Kingdom Hearts 4 has been announced to celebrate the original games' 20th anniversary. The trailer revealed that the game will include everyone's favorite sidekicks, Donald and Goofy, plus Sora taking on a giant shadow-like monster. However, little else is known about what the game will include.
Even though the title has yet to receive a release date, fans have taken to Reddit to share what they think may happen in the game. As with many other installments in the game, fans want to know what Disney and Pixar movies will be featured, new characters, and keyblades.
Disney Settings Won't Be Included At All
A theory presented by RoadtoPS5 suggests that Sora will not be traveling to any of the Disney or Pixar Worlds in the new game. The Redditor posits, "there's no world traveling in this installment if there is the possibility that it will be set entirely in Quadratum especially since Sora doesn't have access to a gummi ship?"
This would be a massive change for the series and may turn veteran players off to the game. The interaction with Disney-based worlds is the basis of Kingdom Hearts and would undoubtedly receive mixed reviews.
Star Wars Will Be Included in The Game
Kingdom Hearts has yet to interact with the Star Wars universe, but Disney has been incorporating more and more Star Wars lore into their games and parks. Redditor Tumama shared a video that claims the land of Endor is shown in the trailer.
If this exciting Kingdom Hearts theory is confirmed, it would be one of the most intriguing new features and present a whole new realm of potential gameplay. This addition would also increase the game's appeal to Star Wars fans who have never been interested in the game before.
The Release Date Will Be Within the Next Two Years
The release of Kingdom Hearts 3 came six years after it was announced, but fans think the next installment in the series will come sooner rather than later. Redditor Emperor Talquin believes the developers will have the game ready within two years. They said, "I think a prediction for early 2024 or even late 2023 is realistic. The game wouldn't have been announced if the targetted release date was 2025 because the hype would decline too hard."
Gamers are no longer willing to wait for half a decade. They want their new installments to their favorite series now, as long as they are done correctly.
Encanto Will Be One of the Worlds Included
If the game takes on the regular format of the other installments in the series, Encanto's Colombia will likely be a world that players can explore. Redditor Destructo77 stated, "seeing the interior of Casita fully realized would be a number 1 for me. I would also like to see more of the town fleshed out."
Fellow Redditors suggested that the other Madrigal family members' bedrooms could be an addition to the gameplay. In Kingdom Hearts 3, players could explore parts of Toy Story previously hidden. Revealing more of the world of Encanto would follow that precedent and delight fans.
Anna and Elsa Will Appear in the Game Again
The sisters from Arendelle have already appeared in Kingdom Hearts' third edition, but user Evansampson290 feels players haven't seen the last of the sisters. They say, "Kingdom Hearts 4 was just announced. I'd bet anything that Frozen 2 will be a world to explore."
Related: 5 Best Disney Worlds (& The 5 Worst) In Kingdom Hearts
Given the woodland scenes shown in the trailer, Sora may encounter at least Elsa once again. Kingdom Hearts typically includes Disney's most popular movies, Frozen 2 is still one of them and has a large enough world that players could explore by walking or possibly with help from Gale.
Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts Will Finally Collide
Fans of both Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy have been waiting for the games to produce a crossover moment but have not had their demands yet. With the new installment of Kingdom Hearts on the way, one fan feels they may finally get their big moment.
Reddit user Veren_Strife says, "The Master of Masters in Kingdom Hearts is Gilgamesh." The user goes on to note that this theory "might seem like a stretch," but it could also hold some weight. The hype for Final Fantasy VII has yet to die down from the 2020 remake, which could provide the opportunity for the developers to mesh the games.
Marvel Characters Will Make An Appearance
With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness coming out before Kingdom Hearts 4, fans think Marvel characters could show up in the game, providing another universe to the multiverse. User Same-Cryptographer51 outlines two reasons, "1)it's good promotion & 2) imagine a battle against Heartless Sinister 6."
The trailer reveals Sora is in a new world akin to the real world that players live in and could serve as a way to introduce Marvel characters and still have the storyline make sense and play into the multiverse.
Moana Will Be Involved
The cinematic tale of Disney's most heroic princess Moana already includes a grand adventure, and Redditor Gale_Erick feels it is the perfect setting for the new Kingdom Hearts. They say, "Man watching Moana all I think about is how fitting it is in KH. A quest to return a lost heart? The one losing heart turns into a monstrous creature? A tropical island setting which is similar to Sora's own home? The KH vibe is really strong there."
Moana's journey would provide an opportunity for a boss fight with Ta-Ka and some significant character interaction with NPCs.
Hercules Will Appear Again
Hercules is the most referenced movie in the Kingdom Hearts series, and the new trailer has fans wondering if the movie's villain will appear in this installment. User KrispyBaconator theorized, "Maybe Donald and Goofy are seeing if he knows anything about where Sora went, being the god of the underworld (which is basically the afterlife)."
They refer to a moment in the trailer where Donald and Goofy are addressed in a dark tunnel by someone we don't see. The voice heard does sound similar to Hades in the other games, and a blue flame appears before he speaks.
Sora Has Aged Within the Game
Sora has a new look in the trailer, and fans have theorized that Sora has been aged up from previous installments. User hashtagtylerh says, "he's likely 16 in KH3. could be 17 but we don't know how much time is between KH3 and KH2. he's either 17 or 18 in KH4 but since he looks more mature."
However, the trailer reveals that Sora arrived in his new world only a week prior. Still, time could always move differently in Quadratum. If it had only been a week, we wouldn't have aged at all, and the creators changed his character design.