It could be a while before players get their hands onKingdom Hearts 4, but this impending wait hasn’t done much to stop hype from building within the series' fanbase. ThoughKingdom Hearts 3has its issues, it’s generally seen as a solid addition to the franchise, and its ending tees upKingdom Hearts 4in interesting ways, setting the stage for the next chapter in Sora’s long-running adventure. Indeed,the sky seems like the limit forKingdom Hearts 4, especially if it leverages modern gaming hardware and new crossover opportunities wisely.
It’s always interesting to see how newKingdom Heartsgames take advantage of developments in Disney and Square Enix properties. No shortage of ink has been spilled about the potential ofKingdom Hearts 4bringing the likes ofStar Warsand Marvel into the fray, as these are now owned by Disney. Pixar worlds appearing inKingdom Heartssets a precedent for crossovers outside the realm of classic Disney IP likeAladdinandThe Little Mermaid, and with Disney owning a sprawling assortment of iconic franchises, speculation and high hopes can run rampant. It’s tough to say just what new IPKingdom Hearts 4will incorporate, but there’s at least one Disney-owned series that seems like a perfect fit.
An Avatar World Would Be a Great Match for Kingdom Hearts 4
It’s Time for Kingdom Hearts to Visit Pandora
Nestled within Disney’s massive portfolio of successful properties isAvatar, the James Cameron-helmed science-fiction series set on the alien planet of Pandora. WithKingdom Hearts' penchant for wacky characters, worlds, and premises, a level set in this fantastical world would be a natural fit.
ThoughAvatar’s lore has been expanded withThe Way of Water, and will certainly continue to grow with subsequent films, the core story is remarkably simple: Pandora is a contested land, with humans attempting to infiltrate the Na’vi community for access to valuable resources, prompting pushback from the honorable alien race. This straightforward premise wouldbe easy to adapt to a miniKingdom Heartsplot, as Sora and company could team up with the heroes from the films to push back this unambiguously unethical force.
The story of the firstAvatarmovie would be especially easy to carry over toKingdom Hearts, as it’s a more uncomplicated narrative about good versus evil.
Additionally, the world ofAvataralready has a framework in place for human characters transforming into Na’vi beings, making for a smooth avenue for thecharacter transformations seen in otherKingdom Heartsworlds. Sora, Donald, and Goofy could be rendered in unique Na’vi forms without needing too much additional explanation, and it’s not hard to imagine all the interesting thingsKH4could do with the various creatures and technologies of theAvataruniverse.
Ubisoft’s recentAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoramay be a solid blueprint forKingdom Hearts 4to follow, if only loosely. The dense jungles, beaches, and breathtaking vistas of Pandora set a solid foundation for an open-world game, and whileKingdom Hearts 4’s theoreticalAvatarlevel probably wouldn’t match the scale ofFrontiers of Pandora, the latter could serve as solid inspiration. If nothing else,Frontiers of Pandorashows how well Pandora works as a fully explorable video game environment, and it’s somethingKingdom Hearts 4could draw inspiration from.
ThrowingAvatarinto theKingdom Hearts 4IP gumbo could yield incredibly special results, especially if Square Enix wants to get a bit more ambitious with the scale of the game, serving up a massive sci-fi world based on one of Disney’s more unique franchises.Kingdom Heartshas toyed around with stranger ideas, so it shouldn’t be out of the question.
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.
