplay mechanics like parkour movement and the returning Reaction Commands from Kingdom Hearts II were also teased. Fans have been desperately hungry for more information though, with radio silence from publisher Square Enix over the last two years.
If this 2025 release window rumor proves accurate, it would line up with the notoriously lengthy development cycles prior Kingdom Hearts games have endured. The previous mainline entry, Kingdom Hearts III, took over 6 years to launch after its initial reveal back in 2013.
“Kingdom Hearts fans have traditionally had to wait vast stretches of time between the games’ reveal and eventual release,” summarized PushSquare’s report on the rumor.
While unconfirmed, the 2025 launch rumor does seem plausible given it will be around 3 years after the game’s announcement trailer by that point. With development reported to be 4 years underway already, that would represent a relatively standard production timeline.
Of course, Kingdom Hearts IV is expected to be an incredibly ambitious undertaking as well, aiming to blend together various Disney and Square Enix franchises into one cohesive gameplay experience. Substantial marketing and new details seem likely to surface in 2024 if the game is truly targeting next year.
For Kingdom Hearts fans who have been eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Sora’s saga, this potential 2025 release window offers a light at the end of the tunnel after years of patiently waiting. It may not be much longer until this sprawling crossover action RPG world becomes reality again.
