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Along with the Kingdom Hearts BOND, AIR, and COMING mugs and bags coming to the Japanese Square Enix E-Store, two Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories keychains featuring Sora and Riku will also be releasing on September 23, 2017. The keychains are priced at 1,944 yen ($17.28 USD) each, and feature the Kingdom Hearts 15th Anniversary logo on the back. You can pre-order and know more about the Sora keychain here, and the Riku keychain here. A clear file set featuring the box cover images of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue are also coming to the E-Store on August 12, 2017, priced at 1,296 yen ($11.52 USD). Each file features the Kingdom Hearts 15th Anniversary logo on the back. You can pre-order and know more about the file set here. You can see pictures of the merchandise below.

Square Enix Merchandise have announced three brand new Kingdom Hearts III BRING ARTS action figures of Sora, Donald, and Goofy. The figures are of the trio as as their toy versions from the newly announced world of Toy Story. You can view the renders below. Pictures of the actual figures have not been published yet. A release date is yet to be announced. Toy Story was just announced as a brand new world in Kingdom Hearts III, which is set to release in 2018. You can watch the Kingdom Hearts III - D23 2017 Toy Story trailer here.

Diamond Select Toys will be soon releasing four Kingdom Hearts vinyl figures from their Vinimates line. The 4-inch Kingdom Hearts II Sora Vinimate was first put on display at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) 2017. It is expected to release this fall, along with figures of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy (displayed below), priced at $10 USD each. Vinimates are a line of 4-inch vinyl figures designed in the Minimates block-figure style, featuring characters from popular media. You can find more about and shop for Vinimates here. Thanks to GameSpot for the tip! Will you be purchasing these Kingdom Hearts Vinimates? Let us know in the comments! UPDATE 1: Diamond Select Toys' Kingdom Hearts Sora, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy Vinimates were shown off at SDCC (San Diego Comic Con) 2017. Check out photos of them there, provided by @churroz on Twitter, below: UPDATE 2: The Donald and Goofy Vinimates are now available to pre-order on AmiAmi! The listing price for both of them is 2,160 yen ($19.61 USD), but AmiAmi's 25% off price is 1,620 yen ($14.71 USD). You can pre-order the Donald Vinimates figure here, and the Goofy Vinimates figure here. Thanks to @churroz on Twitter for the tip! UPDATE 3: The Sora Vinimates figure is now available for pre-order on AmiAmi. The listing price is 2,160 yen ($19.61 USD) and will be available on February 18. You can pre-order the Sora Vinimates figure here. Thanks to @aibo_ac7 for the tip! UPDATE 4: The Kingdom Hearts Vinimates were shown off at NYCC 2017 (New York Comic Con 2017) at the Diamond Select Toys booth. They also showed off a new Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Mickey Vinimates figure. Check out pictures of the Vinimates at the convention, including pictures of the new Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Mickey, shared by Toy News International and The Toyark, below:

The D23 Expo Team has published an update regarding its schedule for the D23 Expo 2017 in Anaheim, California. The update reveals that Kingdom Hearts III will be featured on its "Level Up! The Walt Disney Company’s Video Game Showcase" segment at 1:00 PM PDT on July 15, 2017. A description of the segment follows: The Kingdom Hearts III Orchestra trailer had previously revealed that a new world announcement and a new trailer is upcoming on that day at the D23 Expo. On the second showing of the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour -, director Tetsuya Nomura also stated that the announcements to be made on Kingdom Hearts III at the D23 Expo 2017 will make fans even happier than they were when the Kingdom Hearts III Orchestra trailer was revealed.

