Kingdom Hearts series co-creator and director Tetsuya Nomura has assured fans that Kingdom Hearts IV will not be delayed.
On Friday, Square Enix announced at the Disney D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, that Kingdom Hearts IV will be released in late 2027.
Subsequently, at the Kingdom Hearts panel during the D23 Expo on Saturday night, Tetsuya Nomura made a surprise appearance, taking the stage to discuss the game with everyone.
In the meantime, Tetsuya Nomura, who has directed every game in the Kingdom Hearts series, assured players skeptical of the late 2027 release window that there is no reason to believe this target cannot be met.
Tetsuya Nomura (via an on-stage interpreter) stated, "We announced that the game will be released in late 2027, but I've seen people online saying, 'Oh, you know, the actual release date might be delayed further.'I just want to clarify—that won't happen. So I hope everyone looks forward to the game's release in 2027."
"The promotional campaign for this game is just getting started, so I hope you all look forward to hearing more news."
During Friday's presentation, it was also revealed that a Kingdom Hearts animated series is in production, planned for release on Disney+ and Disney Channel.
SE also confirmed the first Disney-themed world in Kingdom Hearts IV, revealing that the world of Coco will appear in the game.