Following the cancellation of another Kingdom Hearts game, Square Enix has released the first new screenshots for Kingdom Hearts 4 in over three years. The game will continue the story of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, which combines the storytelling and developed characters of Square Enix with Disney characters. Fans have been eagerly awaiting the fourth game in the series since it was announced during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event.

The company announced yesterday that it was canceling development on the live-service mobile game Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, but was continuing to work on the next game in the series. Today, Square Enix has revealed a collection of new screenshots from Kingdom Hearts 4 on the Kingdom Hearts X . The new images show some familiar faces, high-quality environments, and a potentially playable Mickey Mouse.

Breaking Down The New Kingdom Hearts 4 Screenshots

Mickey, Sora, And Strelitzia Make An Appearance In New Images

The new screenshots shared by Square Enix show that the game will take several steps forward in quality and detail. The screenshots show closeups of the character models for a concerned-looking Sora and a serenely smiling Strelitzia, both of whom still look distinctly recognizable as Kingdom Hearts characters with rounded faces, but in a more realistic style.

The screenshots also show a scene of Mickey Mouse standing atop a golden gear with the camera angled at him from behind. This screenshot suggests that, for the first time in the series, the Mouse might be a fully playable character (or at least, for longer than just a few short segments).

Also visible is a glimpse into the combat, several shadowy Heartless enemies (including a massive winged monster), a scene of Sora standing in a shimmering scene next to some modern-looking cars, and an old-style rotary phone. It may also be telling that Sora's faithful companions, Goofy and Donald, are not visible in any of the new images.

Fans May Need To Wait Longer Than Expected For Kingdom Hearts 4

The Screenshots Are Just A Sneak Peek Into The Coming Game

The new images are accompanied by a note from Square Enix noting that they plan to "continue pouring ourselves into the game's development." The company notes that it sees how excited fans are and is working hard to create an experience that will live up to the community's expectations.

Releasing new images is likely a way for Square Enix to let fans know that the game is progressing nicely and that it, unlike Missing-Link, is not in any danger of cancellation. However, the studio also notes that more details about Kingdom Hearts 4 will be shared "when the time is right." This hesitancy to reveal a release window for the next info or trailer may indicate that fans will have to wait longer than expected for more news about the conclusion to the Kingdom Hearts saga.

Source: Kingdom Hearts/X