Welcome to KH13.com's live coverage of Kingdom Hearts at E3 2017! E3 is the biggest annual international trade fair for the video game industry, with opportunities by companies such as Square Enix to showcase upcoming technologies in the interactive entertainment industry. It will take place on June 13-15 this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center for the public, with business days stretching from June 10-12. This year, staff members Raxaimus (@RaxaimusKH13) and Toominator (@ToominatorKH13) will be representing KH13.com on the show floor! The News Team will be doing live updates on any information pertinent to Kingdom Hearts, so please feel free to keep yourself updated with our coverage here on KH13 and on our social media channels! Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Google+ Kingdom Hearts III Orchestra Trailer <3 Updates <3 Pre-show (June 10, 2017 - 10:36 PM PDT) A new Kingdom Hearts III trailer was shown at the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - premiere in Los Angeles! (June 11. 2017 - 1:22 PM PDT) Tetsuya Nomura interviewed with Famitsu. (June 12, 2017 - 7:16 PM PDT) Unfortunately, Kingdom Hearts III did not make an appearance at either the Microsoft or Sony press conferences. Day 1 Public (June 13, 2017 - 12.03 PM PDT) Kingdom Hearts II Limit Form Sora has been spotted at E3! (June 13, 2017 - 1:58 PM PDT) Kingdom Hearts III's orchestra trailer has appeared in Square Enix's 'Square Enix Presents' E3 trailer line-up! (June 13, 2017 - 2:44 PM PDT) Kingdom Hearts III's orchestra trailer has been spotted at Square Enix's E3 booth! (June 13, 2017 - 2:44 PM PDT) Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue wall scrolls are available to purchase at Square Enix's booth! Day 2 Public (June 14, 2017 - 7:15 AM PDT) Raxaimus went to the Square Enix Booth yesterday and found some Kingdom Hearts merchandise for sale, many of them at discounted prices! Day 3 Public (June 15, 2017 - 7:00 PM PDT) This concludes our E3 coverage. Please join us on July 14-16 for coverage at D23 Anaheim!

With the surprise appearance of series director Tetsuya Nomura on stage, the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - presented a new Kingdom Hearts III trailer today at its North American premiere in Los Angeles, California. The trailer showcased exciting new gameplay from the upcoming game along with some cutscenes. The trailer was soon uploaded on the internet by the official Square Enix YouTube channel in Japanese. You can view the trailer with English subtitles below. The trailer ended with a message that a new world and a new trailer will be revealed at the D23 Expo on July 15, 2017! Square Enix Press Center describes the trailer as follows: Below is the trailer with no subtitles.

A big day awaits today as the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - kicks off in North America! It will be premiering at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, at 8pm PDT today, followed by four more shows across the country. Welcome to KH13.com's live coverage of the LA concerts! After our successful presence at the KHO concert in London, UK, we have decided to host another #KH13MeetUp! Staff member Raxaimus will be in attendance and hosting today's meet-up as well as tomorrow's, both of which will be taking place in the two hours before each concert. We'll be collecting fan messages in a special "Thank You" booklet for series composer Yoko Shimomura, as well as distributing exclusive KH13 stickers! The meet-up will take place near the main entrance and in the foyer of the Dolby Theatre, so that even fans without concert tickets will be able to attend! You can RSVP to the event and get updates on our #KH13MeetUp on our Facebook event page. There were quite a few reveals for the previous concerts, such as Union χ[Cross]'s reveal and the exclusive canon backstory from Kingdom Hearts III with Kairi and Xion's Japanese voice actress, Risa Uchida, and Aqua's Japanese voice actress, Megumi Toyoguchi. Series director Tetsuya Nomura also stated that there is a possibility for new information regarding Kingdom Hearts III to be displayed at one of the concerts taking place this year. Stay tuned to KH13.com for full live coverage of the event and don't forget to also stay tuned to our social media accounts for instant live updates! Check out our #KH13MeetUp from the Los Angeles concerts. Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Google+ Kingdom Hearts III Orchestra Trailer <3 Updates <3 Pre-Concert (June 8, 2017 - 7:33 AM PDT) Series composer Yoko Shimomura has arrived in LA! Day 1 (June 10, 2017 - 4:27 PM PDT) Churro (@churroz) has arrived at the Dolby Theater! (June 10, 2017 - 4:59 PM PDT) Square Enix USA is getting ready for the concert! (June 10, 2017 - 5:25 PM PDT) Raxaimus has arrived at the Dolby Theater. The #KH13MeetUp will begin shortly! (June 10, 2017 - 5:59 PM PDT) Only 2 hours left until the concert begins! (June 10, 2017 - 7:10 PM PDT) Raxaimus has entered the theater. 50 minutes to go! (June 10, 2017 - 7:17 PM PDT) There are three Kingdom Hearts-themed cocktails available to order for the concert guests, as well as Kingdom Hearts cookies! (June 10, 2017 - 7:26 PM PDT) Churro is inside and queueing to buy merchandise! (June 10, 2017 - 7:44 PM PDT) KH series executive producer Shinji Hashimoto is in attendance at the concert! Churro has given him the Kingdom Hearts fan photobook he put together for series director Tetsuya Nomura! (June 10, 2017 - 8:00 PM PDT) The concert is about to begin! (June 10, 2017 - 8:16 PM PDT) A picture with the concert merchandise prices! (US Dollars) (June 10, 2017 - 8:29 PM PDT) Square Enix USA uploaded a picture with the concert movie on screen! (June 10, 2017 - 9:00 PM PDT) Intermission time! (June 10, 2017 - 9:00 PM PDT) One of the orchestra choir members, Kate L. Clarke, posted a video of the crowd at the Dolby Theatre! (June 10, 2017 - 9:15 PM PDT) Check out some amazing cosplayers attending the concert! (June 10, 2017 - 9:30 PM PDT) The second part of the concert has begun. We hope attendants have fun! (June 10, 2017 - 10:16 PM PDT) Series director Tetsuya Nomura is at the concert and has appeared on stage! (June 10, 2017 - 10:36 PM PDT) A new Kingdom Hearts III trailer was shown at the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - premiere in Los Angeles! (June 10, 2017 - 11:02 PM PDT) Kingdom Hearts III was confirmed to make an appearence with a new world announcement and a new trailer at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California! (June 10, 2017 - 11:50 PM PDT) Thank you for following our coverage today! Raxaimus will be back tomorrow to host another #KH13MeetUp! Day 2: (June 11, 2017 - 8:41 AM PDT) The crowd's reaction to the new Kingdom Hearts III trailer has been captured on video, shared by @aibo_ac7! (June 11, 2017 - 9:27 AM PDT) More photos of the concert have been added to our gallery below! (June 11, 2017 - 12:00 PM PDT) Raxaimus has arrived back at the Dolby Theater for the second #KH13MeetUp. (June 11, 2017 - 4:40 PM PDT) Tetsuya Nomura has returned tonight and says that he'll be back for D23 Expo 2017 with "final information" on Kingdom Hearts III! (June 11, 2017 - 6:05 PM PDT) The concert is over and Raxaimus is in line in the Meet and Greet to give Yoko her KH13 booklet. (June 11, 2017 - 9:22 PM PDT) There's Yoko! She was very nice and loved her sign booklet from Raxaimus. (June 11, 2017 - 10:00 PM PDT) Thank you for following our coverage today. After two concerts and two Meetups, Raxaimus has to go get ready for E3 coverage. Here's a final message from us to you guys. Please enjoy our E3 coverage! Concert Gallery <3 KH13 Meet-Up Gallery <3

