Officially Targets Late 2027 as Coco Joins Sora’s New Adventure

Square Enix has officially confirmed that Kingdom Hearts IV will launch in late 2027, finally giving the long awaited action RPG a release window more than 4 years after its original announcement. The confirmation arrived during D23 2026 alongside a new trailer revealing a world inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Coco, while also providing a much clearer look at Sora, Donald, Goofy, King Mickey, combat, and the direction of the new Lost Master story. The timing will place the game directly inside the Kingdom Hearts franchise’s 25th anniversary year. According to Square Enix, the game is planned for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

The biggest new reveal is the arrival of Coco’s Land of the Dead, giving Sora another major Disney and Pixar world to explore. The new footage also shows Donald and Goofy traveling through the Underworld while searching for information about Sora, who remains trapped in Quadratum, the mysterious modern city resembling Tokyo. King Mickey also receives his own exploration sequence as the group searches for clues connected to Sora’s disappearance. Square Enix says Kingdom Hearts IV will continue emphasizing fast action combat, magic, and different Keyblade abilities while introducing a new Build system designed to expand how players approach battles.

Sora’s journey begins after awakening in Quadratum, where he attempts to find a path back to his original world. The setting has been one of the most significant changes introduced with Kingdom Hearts IV, shifting portions of the series toward a more realistic visual direction while preserving the exaggerated animation and Disney inspired worlds associated with previous games. Square Enix first revealed Kingdom Hearts IV in April 2022 as the beginning of the Lost Master Arc, following the conclusion of the Dark Seeker Saga in Kingdom Hearts III. The game is being developed with Unreal Engine 5.

The late 2027 confirmation also validates speculation that had been building throughout the year. Earlier retailer listings suggested the game could arrive during 2027. At the time, Square Enix had not officially announced a release window, making those listings impossible to confirm. The company has now locked the game into late 2027, placing it alongside what is becoming an unusually strong year for Square Enix and the wider RPG market.

Kingdom Hearts IV has also remained one of Square Enix’s most closely watched upcoming releases. During Summer Game Fest 2026, the game ranked among the most discussed titles of the event cycle, appearing alongside major franchises including God of War, Resident Evil, Gears of War, Persona, and Final Fantasy VII. That level of attention reinforces how significant the 2027 launch will be after the extended gap since Kingdom Hearts III arrived in 2019.

Square Enix and Disney are expanding the franchise beyond games as well. An official Kingdom Hearts animated series is now in development for Disney Plus, although neither a release window nor additional production details have been announced. The project was revealed during D23 alongside the new Kingdom Hearts IV presentation, giving the franchise another major expansion as it approaches its 25th anniversary.

Late 2027 is a long wait, but Square Enix finally giving Kingdom Hearts IV a defined launch window changes the conversation around the project. The more important part is that the latest trailer begins showing what the game actually is rather than simply teasing Quadratum and the next story arc. Coco is a strong choice for demonstrating how Disney worlds can benefit from the more advanced visual technology, while playable sequences involving Donald, Goofy, and Mickey suggest the adventure may provide more variety outside Sora’s perspective.

Square Enix also has an opportunity to make 2027 one of its strongest years in recent memory. If its major releases remain on schedule, Kingdom Hearts IV could close the year as one of the publisher’s biggest global launches while celebrating the franchise’s 25th anniversary.

Was the Coco reveal enough to make the late 2027 wait worthwhile, and which Disney or Pixar world do you want Kingdom Hearts IV to reveal next?