Kingdom Hearts 3 ’s next big reveal might be at D23 Japan this weekend. While a showcase for the upcoming game has been speculated about for months, recent promotions on the convention’s website further tease that possibility.
In addition to the Kingdom Hearts fan event revealed in November, Disney has also announced that Kingdom Hearts 3 will play a big role in its Stamp Rally and Digital Photo Frame AR games for attendees. As is traditional at conventions, guests will be able to use a special mobile app at certain locations on the show floor to unlock exclusive digital goodies. There are only four known stamps and three known frames, but Kingdom Hearts 3 is a possible theme in both categories.
While this is hardly a confirmation that Kingdom Hearts 3 details will be revealed during D23 Japan, it certainly adds fuel to the fire of long-standing rumors. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to give Kingdom Hearts 3 such a prominent place in marketing if the game weren’t part of the festivities. The Kingdom Hearts fan event guarantees the franchise will be well represented, but the fact that these digital goods focus on Kingdom Hearts 3, as opposed to Kingdom Hearts in general, seems to be a strong indicator of what’s to come.
In addition to Kingdom Hearts 3 photos and stamps, other digital themes include Fantasia, Big Hero 6 and Minnie Mouse.
The Kingdom Hearts fan event was first announced in mid-November, and it’s set to take place Feb. 11 between 2 a.m. and 3:20 a.m. EST. Those in the Pacific Time Zone should be aware that the festivities begin in the late hours of Feb. 10 and continue through the early morning hours of the following day. As of now, it appears the event won’t be streamed, and all tickets were previously awarded via a lottery system. No details regarding what will be discussed during those 80 minutes have been revealed. Closed-door presentations have been a fairly normal occurrence throughout Kingdom Hearts 3’s promotion, but English translations describing the proceedings will likely be available after the show.
In the absence of concrete details, there have been plenty of rumors surrounding what might be revealed during D23. The most recent leak concerns a dubious but partially proven 4chan post from December. According to the source, the Kingdom Hearts 3 D23 trailer will feature a flashback to Eraqus, Xehanort and Yen Sid. In the present, Sid tells Sora he must visit the world based on Monsters, Inc. Unversed enemies, new Attraction Flows and character appearances from Riku, Kairi, Roxas and Ventus are reportedly featured in the clip. Following what’s been a pretty busy time for alleged Kingdom Hearts 3 leaks, D23’s presentation may signal to fans just how much those leaks should be believed.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is slated for a 2018 release on PS4 and Xbox One.
Will we get a big Kingdom Hearts 3 update during D23 Japan? Are the previous Monsters, Inc. rumors correct? Tell us in the comments section!
