target="_blank">Grass from KHInsider posted this on their forums. I wanted to show this to you since it's such a well thought-out reasoning of why we're pretty likely to see KH titles other than KH3D announced at E3 2011. So what do you think? Remember, all credit to Grass.
So a little while ago, when some people were saying that we probably wouldn't get anything for KH at E3, I remembered this little tidbit:
Our goals behind coming to E3 this time wasn’t just for the announcements, but also in order to have some business meetings. We plan to go to E3 again next year, and there are still some hidden treasures.
Nomura is showing up at E3 2011. Considering that he said this in a KH interview, I figured we would be getting something new for KH at E3.
But just because KH3D has now been confirmed doesn't mean that BbSv2 won't show.
When I was trying to find that quote again, I actually found this:
Nomura was originally hoping to announce 2 new titles at E3, one other than Kingdom Hearts 3D, but due to business plannings they were unable to.
Bear in mind that this second title was not Re:coded, which had already been announced (even for an English release) prior to E3 2010.
So, put two and two together.
There was a second presumably Kingdom Hearts title that they didn't announce at E3 2010 but had planned to. And Nomura is showing up at E3 2011. The last time he did this, KH3D was announced. I would say it's not only plausible but likely that BbSv2 will be announced at E3 2011, as the "hidden treasure" that he mentioned.
Consider this interview released in February 2010 in the BbS Ultimania:
Now that Birth by Sleep is complete, we’re interested in the future titles to come in the Kingdom Hearts series…
Nomura: Kingdom Hearts III can’t be started if the goals for Final Fantasy Versus XIII are not concluded, however development of the next title(s) in the series has already begun. There’s one I plan to release within the year. After that, there’s another one I’m thinking I want to release from next year onwards, and I think there will be more than one main character again. By the way, the scene “Blank Points” in Birth by Sleep in which Sora ends up setting off on his journey is planned to connect to Kingdom Hearts III.
-- In about two years we'll hit the 10 year anniversary. So how about KH3?
Nomura: No no, that's still a secret (laughs). The title with a connection to the mystery series that I mentioned before will come out first.
The game Nomura is talking about in the bolded sections is NOT KH3D.
He says so himself, a year later, in the Re:coded Ultimania:
When we were discussing in the Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania, you mentioned that there were 2 new Kingdom Hearts titles other than Kingdom Hearts III coming up. One coming out in 2010, and one more being announced in 2011. It seems the title releasing in 2010 was Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded, but what about the other one? Were you referring to Kingdom Hearts 3D or Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix?
Nomura: No, at the time of that interview I intended to hint toward a different project. However, focusing my energy on Kingdom Hearts 3D and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix comes first. Since a new Secret Episode is revealed in the Birth By Sleep Final Mix, I definitely want it to be seen. I think when you see it you’ll be excited for future developments.
So, what we gather from all this is that the mystery title is supposed to be announced in 2011. But there’s more...
Moreover 2012 will be the 10th anniversary for Kingdom Hearts, it seems that you are planning something.
Nomura: Yeah. Actually, the real reason I went to E3 this year was to speak with the chairman of Disney Interactive Studios. The things we discussed are confidential, but our discussion had everyone’s interests in mind. From within that conversation, I’m considering whether there was something about the 10th Anniversary that I could announce.
For the 10th anniversary there is talk of remaking the original Kingdom Hearts, what do you say to that?
Nomura: I recently had a some interest in making an HD remake, but right now there simply isn’t time to make it. Although, before Kingdom Hearts III releases, I do have to consider the notion that the series has become too long and that it’s difficult for any new players to enter it in the middle of the story.
In other words, Nomura had gone to E3 last year considering what he could announce about the 10th Anniversary special. Now, remember what I said earlier? It also said that Nomura had gone to E3 last year to potentially announce another game. Connect the dots. BbSv2 is likely the part of the 10th Anniversary that Nomura was going to announce (and will announce this year).
What makes BbSv2 so special? Because it isn’t a normal game, as we’ve seen from the trailer. Its time spans from the end of BbS all the way up until KH2. This is Nomura’s attempt to catch the player up before KH3 on the plot and to fill in any holes, tie up loose ends, and examine the “mysteries” of the series. It’s what Nomura was talking about in December 2009, when they were wrapping up production of BbS:
- A connection to Kingdom Hearts 3?
Nomura: What to say…? The story thus far has extended too much; I think that it’d be good to bring it together plainly for a moment. Though I can’t speak about those developments.
Really, when you think about it, now's the time to announce it. The 10 year anniversary is next March. That's before E3 2012, even.
What say you? Convinced now that BbSv2 will show at E3? Or do you have something else in mind?
target="_blank">Grass from KHInsider posted this on their forums. I wanted to show this to you since it's such a well thought-out reasoning of why we're pretty likely to see KH titles other than KH3D announced at E3 2011. So what do you think? Remember, all credit to Grass.