Disney Reveals Kingdom Hearts Is Now a Billion-dollar Game Franchise

Disney is gearing up to host its D23 fan expo this weekend, and fans are crossing their fingers that it will include news about Kingdom Hearts 4. Disney is talking up Kingdom Hearts even more ahead of the big weekend, touting just how profitable the beloved franchise has been.

Disney executive vice president of global games, Sean Shoptaw, revealed in a news release that Disney has nine billion-dollar game franchises in its portfolio. While Shoptaw did not name all of them, he specifically mentioned Kingdom Hearts. The Square Enix series blends Final Fantasy, Disney, and original stories into one beautiful mess. The first entry was released in 2002 and quickly garnered an avid fanbase. Since then, the franchise has produced a total of 13 games, between sequels and spin-offs, excluding remasters and collections.

The timing of the news release is especially exciting for Kingdom Hearts fans, as D23 is shaping up to be a significant weekend for the franchise. Disney has announced that the fan expo will include a special “Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts” panel. Square Enix has said the livestream will not be available as a video-on-demand after, so you’ll need to tune in live to catch any exciting news. The panel will be available to watch on the official Kingdom Hearts YouTube channel on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. EDT.

The D23 panel kicks off the Kingdom Hearts 25th anniversary celebrations that will continue through 2027. While the panel is framed as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the games, the timing feels too perfect not to include some kind of announcement. Square Enix first revealed Kingdom Hearts 4 in 2022 as part of the franchise’s 20th anniversary celebration, so fans have been waiting a long time for a release announcement.