Square Enix provided a more extensive look at Kingdom Hearts 4 during a dedicated D23 panel, showcasing a four-minute extended trailer that delved deeper into the game's narrative and gameplay mechanics. The panel, which featured series director Tetsuya Nomura and co-director Tai Yasue, confirmed that players will not always control Sora.
The extended trailer revealed segments where Donald Duck and Goofy operate independently in a world inspired by Pixar's Coco, engaging in combat. Additionally, players will experience platforming gameplay as Mickey Mouse, who explores a world designed with puzzle-based elements. According to Yasue, this mode involves transformations into various forms of an origami Mickey, reminiscent of the exploratory segments found in the Paper Mario series.
Sora remains a central playable character, with his combat retaining the series' signature action-RPG style. He will be joined in battle by characters from Coco, including Hector and Miguel, as shown in the trailer. The trailer also highlighted new traversal actions available to Sora. Nomura hinted that Kingdom Hearts 4 will incorporate a concept the development team has held since the creation of Kingdom Hearts 3.
This latest reveal follows Square Enix's initial tease of Kingdom Hearts 4 in 2022. The game reappeared prominently in June's Nintendo Direct and was a focal point of Disney's D23 presentation, where a 2027 release window was first announced. Nomura and Yasue reaffirmed this 2027 timeframe during the panel. The franchise will also expand with a Kingdom Hearts anime series for Disney Plus, though its release date remains unannounced.