Square Enix has revealed that the ever-elusive Kingdom Hearts III Alba & Ater Chess Set has been delayed across all regional storefronts.
Each delayed date is listed below:
Square Enix JP Store - August 27th, 2022 (Initially April 30th, 2022)
Square Enix EU Store - November 18th, 2022 (InitiallyJuily 29th, 2022)
Square Enix NA Store - October 2022 Release Window (Initially July 2022)
We'll be sure to keep you all contintually updated regarding the shipment status of this Chess Set.
View our announcement coverage.
You can view images of this upcoming product via our gallery below:
Thanks to prominent Kingdom Hearts community member Churro for sharing this significant information.
Square Enix has listed new Kingdom Hearts-themed room fragrance mists available for pre-order via their Japanese digital storefront. Based on Roxas, Xion, and Axel, each of these scents is distinct while also altering depending on how much time has passed.
You'll notice that each mist has three notes attached to them. Their meanings are as follows:
Top Note: These are the scents you'll smell during the first 15 to 20 minutes after the fragrance is applied.
Middle Note: These are the scents you'll smell from 20 minutes to 2 hours after the fragrance is applied.
Last Note: These are the scents you'll smell after more than 2 hours have passed since the initial application. Depending on the provided quality, these last note scents can potentially last as long as half a day.
Descriptions for the Roxas, Xion and Axel room fragrance mists are provided below alongside images viewable via our galleries:
Roxas
Top Note: Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Bergamot, Petitgrain
Middle Note: Clover, Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Sea Salt
Last Note: Musk, Amber, Balsam, Vetiver, Patchouli
Axel
Top Note: Lemon, Apple, Bamboo
Middle Note: Jasmine, Peach, White Rose, Sea Salt
Last Note: Musk, Amber, Cedarwood
Xion
Top Note: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Lemon
Middle Note: Tea Fragrance, Rose, Jasmine, Orris Root
Last Note: Sea Salt, Labdanum, Musk, Tonka Bean, Cedarwood
Thanks to our team's Ryuji for translating certain terms.
Each fragrance mist of the Days trio is ¥5,940, and shipments are expected to occur on October 8th, 2022.
Lastly, store links for the Roxas, Xion and Axel fragrance mists are accessible below:
Roxas
Xion
Axel
NOTE: These items cannot be shipped overseas due to them being marked as flammable.
Room fragrance mists themed around Sora, Kairi, and Riku were revealed earlier this year.
Final Fantasy VII Remake has received many unique mods, comprising cosmetic alterations to gameplay changes. Recently, one standout mod that can be seen as a fusion of both umbrella avenues is by user ColossalCake, depicting protagonist Cloud Strife with the iconic Kingdom Key.
This weapon was actually made from scratch to fit Final Fantasy VII Remake's world better, as its size should reflect. In fact, the sheer difference in size between this recreation and the Kingdom Key in Kingdom Hearts proper has to do with it mimicking the hitboxes of Cloud's weapons in-game. However, the sound effects emitted from the Kingdom Key here are cleverly taken from Kingdom Hearts III.
Regarding gameplay incorporations, the Kingdom Key houses four unique Materia slots, which, for those unaware, are essentially ways to customize weapon builds. Additionally, it can replace either the Buster Sword or Mythril Blade weapons for Cloud.
Lastly of note is that aside from ColossalCake performing the mod's texture and modeling work, the following individuals also provided noteworthy contributions of their own:
matyalatte for their FF7R-mesh-importer, FF7R-DDS-tools, and Blender-Uasset-Add-on tool.
Yoraiz0r for their AudioMog tool.
spiritovod for their Umodel tool.
FluffyQuack for their unrealpak tool.
If you'd like to download this impressive mod and/or view additional screenshots, check out its dedicated Nexus Mods page.
Square Enix has announced that they are collaborating with Japanese 7-Elevens to sell exclusive Kingdom Hearts-related merchandise. Fans will be available to purchase these items physically from stores on July 15th, 2022, while digital pre-orders can be made now for pick-ups later.
Each item is described below, alongside provided store links and galleries.
The newly unveiled merchandise partially comprises 20th Anniversary eco-friendly bags by shop LOVELESS for ¥2,819, containing pouches depicting either Chain of Memories Dive to the Heart Sora or Sora and Mickey from Dream Drop Distance atop a Station of Awakening.
Moreover, Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary LOVELESS Coffee Cup Tumblers will be available for ¥2,409. The Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix title screen artwork is viewable on one Tumbler, while the other shares the iconic Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days clear art.
Lastly, a LOVELESS branded bifold wallet engraved with iconic Kingdom Hearts symbols will be purchaseable for ¥2,640.
