The Kingdom Hearts franchise has officially crossed the billion-dollar mark, Disney revealed ahead of the D23 fan expo. Sean Shoptaw, Disney's executive vice president of global games, highlighted the Square Enix series as one of the company's nine billion-dollar game franchises.
The beloved franchise, known for its unique blend of Final Fantasy characters, Disney IP, and original storytelling, first launched in 2002. Since its debut, Kingdom Hearts has expanded to include 13 titles, not counting remasters and collections.
This announcement comes as excitement builds for the D23 fan expo, where a "Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts" panel is scheduled. Fans are anticipating potential news regarding Kingdom Hearts 4, which was initially teased in 2022 during the franchise's 20th anniversary. The D23 panel will also serve as the kickoff for the Kingdom Hearts 25th anniversary celebrations, which are slated to continue through 2027. The panel is set to be broadcast live on the official Kingdom Hearts YouTube channel on Saturday, August 15, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. EDT, with no on-demand video available afterward.