Square Enix has released a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts IV, giving the game its first major showing in years while confirming a wider platform lineup for the next main entry in the series. The game is now confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A release date has not been announced.
The trailer returns to Quadratum, the realistic city where Sora was shown waking up in the game’s original reveal. The new footage shows more of Sora moving through the city, fighting Heartless, and using the Keyblade in more detail beyond just standard attacks. One sequence shows him opening a door in the air with the Keyblade, sending out a rush of Keyblades that he rides through enemies, reminiscent of the Keyblade Surf he utilized during Kingdom Hearts 3 at the Keyblade Graveyard.

The command menu also shows Build, which remains one of the biggest new gameplay questions around Kingdom Hearts IV. Square Enix has not fully explained the mechanic, but the trailer suggests that Build is tied to Sora’s Keyblade abilities during combat. The footage shows Sora using attacks that appear to change as the Build command is used, with the command names changing into stronger versions during attack sequences. Because of the fire-and-water Keyblade shown in the trailer, Build may involve pairing or combining Keyblade concepts into one setup. That would fit with the way the weapon appears to carry two elements at once. If that assumption is correct, each Build could give Sora a different group of skills, movement options, or finishers depending on what Keyblade traits are being used together. It would also give the game a new way to handle combat styles without simply repeating the Formchange system from Kingdom Hearts III.

The trailer also gives a closer look at Sora’s updated design in Quadratum. His crown necklace now appears to be on a thinner chain, and his pants hug his legs more tightly, which makes the design feel less heavy than his earlier version. He also has a visible earpiece and a watch, two details that fit the modern city setting. It is not clear yet whether either item has a gameplay purpose, but both help Sora look more grounded in reality, matching Quadratum’s more realistic aesthetic.

Several characters from across the series also appear or seem to be referenced. Strelitzia is shown again, continuing her role after being introduced to players through Kingdom Hearts Union χ. Vali, one of the characters tied to Xehanort’s youth in Kingdom Hearts Dark Road, also appears to be in the trailer. Other shots point toward possible characters connected to Union χ and the canceled Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, including Sigurd. Luxord, who was introduced in Kingdom Hearts II and later returned in Kingdom Hearts III, is also present. Their appearances seem to allude to the series’ past, including the mobile-era storylines about ancient Keyblade wielders, Scala ad Caelum, and the people connected to Xehanort before he became the main antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga.

One of the trailer’s most discussed images shows Young Xehanort standing over Sora in the rain while holding an umbrella. The shot is striking because Xehanort has caused Sora so much pain, yet is now shielding him from the wind and rain. The umbrella also connects back to anniversary artwork from Tetsuya Nomura, which showed Young Xehanort with an umbrella near purple hydrangeas.

That flower detail gives the image another possible meaning. Hydrangeas, especially in Japanese flower symbolism, are often tied to apology, gratitude, and heartfelt emotion. Purple hydrangeas can also suggest understanding or deeper emotion. Because of that, the umbrella scene could be read in two ways. It may be Nomura speaking to fans after years of silence around Kingdom Hearts IV, almost like a quiet apology for the wait. It could also be part of Xehanort’s own apology, or at least a sign that the game will deal with him in a more complicated way than simply bringing him back as a villain. It’s possible Xehanort could be a tentative ally for Sora.

3月28日で『#キングダムハーツ』は24周年を迎えました👑🗝️

皆様からのお祝いありがとうございます。
ディレクターから感謝のメッセージが届きました。#KH pic.twitter.com/Rj3H8HO8IK

— キングダム ハーツ (@_KINGDOMHEARTS) March 29, 2026

The door Sora opens with the Keyblade carries an interesting visual detail. At the top of the door is a mark that looks like Nobody symbol. It’s speculation, but a Nobody-like symbol appearing in Quadratum would fit the game’s current themes, or at least the world of Quadratum. Nobodies are tied to what remains after the heart is lost, while Quadratum has been desrcibed as an afterworld-like place for Sora.

Donald and Goofy are also shown, though they are not fighting beside Sora in Quadratum. Instead, they appear surrounded by blue flames that point back to Hades and the Underworld. If Sora is missing from the world they know, Hades is one of the Disney characters most likely to have information about death, souls, and places that ordinary characters cannot reach.

The new trailer does not give fans a release date, but it does show more of the direction Square Enix is taking with Kingdom Hearts IV. Between Sora’s more mature look, the return of characters tied to the series’ earliest timeline, and the image of Xehanort sheltering him from the rain, Nomura’s vision seems to be centered on the past resurfacing, with character complexity, redemption and regret becoming part of the next arc.

Kingdom Hearts IV is currently in development for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.