It has been nearly a decade since Kingdom Hearts released a main title in its series. If we’re not counting the handheld entries into the series, the last time we saw a new Kingdom Hearts game on a main console seems to be 2005. Since then we’ve gotten plenty of re-releases and HD remasters for the original games and their handheld counterparts, but a new entry has been largely absent. Kingdom Hearts III has arguably been in development since 2006, with many possible release dates being teased as far back as 2013.
The latest update hints that we’re far closer to playing Kingdom Hearts III than we’ve been in the past, but no firm release date is attached to this new trailer. Square Enix released the new trailer following their Kingdom Hearts Orchestra concert in Los Angeles, showing off some of the gameplay and a few of the classic Disney characters that will be making a return. Mixing Final Fantasy elements with Disney properties is still an odd thing to wrap your head around, especially seeing Goofy and Donald Duck as knights under King Mickey. It’s a weird experience when you first dip your toes into the world.
That said, it worked well and ended up being an interesting concept on the PS2 despite some awful mini-game sequences as you moved between worlds. The latest rumored release date for the third entry in the main series is some point in 2018 according to Square Enix, but another trailer and gameplay elements will be showcased at D23 Expo on July 15th according to Kotaku. Perhaps we’ll finally get a solid release date at that point.
(Via Kotaku)