Kingdom Hearts 4 Targets Late 2027; Disney+ Anime In the Works

Square Enix confirmed Kingdom Hearts 4 is still on track for a late 2027 release, and it's landing on PlayStation 5, XBOX Series, PC, and, for the first time ever, a Nintendo platform. Alongside that, an original anime series was announced too, so this is genuinely one of the biggest days the franchise has had in years.

Let's start with Kingdom Hearts 4 itself. The new trailer shown at D23 confirmed that Pixar's Coco will be one of the worlds you'll get to explore in the game, which is a pretty exciting addition to the roster of Disney and Pixar settings this series is known for.

As big as the Coco reveal is, the release details might matter even more for fans deciding where to buy.

Beyond that, Kingdom Hearts 4 is still set for that late 2027 window, and this time it's arriving on every major platform, including Nintendo Switch 2. That last part is a genuinely big deal, since this marks the first time a mainline, numbered entry in the franchise has ever released natively on a Nintendo system on the same day as everything else.

Now, if you're planning to grab it on Switch 2, you should probably brace yourself for the possibility of a game key card rather than a full cartridge. Square Enix has leaned on that format for most of its Switch 2 releases so far, so it wouldn't be surprising if Kingdom Hearts 4 follows the same route, even if plenty of fans are hoping it doesn't.

On the PlayStation 5 side, things look a bit better if physical media matters to you. Since the late 2027 release window falls before the cutoff, you should actually be able to pick up a real physical disc for Kingdom Hearts 4 on PS5.

That's worth paying attention to, because January 2028 is expected to be the point where PlayStation stops supporting physical releases for new titles going forward. That makes Kingdom Hearts 4 one of the last major games you'll be able to grab as a proper physical copy on PS5 before that shift happens.

Beyond the release logistics, there's still the game's first impressions to unpack, along with a surprise announcement of its own.

As for how the game actually looks, early impressions are strong; the visuals are sharp, the combat looks fast and flashy, and it feels like the team took feedback from Kingdom Hearts 3 to heart. There's still plenty we don't know yet, especially around the finer combat mechanics and core systems, but everything shown so far captures that same over-the-top, detailed, world-hopping energy the series has always been known for.

If you've been a longtime fan, Kingdom Hearts 4 looks like it's shaping up to deliver exactly what you'd want from a new mainline entry. Then there's the second big announcement: Kingdom Hearts: The Series. This is an original anime, separate from the games, and it's set to stream on Disney+ once it releases.

Ayo Davis, President of Disney Kids & Family, spoke about the project and described how the franchise has drawn in players through its mix of adventure and imagination, and how compelling it is to take a world fans already love and reimagine it in a new medium.

She also noted that Tetsuya Nomura, the creator behind the games, is working closely with the team behind the show to make sure it still feels Kingdom Hearts authentically, while giving longtime fans a new way to experience the story.

Nomura's role on the show, in particular, is worth sitting with; it says a lot about how the studio wants this expansion to be received.

Nomura's direct involvement is a strong sign for how faithful this anime could end up being, since he's the creative mind who has shaped the franchise from the very beginning. The series is expected to expand on the world and characters that have built such a dedicated fanbase over the years, rather than just retelling the games beat for beat.

Between Kingdom Hearts 4 finally locking in a release window across every major platform and a full anime adaptation heading to Disney+, this is easily one of the strongest news days the franchise has had in a long time. Whether you're most excited to finally play Kingdom Hearts 4 or to see the story reimagined through Kingdom Hearts: The Series, there's a lot coming for fans to look forward to as we head toward that late 2027 launch.