Genesis would surely love these products.
Chapter 25 of the Kingdom Hearts III manga is now available on Gangan Online and from Yen Press. "Lea and Kairi" can be viewed in Japanese on Gangan Online or bought in English as a digital download from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Walker, Google Play, iBooks, and Kobo. The issue's price varies from $1.99 for the United States to $2.99 in Canada.
You can check out preview scans of the chapter in the gallery below.
You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below!
Chapter 0 Prologue Japanese English
Chapter 1 The New Departure Japanese English
Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum Part 1 Japanese English
Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum Part 2 Japanese English
Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum Part 3 Japanese English
Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum Part 4 Japanese English
Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum Part 5 Japanese English
Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum Part 6 Japanese English
Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum Part 7 Japanese English
Chapter 9 The Dark World Japanese English
Chapter 10 Unbreakable Connection Japanese English
Chapter 11 The Self inside the Mirror Japanese English
Chapter 12 Reunion Japanese English
Chapter 13 Warmth Japanese English
Chapter 14 Destiny Island Japanese English
Chapter 15 Remaining Light Japanese English
Chapter 16 Tracking the Bond Japanese English
Chapter 17 Following the Heart's Guidance Japanese English
Chapter 18 Twilight Town [1] Japanese English
Chapter 19 Twilight Town [2] Japanese English
Chapter 20 Tox Box [1] Japanese English
Chapter 21 Toy Box [2] Japanese English
Chapter 22 Toy Box [3] Japanese English
Chapter 23 Toy Box [4] Japanese English
Chapter 24 Toy Box [5] Japanese English
Square Enix has unveiled new Kingdom Hearts apparel via their Japanese digital storefront, comprising a hoodie themed around Roxas. This item is fully made out of cotton and costs ¥9,680, with an expected shipment date of October 8th, 2022. It certainly looks quite rad. Perhaps I'll consider purchasing it if it becomes listed on the North American storefront.
The hoodie is also available to pre-order from reliable retailer Aitai Kuji for ¥8,500.
You can view officially provided images of this upcoming product via our gallery below:
Retailer Sega Plaza has revealed new Kingdom Hearts merchandise. The first set of items is Kingdom Hearts Premium Cushions, which are... certainly something. Two pillows simply boast the series' traditional logo, while the other two share iconic key visuals. Additionally, there is a Stainless Steel Bottle depicting Sora in his Kingdom Hearts III attire.
These products are planned to be obtainable on July 15, 2022 via crane games.
You can view the Kingdom Hearts Premium Cushions and Stainless Steel Bottle via our galleries below:
Merchandise retailer U-Treasure has announced that celebratory Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary watches are available to pre-order via their digital storefront. Sora's iconic crown symbol is on the frontsides, while the backsides are engraved with the 20th Anniversary logo.
The watches are choosable in black and white varieties, costing ¥36,300, with shipments tentatively occurring on December 20, 2022. Additionally, the pre-order windows will close on August 15, 2022.
You can view officially provided images of these two watch color variations via our galleries below:
Square Enix has listed a new Kingdom Hearts plush, a Shadow Amigurumi. Amigurumi are essentially Japanese crocheted or knitted items, except crafted as 3D models.
The Shadow Amigurumi is available for pre-order from Square Enix Japan's digital storefront for ¥4,180, and shipments are expected to occur on October 29, 2022.
You can view officially provided images of this upcoming product via our gallery below:
UPDATE (6/24/2022): The plush, officially translated as Knitted Shadow, is now available for pre-order via Square Enix North America's digital storefront for $44.99 ahead of a February 2023 shipment.
Square Enix has unveiled the fourth Kingdom Hearts Acrylic Magnet Gallery Blind Box set. There are 10 different magnets depicting specific segments of box art throughout the franchise, though since it's a Blind Box, there's a likely chance that a customer won't receive all magnets with one purchase.
The collective merchandise is currently available to pre-order via Square Enix North America's digital storefront for $100.00, and an October 2022 shipment is expected.
You can view the Kingdom Hearts Acrylic Magnet Gallery Vol. 4 Blind Box set via our gallery below:
While this news isn't strictly Kingdom Hearts-related, we feel that it is significant enough to discuss. Recently, several interviews with Naoki Yoshida, the producer for the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI, were shared via countless outlets. Of those interviews, two stand out in correlation to Kingdom Hearts.
Firstly, Washington Post's interview with Yoshida shared the following statements:
Additionally, Japanese publication Game Watch conducted an interview providing a notable Kingdom Hearts-centric response:
Thanks to our team's Ryuji for translating the aforementioned passage.
This news is quite thrilling as Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind's boss design was phenomenal. The Limit Cut Data battles and Yozora fight are genuinely remarkable, and knowing that that talent is fueling Final Fantasy XVI can only be a stellar sign.
