After a few delays, Square Enix’sForspokenwill finally come out soon. Serving as a spiritual sequel toFinal Fantasy 15, this title should be the first real showcase of its developer Luminous Productions and the Luminous Engine. Even with successful RPGs likeKingdom Heartsin hand, Square Enix is betting big onForspoken, as the new IP stands to compete with contemporary AAA open-world titles likeThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
WithForspoken’s new setting comes new characters, and leading the cast is Frey Holland. Transported to the mystical world of Athia and given great magical powers along with a talking bracelet called Cuff, it’s up to Frey to leap and fight her way through a fantastical land ruled by the malicious Tantas. While some have misgivings about the writing and others are watching the gameplay cautiously,Forspokencould be a hit for Square Enix. After most of its western properties were jettisoned, it needs some strong new IPs. If Frey can impress enough, she may even be able to appear in a futureKingdom Heartscrossover.
RELATED:Forspoken Has Potential for a Cool Cross-World Game Sequence
Kingdom Hearts Accepts All Square Enix and Disney Characters
With a mixture of Square Enix and Disney characters, the long-runningKingdom Heartsseries has served as a hall of fame for both companies. Just looking at the Worlds and characters inKingdom Hearts 1reveals many of Disney’s animated classics, as well as some of Square Enix’sstarFinal Fantasygames from that time. The crossover cast only grew with each game, although complaints began to arise regarding one side. Because Square Enix considers originalKingdom Heartscharacters as its representatives, it was rare to see a new Square Enix game portrayed inKHafterKingdom Hearts 2.
After a surprise appearance byThe World Ends With You’s party inKingdom Hearts 3Dand a couple of references throughoutKingdom Hearts 3, Square Enix clarified thatKingdom Heartswould primarily focus on Disney characters and original characters. Thatdoesn’t disqualifyFinal Fantasyicons like Moogles, and other Square Enix characters could appear at any time, but their chances are getting worse. With the realistic aesthetic ofKingdom Hearts 4potentially leading toStar Warsor Marvel crossovers, there are more pressing franchises for Square Enix to adapt. Fitting western-developed IPs such asTomb RaiderandLegacy of Kainhave been sold off, so Square Enix’s options for modern game tie-ins have shrunk even further.
How Frey Could Fit Into Kingdom Hearts
Whether the game is selected for a crossover or not,Forspokenhas many elements that would blend well withKingdom Hearts. Athia as a full World would be difficult to set boundaries for, but Frey Holland would be a perfect addition toKH’s cast. The Earth-like unreality of Quadratum would be the perfect place to house the former New Yorker, andForspoken’s quippy dialogue stylewould fit in the light-heartedKingdom Heartsnarrative. Frey would make a great representative for Square Enix in a new Traverse Town equivalent, such as a specific district of Quadratum. Also of note are her considerable magical powers, which would also gel with those possessed by Sora.
If there is no room in the party for Frey, then becoming a summon would work just as well. Frey could serve as a callback to the Limit Commands fromKingdom Hearts 2, acting as a second playable character beside Sora. The two of them would be able to glide across the battlefield and cast a variety of elemental spells, potentially finishing off with a merged Keyblade and magical sword strike. Something likea cross betweenKingdom Hearts 2’s Wisdom Formand the aforementioned Limits would work perfectly, and could result in a very technical summon. There are many ways that Frey Holland would work inKingdom Hearts, and her chemistry with the World-hopping Sora would be great. If a futureKingdom Heartsentry introduces more existing Square Enix characters, then Frey should be among their number.
Forspokenwill be released on July 10, 2025, for PC and PS5.
