Kingdom Hearts III is a confirmed future title in the Kingdom Hearts series. The director of the series, Tetsuya Nomura, has confirmed that this title will come eventually, but also that development cannot start until the "Kingdom Hearts team" is finished with Final Fantasy Versus XIII.

Kingdom Hearts III
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What We Know

• Kingdom Hearts III will focus on Sora.
• Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance have been leading up to this title.
• Nomura plans to release the game on the "current generation of hardware", or most likely, the PlayStation 3.
• Kingdom Hearts III will most likely deal with the effort to save everyone, and with the effort to finally defeat Xehanort.
• Kingdom Hearts III is said to be the end of the "Xehanort saga" in the Kingdom Hearts series, and after this, a new saga should begin.
• The team that will develop Kingdom Hearts III is known as the "Kingdom Hearts team" in Square Enix, and are currently busy developing Final Fantasy Versus XIII.

Interview Extracts

June 2009: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Ultimania

-- So is it possible that there will be another game connecting BbS and KH1? And might that be KH3...?

Nomura: Who knows? I already have ideas for the next installment. But since Birth by Sleep isn't even out yet, I don't have to think about it until awhile from now. Recently everyone kepts asking me when I'm planning on coming out with KH3. Even though I'm currently busy with Final Fantasy versus XIII, I'm also thinking that it's almost time to start thinking about it seriously. Though it's entirely possible that the next game in the series won't be KH3.

June 2010: E3 2010 via GameSpot

Question 7: It's been a while since we've seen a new generation of Kingdom Hearts titles. There have been a lot of handheld and mobile version, but no console versions since the PlayStation 2. Are you thinking about making a next-generation Kingdom Hearts? Or do you prefer working on handhelds?

TN: All I can say is that if there were to be a Kingdom Hearts III, then it would be on consoles. I have a desire to create this game, but it's just not the right time. I'm under pressure from KH fans, Disney, and Square Enix, and they all want Kingdom Hearts III. I know this, and I don't hide my desire to make this game. The biggest problem we're facing is our main developer on the franchise is busy with Final Fantasy, and the Birth by Sleep team is busy making Kingdom Hearts for the Nintendo 3DS. But we'll do it when the right time comes.

September 2010: EGMi interview

For any sequel of the mainstream storyline of the Kingdom Hearts series, that would be Kingdom Hearts III. But the problem is that the opportunity of developing the sequel is not currently [possible]. The team is busy, I am busy. I'm thinking about what's going to be next after Kingdom Hearts II, the future that is Kingdom Hearts III. Time has nearly come to [work on] that concept.

Yes it might be possible. It is my desire to develop the next Kingdom Hearts on the existing platform, but the problem with a new console is that it has new technical requirements. So, yes, I'm willing to create something on the existing console because when we aim for another non-existing future console, the release of the title will be far in the future. That's my concern.

July 2011: Famitsu Weekly interview

-- Alright, last question on the topic. There are an overwhelming number of people who want Kingdom Hearts 3 to be released.

Nomura: The answer for them has been prepared in KH3D.

Release Date Speculation & Analysis

One of the most frequently asked questions by fans of Kingdom Hearts is "When will Kingdom Hearts 3 be released?" Often, fans complain that the gap between Kingdom Hearts II and the eventual Kingdom Hearts III has taken much too long, and is filled with too many "side" games. So, why is it taking so long, and when will Kingdom Hearts III be released?

Kingdom Hearts II finished development in 2005, and after this, the same development team begun work on Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, completing the project sometime in 2007. This team is referred to by Square Enix as the "Kingdom Hearts team", as they are the team responsible for the development of both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.

After the completion of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, the Kingdom Hearts team began work on another title, Versus XIII. Since development of this game started, in 2007, the Kingdom Hearts team have been unavailable to work on other games-- and as the eventual Kingdom Hearts III will be developed by the Kingdom Hearts team, until Versus XIII is completed, development won't be able to start.

So, when will Versus XIII be finished? Tetsuya Nomura has started that the game is "unlikely to release in 2011". However, apart from this, we don't have a timeframe. Since it is already 2012 and we don't have a clearer date, current estimates tend to agree with somewhere around "early 2013". Towards the release of the game, the development team will be able to begin work on their next title-- Kingdom Hearts III. So, for this reason, it is possible that development of Kingdom Hearts III could begin early 2013.

So, what does this mean for the release date of Kingdom Hearts III, and other dates surrounding the game? If we assume the above to be correct, that development will begin early 2013, then at the absolute earliest, it is possible that small amounts of information concerning Kingdom Hearts III could be revealed at the end of 2012. This will probably just be in the form of interviews and possibly early character art, but it is possible we will get something before development starts.

However, of course, there is the possibility that things don't pick up until later. If Square chooses to release information only after development has started, then we may not hear anything until the middle of 2013, or later. Then, after this, development will take some time. Development of major games usually take 2 to 3 years, so, optimistically thinking, it is possible that we may see a Japanese release of Kingdom Hearts III in 2015, and a North American release in 2016, with Australia and Europe to follow also in 2016.

It is worth noting that even though many "side games" are coming out for Kingdom Hearts, that is, games that are not numbered titles on consoles, it is not true that these games are delaying Kingdom Hearts III. The only reason Kingdom Hearts III is taking so long is simply that the development team is busy with Versus XIII, and nothing else. The "side games" are a way to keep the fans busy, rather than giving us nothing until KH3.

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