Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, has confirmed that his team, Creative Studio 1, is also developing Kingdom Hearts 4. This revelation positions Square Enix's two most significant releases for 2027 under the same development umbrella.
In an interview with Deadline, Hamaguchi discussed Square Enix's strategic outlook for 2027. He cited company president Takashi Kiryu's sentiment that the upcoming year represents a "big fight back" for the company, with both Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Kingdom Hearts 4 identified as key drivers for this resurgence. Hamaguchi expressed his personal commitment, stating that these titles are now "all on my watch" and that he is focused on pushing them forward.
While Hamaguchi leads the studio responsible for both games, he clarified that this does not signify a change in creative direction for Kingdom Hearts 4. Tetsuya Nomura remains the director, with Tai Yasue serving as co-director. Hamaguchi's confirmation pertains to the studio management rather than direct creative oversight of Sora's narrative.
Elsewhere, Nomura has acknowledged the recently announced Kingdom Hearts anime series, confirming its official production. He indicated close consultation with the series' scenario and art teams, hinting that the initially released key art contains a narrative clue.
The development news comes amidst a significant information leak that has reportedly surfaced full achievement lists for upcoming and unannounced titles, including Persona 6 and Kingdom Hearts 4, online. This leak may impact players hoping to approach Kingdom Hearts 4 without prior knowledge of its content.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is scheduled for release on April 8, 2027, concluding the remake trilogy. Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently planned for release in the latter half of the same year.