Square Enix has officially identified Creative Studio 1 as the internal studio developing Kingdom Hearts 4, resolving a lingering question about where the long-awaited RPG sits within the company's reorganized development structure. The confirmation places Kingdom Hearts 4 under the broader supervision of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi.
Square Enix was never in question as the developer and publisher of Kingdom Hearts 4, while Tetsuya Nomura and Tai Yasue have remained publicly attached to the project in director and co-director capacities, respectively. What remained unclear was which internal studio was handling development, particularly after Square Enix retired its old business-unit structure as part of a company-wide reorganization that began in 2024. Creative Studio 1 had long been the leading candidate among fans, but its involvement was largely inferred rather than explicitly confirmed, even after Kingdom Hearts 4 returned with new gameplay footage in June 2026.
Hamaguchi cleared up that ambiguity himself in a mid-September 2026 Deadline interview. While discussing Square Enix's plans for 2027, he described Final Fantasy 7 Revelation and Kingdom Hearts 4 as major upcoming releases before adding that "both are being developed in my own studio, Creative Studio 1."
Hamaguchi's comments do not indicate that he has replaced Tetsuya Nomura or Tai Yasue. Both of them were still prominently involved when Square Enix shared new Kingdom Hearts 4 details ahead of D23 2026, and Hamaguchi's latest remarks give no indication that this leadership structure has changed. The confirmation has nevertheless received an upbeat response from some of the most vocal fans of the franchise. A September 11 r/KingdomHearts discussion centered on the Kingdom Hearts 4 developer confirmation amassed hundreds of upvotes and optimistic comments within hours of going live, with several fans expressing confidence in Hamaguchi's oversight of the project.
چوونەژوورەوە
بۆ ئەوەی ئیدیعای شوێنی خۆت بکەیت لەسەر لیدەربۆرد!
چوونەژوورەوە
بۆ ئەوەی ئیدیعای شوێنی خۆت بکەیت لەسەر لیدەربۆرد!
The newly confirmed arrangement makes Creative Studio 1 particularly important to Square Enix's near-term plans. Hamaguchi told Deadline that company president Takashi Kiryu has described 2027 as a "big fight back" year, pointing to Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy 7 Revelation as major releases expected to drive that effort. The third entry in the FF7 remake trilogy is scheduled for April 8, 2027, while Kingdom Hearts 4 is targeting a debut in the second half of the year. Given the historical importance of the holiday release window for major AAA games, a Q4 2027 launch appears particularly plausible.
Square Enix only recently began ramping up promotion for Kingdom Hearts 4 after years of sparse development updates following its April 2022 announcement. D23 2026 brought confirmation of a late-2027 release window, a Coco-inspired world, and a much broader look at gameplay, including news that Mickey, Donald, and Goofy will all be playable in Kingdom Hearts 4. Nomura and Yasue also used the convention to push back against speculation that the RPG could slip beyond 2027, with Yasue saying development remains on schedule.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/kingdom-hearts-4-developer/
