Kingdom Hearts 4 co‑director Tai Yasue and series creator Tetsuya Nomura told attendees at D23 2026 that the game will launch in late 2027 and will not be delayed. Nomura said online rumors suggesting a postponement were inaccurate and emphasized that the current schedule would hold. Nana Gadd, director of product development at Disney and Pixar Games, also affirmed the timeline during the panel. Square Enix has not announced a final release date, but the developers said the project is on track. The series has long intervals between entries, with a 13‑year gap between Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 and the most recent title launching in 2019. Some fans have expressed concern that a delay past January 2028 could mean the game would be released without a physical disc on PlayStation 5, as Sony plans to end physical media support for new titles after that date. The game will be released on PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Nomura added that marketing for the title has just begun and more news will be shared in the coming months. Yasue said the development is proceeding smoothly and described the launch as a 100% commitment. The panel also referenced the series' 25th anniversary and considered plans for a potential 30th anniversary. The company will continue to provide updates as the release window approaches.