A new Kingdom Hearts 4 development update has revealed an interesting connection between Sora’s next adventure and one of Square Enix’s other biggest games. Final Fantasy VII Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi has confirmed that both Kingdom Hearts 4 and Revelation are being developed within Square Enix’s Creative Studio 1. Hamaguchi heads that studio and says both games are part of the company’s major push for 2027. That puts two of Square Enix’s most anticipated RPGs under the same development organization at a very important time for the publisher.
Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Now Share the Same Studio
Hamaguchi discussed Square Enix’s plans while speaking about Final Fantasy VII Revelation. According to him, Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu sees 2027 as a major “fight back” year for the company. Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy VII Revelation are expected to play a huge part in that plan.
Hamaguchi explained that both games are being developed within Creative Studio 1 and that helping move those projects forward now falls under his wider responsibility as the head of the studio. That sounds significant, but there is an important distinction.
It does not mean the exact Final Fantasy VII team has suddenly taken over Kingdom Hearts 4. Creative Studio 1 is a larger internal Square Enix organization containing different development groups. Hamaguchi’s comments are better understood as studio-level oversight rather than confirmation that he has become the creative director of Kingdom Hearts 4.
Tetsuya Nomura remains closely associated with the Kingdom Hearts series and its creative direction. Square Enix’s own Kingdom Hearts information continues to describe the franchise as being developed under Nomura’s direction.
Square Enix Is Betting Big on 2027
The timing makes the confirmation more interesting. Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches on April 8, 2027 and will bring Square Enix’s massive Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy to an end. Kingdom Hearts 4 is then scheduled for late 2027. That means Creative Studio 1 could be involved with two of Square Enix’s biggest releases within the same year.
Kingdom Hearts 4 also recently returned to the spotlight at D23, where Square Enix confirmed its late-2027 release window and showed a new world inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Coco.
The game was originally announced back in 2022, so fans have spent years waiting for clearer information about its development and release plans. Hamaguchi’s latest comments at least give us a better idea of where the project sits inside Square Enix.
They also suggest the company sees Kingdom Hearts 4 as much more than a standalone release. Alongside Revelation, it is being positioned as one of the games expected to help drive Square Enix’s next major year.
This Does Not Mean Final Fantasy Has Taken Over Kingdom Hearts
That distinction matters because the news can easily be exaggerated. Saying Kingdom Hearts 4 is being made by “the Final Fantasy VII Revelation team” would suggest the same developers have completely moved from one game to the other. Hamaguchi did not say that.
What he confirmed is that both projects are being developed inside Creative Studio 1, the Square Enix studio he leads. For fans, that is still interesting. Hamaguchi has been heavily involved in delivering the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, and Creative Studio 1 is now carrying responsibility for two enormous releases in 2027. Square Enix clearly has a lot riding on both projects.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is scheduled for late 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches April 8, 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
Add Comment