Summary
WithKingdom Hearts 4currently in development, fans of Square Enix’s Disney/Final Fantasycrossover franchise have a lot to be excited about. Despite the lack of concrete information currently surrounding the project, Disney’s acquisition of juggernauts Marvel and Star Wars since the lastKingdom Heartsproject was developed has opened up a world of new possibilities. Rumors continue to swirl about a new Nintendo console being in the works, and if both projects see the light of day in 2025,Kingdom Hearts 4should launch on Nintendo’s Switch follow-up.
The Nintendo Switch has proven to be a resounding success since its initial launch in 2017, selling well over 130 million units to date. That being said, recent years have seen it pushed to the absolute limits of its technology, with titles such asHogwarts LegacyandMortal Kombat 1undergoing significant changes just to be playable on the Switch. While competing with PlayStation and Xbox graphically has never really been Nintendo’s priority, it is no doubt time for the Japanese giant to provide fans with an upgrade, andKingdom Hearts 4would be a perfect way to display the new console’s power.
Kingdom Hearts and Nintendo Should Join Forces Again
While all three mainlineKingdom Heartsgames are playable today on the Nintendo Switch, none of them were available for a Nintendo console at the time they launched.Kingdom HeartsandKingdom Hearts 2werePS2 exclusiveswhen they were initially released in 2001 and 2006 respectively. It wasn’t until 2022 that both became playable on the Switch as part of theKingdom Hearts HD 1.5 and 2.5 Remixcollection. This means that those who have always solely owned Nintendo consoles were unable to experience the games until decades after their initial releases.
It was a similar story withKingdom Hearts 3. Originally released for PS4 and Xbox One in 2019, Switch users had to wait until 2022 to finally be able to play it.Kingdom Hearts 4could buck this trend and help Nintendo’s Switch follow-up sell more units by launching on the console alongside other major platforms. The franchise already has many fans among Nintendo’s player base, and protagonistSora has even guest featured as aSmash Bros. Ultimateguest fighter. This crossover was met with a positive reception from fans, and helped establish a foothold forKingdom Heartson the platform.
Nintendo’s Switch Follow-Up Must Be Able to Run Kingdom Hearts 4 Properly
Being playable on Nintendo’s Switch 2 at launch - if that is what the console even ends up being called - will be a difficult task to achieve.Kingdom Hearts 4is being built using Unreal Engine 5with modern consoles in mind, and this new console will likely not be anywhere near as powerful as the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. While many modern titles have been perfectly ported to the Switch, some developers have found it difficult to transition their projects to Nintendo without having to make some serious graphical and technical compromises.
Fans would likely not wantKingdom Hearts 4to be forced to make such sacrifices if it meant the overall experience would be heavily impacted. Therefore, Square Enix must ensure that any version ofKingdom Hearts 4that is released on the next Nintendo console holds itself to the same high standards as any other versions of the game. Hopefully, there is a way for the game to successfully launch onNintendo’s next console, whenever it is eventually released.
Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix and represents the fifteenth installment in the franchise. Players once again are put in the shoes of Sora who is suddenly trapped in a more realistic world called Quadratum, with companions like Donald and Goofy attempting to rescue him. Kingdom Hearts 4 is a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
