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Disney Games unveiled a slate of major gaming projects at D23, led by ‘KINGDOM HEARTS IV’, ‘Marvel’s Wolverine’and the launch of ‘Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Fortnite’.
The announcements, made on August 16, highlight Disney’s push to make games a new entry point for fans to discover and connect with its stories and characters, while expanding collaborations with developers and studios including SQUARE ENIX, Insomniac Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Epic Games.
During the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23 event, Disney And Pixar Games and SQUARE ENIX revealed a new trailer and release window for ‘KINGDOM HEARTS IV’, the next mainline entry in the franchise, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year and has sold more than 39 million units worldwide.
The game is set to launch in late 2027 and will feature a vibrant world inspired by Disney and Pixar’s ‘Coco’, with Miguel and Hector joining Sora on his next adventure.
An original anime series inspired by the franchise, ‘Kingdom Hearts’ (working title), was also announced for Disney Channel and Disney+. Created in collaboration with video game director Tetsuya Nomura and SQUARE ENIX, the series will reimagine the iconic adventure with a brand-new story that expands the ‘KINGDOM HEARTS’ universe.
At the D23 ‘Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts’ panel, Nomura, ‘KINGDOM HEARTS IV’ co-director Tai Yasue, Disney & Pixar Games’ Nana Gadd, and voice actors Haley Joel Osment and David Gallagher offered insights into the franchise. The panel, which commemorated 25 years of ‘KINGDOM HEARTS’, was lives-treamed globally and featured an extended trailer for ‘KINGDOM HEARTS IV’.
Disney Digital Entertainment and Epic Games also marked a new milestone in their collaboration with the launch of ‘Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Fortnite’. The activation marks the first time the ‘Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run’ attraction has extended beyond the physical experience into a digital adventure.
The experience connects the ‘Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge’ attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando and Disneyland Resort in Anaheim with the ‘Smugglers Gambit’ adventure in Fortnite. Disney Games and Walt Disney Imagineering worked together to bring the connected experience to life.
“I’m especially proud that ‘Smugglers Gambit’ in Fortnite was built in-house by an incredibly talented team here at Disney Games,” said Sean Shoptaw, EVP of Disney Games and Digital Entertainment.
He said the concept of a mission that begins on a real attraction and continues after guests leave the ride was particularly exciting, adding that Epic Games had been an outstanding partner in making the connection possible.
Meanwhile, Marvel Games, Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment unveiled a new trailer for ‘Marvel’s Wolverine’, which will launch exclusively on PlayStation 5 on September 15.
