New Kingdom Hearts 4 Screenshots Revealed, Missing-Link Canceled

New Kingdom Hearts 4 screenshots have surfaced following the cancellation of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link. Discover what these images reveal about the sequel’s progress and the abrupt halt to Missing-Link’s development.

Kingdom Hearts 4 Shows Signs of Life, as Missing-Link Gets Canceled

Kingdom Hearts 4 Screenshots Show New Heartless Variant and a Playable King Mickey

After three years of silence, Kingdom Hearts 4 has finally reemerged—with screenshots. On May 15, official Kingdom Hearts social media accounts unveiled a fresh set of images, offering fans their first real look at the long-awaited sequel. Alongside the visuals, Square Enix confirmed that development is actively ongoing.

"We’re currently working hard on Kingdom Hearts IV and will continue pouring ourselves into the game’s development. We’re dedicated to making this an experience that lives up to your expectations!" the post began. It continued: "We’ve seen how excited you are, and we are truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts. We are equally excited and can’t wait to share more about Kingdom Hearts IV when the time is right. Until then, we appreciate your patience."

No release window was announced, but the new images have sparked excitement and speculation among fans. One screenshot, in particular, has drawn widespread attention: a glimpse of King Mickey, possibly playable. Though Mickey has appeared as a playable character in past titles like Kingdom Hearts 2 and 358/2 Days, his role was often restricted—taking control only during key moments in the former, or during specific missions in the latter. This new image suggests he might return as a playable character, even if only in a limited segment.

Some fans theorize the library Mickey is in could be located in Scala ad Caelum, the world Sora visits near the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. His purpose there remains unknown, but it may tie into the Foretellers—a group of Keyblade Masters expected to play a major role in the upcoming story.

Other screenshots feature Sora with his updated, realistic shoe size, in various settings. One image shows what appears to be a battle against a new Heartless variant, while another captures Sora standing on the streets of Quadratum as a distant burst of bright light illuminates the sky. Notably, the battle scene hints at a "Build" mechanic, possibly linked to Sora’s ability to materialize tools like grappling hooks or drills.

Another image introduces Strelitzia, a character previously seen in the game’s reveal trailer and Kingdom Hearts Union X, alongside a rotary phone. Since Quadratum, as series director Tetsuya Nomura noted in his 2022 Famitsu interview, is inspired by real-life Tokyo, rotary phones appear to still be in use. The implications for Kingdom Hearts 3’s gummiphones remain unclear, but fans can still hope for the return of photo-sharing features via Kingdom Hearts’ pseudo-Instagram app.

Regardless, yesterday marked a landmark moment for Kingdom Hearts fans, as these screenshots arrive after an extended period of scarce official updates. The game was first revealed in April 2022 during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event, and fans can only hope they won’t endure another decade-long wait for a mainline entry like the one between Kingdom Hearts 2 and Kingdom Hearts 3.

For more on Kingdom Hearts 4, check out our article below!