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See the full story · 7 sourcesSquare Enix and Disney's Kingdom Hearts video game franchise have found a new world to explore: Disney+.
At D23 on Friday night, Disney announced the action-RPG series is getting an anime adaptation. The show, which will also run on Disney Channel, will involve franchise creator Tetsuya Nomura and tell "a brand-new story that will expand on the universe while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world." As the press release notes, this'll be the first-ever show for the franchise, though Disney did try much earlier once upon a time.
Since the first game's launch in 2002, Kingdom Hearts has been a fan-favorite franchise that takes players through a number of Disney worlds while fighting alongside characters from the films and Square's own Final Fantasy . The original trilogy and spinoffs focused on Sora, a Keyblade wielder working with Donald Duck and Goofy to save the multiverse from dark forces like Organization XIII and its leader Xehanort.
And speaking of the games, Disney also used its presentation to release a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts IV . The new game sees Sora in the real world (or "Quadratum") fighting Heartless that've invaded while Donald and Goofy try to rescue him. Like the earlier entries, players will travel to Disney worlds throughout the game, one of which will be Coco— which, as it happens, had a preview of its sequel play before this show was announced.
We'll have more on the Kingdom Hearts show as news emerges. Meanwhile, Kingdom Hearts IV is currently slated for a late 2027 release on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .
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