Tetsuya Nomura on the Future of Kingdom Hearts and Working Towards its 20th Anniversary in 2022

Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura talked to Famitsu about the future of the series and working towards its 20th anniversary in 2022.

While the interview was mostly about Melody of Memory, Tetsuya Nomura shared a bit about what’s next for Kingdom Hearts at the end. Check out the bit from the interview below:

Famitsu: I’d like to ask about the future of the series. While the Dark Seeker Saga concluded with Kingdom Hearts III, not all of the mysteries have been solved. Furthermore, the Secret Movie smelled like a possible new development. So, what will we see next from the Kingdom Hearts series?

Tetsuya Nomura: “Kingdom Hearts is approaching its 20th anniversary in 2022.”

Famitsu: Yes.

Tetsuya Nomura: “So… I want to work hard as we approach the 20th anniversary [laughs]. Personally speaking, I’m already thinking about the next work, and the Kingdom Hearts team already started working on something new. Since Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory was meant to come before work started on the next title, the main staff was also able to help out as well. The next time we’re able to announce something, I think it’ll be full of surprises, so please look forward to that.”

Famitsu: That’s great news for the fans to have something to look forward to. Lastly, can you share a few words on Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory?

Tetsuya Nomura: “Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory was a title that was in the trenches. Considering the current social conditions, it was difficult to get a read on when we can release it, so I feel relieved that it looks like it will release just fine. As for the game itself, it is somewhat of a compilation of the entire Kingdom Hearts series, so fans of the series will be able to get a good condensed look. Those who know the Kingdom Hearts series but feel intimidated by its number of titles, we’ve made it really easy to jump right into. If there are parts you’d like to learn more about after playing, try some of the previous entries, by all means. It would make me happy to have you all enjoy Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory while thinking about the next development.”

Kingdom Hearts first released on March 28, 2002 for the PlayStation 2. As for Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, the interview also mentioned that it will feature 47 worlds and no plans for DLC. The game will release for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in Japan on November 11, 2020 and North America and Europe on November 13, 2020.