Square Enix Announces Kingdom Hearts IV for Multiple Platforms
Square Enix revealed a new gameplay trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 during the June 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct, confirming the game will launch simultaneously on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The trailer, the first substantial look at the game since its 2022 announcement, shows protagonist Sora battling a giant Darkside Heartless in the modern city of Quadratum, featuring improved graphics and new combat abilities. No release date was announced, though Australian retail store listings for the accompanying Kingdom Hearts Collection have suggested a 2027 window.
After more than four years of near-silence following its 20th anniversary reveal in 2022, Kingdom Hearts 4 made a surprise appearance near the end of the June 2026 Nintendo Direct with a new gameplay trailer. The footage returns to Quadratum, a photorealistic modern city resembling Shibuya, where Sora battles a skyscraper-sized Darkside Heartless using new chain-based Keyblade abilities, including a move that summons a swarm of golden Keyblades. A hooded figure in Organization 13 robes narrates the trailer, describing how light and darkness only manifested in Quadratum after outsiders arrived, while brief glimpses show returning characters like Donald Duck, Goofy, and Young Xehanort alongside new faces. TechRadar noted hints at possible Disney worlds, including a Hercules connection via blue flames and a fire-and-water Keyblade potentially referencing the 2023 film Elemental. Alongside the KH4 reveal, Square Enix announced the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] — bundling HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind — for Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on October 8, 2026, with a demo for Kingdom Hearts III available immediately on the Nintendo eShop. The Switch cloud versions of the series were simultaneously discontinued from sale, with service ending June 9, 2027, and existing cloud owners offered discounted upgrades to native versions. No official release date or window for Kingdom Hearts 4 itself has been confirmed by Square Enix.
What's missing
It remains unclear whether Square Enix has any plans to make Kingdom Hearts Union X and Dark Road — whose characters appear in the KH4 trailer but which were delisted in 2024 — accessible to players before Kingdom Hearts 4 launches. Additionally, no pricing has been confirmed for Kingdom Hearts 4 itself.
How coverage differed
Most outlets reported the news straightforwardly, but TechRadar and Kotaku offered more critical framing: TechRadar expressed concern about sparse combat footage and the absence of a release date, while Kotaku highlighted the problematic inclusion of characters from Kingdom Hearts Union X Dark Road, a mobile game that was delisted in 2024 and remains inaccessible, framing it as emblematic of the series' notoriously convoluted storytelling approach.
What different sources said
- The VergeLeft
Square Enix announces Kingdom Hearts 4
- VarietyCenter
New ‘Kingdom Hearts’ Game, ‘Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ Remake Unveiled During Nintendo Direct (Gaming News Roundup)
- IGNCenter
Kingdom Hearts 4 Gameplay Gets Surprise Reveal at June 2026 Nintendo Direct
- Push SquareCenter
While You Wait for Kingdom Hearts 4, Play the Entire Saga with New Collection on PS5
- Hindustan TimesCenter
When will Kingdom Hearts 4 release? What we know so far amid big Nintendo Direct reveal | Hindustan Times
- Rocket ChainsawCenter
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Kingdom Hearts IV, Xenoblade and more at Nintendo Direct
- Insider GamingCenter
Kingdom Hearts 4 Release Date Possibly Leaked by Store Listings
- GematsuCenter
Kingdom Hearts Collection [I ~ III] announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch 2
- Khel NowCenter
Kingdom Hearts 4 new description, gameplay & more details
- Nintendo LifeCenter
Kingdom Hearts Switch Cloud Versions Discontinued From Sale
- Outlook RespawnCenter
Kingdom Hearts Saga to Arrive Natively on Nintendo Switch 2 | Outlook Respawn
- PolygonCenter
Kingdom Hearts 4 gets a new gameplay trailer and confirms a Nintendo Switch 2 release
- EngadgetCenter
Kingdom Hearts IV gets a surprise Nintendo Direct trailer drop
- TechRadarCenter
Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer teases Hercules and Elemental worlds, but I wish it had included a release date
Nintendo unveils Zelda remake, Kingdom Hearts IV at Direct
- CNETCenter
Kingdom Hearts 4 Makes Surprise Appearance During June Nintendo Direct
- KotakuCenter
In An Incredibly On-Brand Move, Kingdom Hearts 4 Has Characters From A Game You Can’t Play Anymore
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