Square Enix Axes Development On Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link In Order To Focus On Kingdom Hearts 4

Back in 2022, Square Enix unveiled Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link as a GPS-based action RPG for iOS and Android. The game was set to dive into the “blank era” of the Kingdom Hearts timeline, with Scala ad Caelum as its backdrop and new characters to meet. It had a cool twist—players could fight Heartless in real-world locations, a bit like Pokémon GO.

After closed beta tests in 2023 and a planned 2024 launch, Square Enix hit pause in November 2024. Now, they’ve confirmed it’s done for good. In their statement, they said, “It would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time,” pointing to the struggles of keeping a live-service game alive.

Square Enix’s Big Pivot to Kingdom Hearts 4

The cancellation isn’t the end of the story. Square Enix is channeling its focus into Kingdom Hearts 4, which was announced in 2022 for the series’ 20th anniversary. Updates have been quiet since then, but the company’s recent comments—reported by IGN—confirm they’re “hard at work” on it.

This fits a larger pattern for Square Enix. They’ve recently dropped other mobile titles, like Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius and Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia, as player numbers dwindled. It looks like they’re betting on fewer, stronger projects, and Kingdom Hearts 4 is a key part of that plan.

A Fan’s Take

I’ve been hooked on Kingdom Hearts since the first game. Missing-Link sounded exciting—a chance to explore new corners of the universe. But I get it: live-service games are a gamble, and if Square Enix couldn’t make it work, I’d rather they scrap it than push out something half-baked. What’s got me really pumped is Kingdom Hearts 4. The thought of seeing Sora’s next journey keeps me checking Total Apex Gaming’s news section for any scraps of info.

What’s Next?

For more on this shift, head to dig into our Kingdom Hearts IV new screenshots article. Square Enix’s focus on quality could mean big things for Kingdom Hearts 4—stay tuned.