What are your thoughts on Naoki Yoshida's statements?
Square Enix has unveiled new merchandise on its Japanese digital storefront; this time comprising Kingdom Hearts Bright Arts figures of the Shadow Heartless and King Mickey. The former item costs ¥3,520 while the latter product costs ¥4,400, though they are both expected to ship on October 15th, 2022.
You can view images of these upcoming models via our galleries below:
Kingdom Hearts Bright Arts Gallery - Shadow
Kingdom Hearts II Bright Arts Gallery - King Mickey
UPDATE (6/26/2022) : Both products are now available to pre-order via Square Enix North America's digital storefront with an expected shipment window of February 2023. The King Mickey figure costs $44.99 and the Shadow Heartless figure costs $36.99.
Shinji Hashimoto, the former Kingdom Hearts producer who recently retired from Square Enix after 27 years, has announced that he has become a senior advisor at Sony Music Entertainment and a board member at their subsidiary, Forward Works.
In a recent message he posted via his Twitter account, Hashimoto stated that he wants to continue pursuing the creation of entertainment and that "it might be a bit of time before [he] can share exactly what [he is] working on in these roles."
Good luck! We're rooting for you!
You can view Hashimoto's new message below:
BPNavi has revealed each of the prizes available for the Kingdom Hearts ~20th Anniversary~ Ichiban Kuji lottery. For more details regarding the lottery, such as participation and pricing, view our prior coverage.
You can view the newly univeled items via our gallery below:
Game Informer recently interviewed Tetsuya Nomura regarding Kingdom Hearts IV, the series' future, and other related aspects.
Firstly, Nomura states how some of his favorite fan reactions are to the original Kingdom Hearts' ending, primarily due to how players at the time weren't sure if the story would continue beyond the first entry. The Luxu reveal reactions in Kingdom Hearts III are another of his collective favorites simply because of its severe implications.
Regarding Kingdom Hearts IV, Nomura states that the story is focused more on Sora's disappearance and that there's uncertainty about whether the team will be able to include more of the original cast, notably the Birth by Sleep and Days crews. Still, he desires to explore them more at later points.
Interestingly, Nomura states how he was the one being picky about Sora's recent inclusion into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, not Disney. The latter party was actually quite eager, while Nomura thought it would clash with the "established lore in Kingdom Hearts and the Disney worlds." The end result ended up being qualitative, though.
Moving on to antagonists, Nomura says he's quite happy with their handling of Xehanort's character, citing it as a slow burn that tackled each facet of his character with genuine depth. So now, the Foretellers will be the following antagonists, and Back Cover has already shown the types of characters they are. Moreover, "there will be more new characters as well," though specifics have not been mentioned yet.
Sora is reiterated as the only possible main character for the franchise, to the extent that the numbered entries would conclude if he were to stop being the protagonist. Moreover, there will be a "few Disney worlds," so fans won't have to worry about them potentially being absent, even if their inclusion has "slightly" differed from previous entries.
Reaction Commands' return was reiterated due to fan demand after their removal in Kingdom Hearts III. They were initially taken out because Nomura didn't find the mechanic's debut reception in Kingdom Hearts II particularly positive.
Quadratum is reiterated as the game's initial base, with players returning there as the narrative progresses. Sora's daily life will be approached more, such as seeing him go in and out of his room. Realism is a challenging factor the team has been pursuing to see just how far they can take it.
Final Fantasy characters' lacking presence was discussed next, with Nomura stating that their inclusion is not at the core of Kingdom Hearts' identity. Their presence in the first game was a collective device for players to get to know the at-the-time limited original cast. Now, it's difficult to continually include Final Fantasy characters because of how vast the original cast is. There is no word on how Final Fantasy balance incorporation will work in Kingdom Hearts IV.
Finally, Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link is brought up as an entry fans should look forward to, as it sheds light on several mysteries throughout the series. It will even have hints and new information pertaining to Kingdom Hearts IV.
UPDATE: Notable quotes from Nomura; "As far as the graphic qualities ... since with each new title, the specs have been really increasing and there's so much more we can do in terms of graphics, it kind of limits the number of worlds that we can create in a sense."
"Also, some figures that appear in Missing-Link are tied to Kingdom Hearts IV."
You can read the full interview via Game Informer's website.
You can also read the full interview below:
View our Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Recap & Breakdown article.
.jpg.244e28b4e2048b5407fd22ab9975085a.jpg)
.jpg.a9c5c15fc66ee39104372c8859e3ac60.jpg)
.jpg.d57ad0541124f32cb8ff6e2ac641e299.jpg)
