"Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link Canceled, Square Enix Focuses on KH4"

Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, the much-anticipated GPS-based action-RPG for mobile devices, has been officially canceled. This news might disappoint fans, but there's a silver lining: Square Enix has confirmed that they are still diligently working on Kingdom Hearts 4.

Originally, Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link was set to transport players to the mystical realm of Scala ad Caelum, offering a fresh narrative in the ongoing saga against the Heartless. The game was eagerly awaited and was scheduled for a 2024 release.

However, through an unsigned statement shared on the game's X/Twitter account, Square Enix extended their "heartfelt apologies to everyone who have been looking forward" to Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link. The decision to cancel the project stemmed from the realization that it would be "difficult [...] to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time." The statement did not delve into specifics about the challenges they faced.

"We wish to convey our heartfelt apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to the start of service," the statement read. "Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development.

"We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to everyone who gave us their support and assistance with the multiple closed beta tests. We are truly sorry to have to make this announcement."

Despite the cancellation, Square Enix reassured fans that the "Kingdom Hearts series will continue," and they are "hard at work on Kingdom Hearts 4." They encouraged fans to stay tuned for further updates on the series.

This is the first official mention of the eagerly awaited Kingdom Hearts 4 in months, following a tiny, cryptic tease back in January. Despite being unveiled in September 2022 with a full cinematic trailer, developer Square Enix has remained largely silent on the project, leaving fans eagerly awaiting more information, in true series fashion.

Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura has hinted that Kingdom Hearts 4 will, after 22 years and an impressive 18 games, start to steer the Kingdom Hearts narrative towards its long-awaited conclusion.