Geoff Keighley, producer for The Game Awards, has announced a collaboration with Entertainment Software Association known as the E3 COLISEUM 2017, a two-day event consisting of "panels, conversations, talks and other surprises." Square Enix and Sony interactive Entertainment have been confirmed to two of the major panels at the E3 COLISEUM. This is the first confirmation of a Square Enix panel at the E3 2017. The E3 COLISEUM presentations will take place on 13-14 June at The Novo at L.A. Live. The event will be open to fans, and will also be streamed live with the opportunity for fans to ask questions to the panelists via Facebook. E3 is the biggest annual international trade fair for the video game industry, with opportunities to showcase upcoming technologies in the interactive entertainment industry. It will take place on 13-15 June this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. At this year's E3, Sony Interactive Entertainment will be hosting The E3 PlayStation Media Showcase on 12 June at 6pm PST/9pm EST at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. Microsoft will be hosting their Xbox E3 2017 briefing the day before, on 11 June at 2pm PST/5pm EST. Nintendo, however, has confirmed that they will not be holding a press conference this year. What are you hoping to see at this year's E3? Let us know in the comments below!

In a recent interview with Nikkei magazine, Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda commented on the company's future sales strategies, including the intention to focus on simultaneous worldwide releases and the Nintendo Switch. Simultaneous worldwide releases Matsuda is of the opinion that Final Fantasy XV sold 6 million total physical and virtual copies worldwide (as of January 10, 2017) in a relatively short period compared to previous Final Fantasy games due to its simultaneous worldwide launch. He commented that as the European and US markets tend to continue their sales long term, Square Enix is planning to maximize the life time values of their games through updates and DLCs. Matsuda observed that simultaneous worldwide releases are an important aspect of marketing, as gamers will want to play a new game as soon as possible and may even lose interest if the game's international release is delayed. He said that it is therefore important for the company to decrease those delays, especially for RPGs and the action/adventure genre, as, due to their emphasis on narratives, they are difficult to sell abroad unless released simultaneously. Matsuda is also showing interest in gamers sharing gaming experiences over social media such as YouTube. This has become more relevant to Square Enix's sales strategy as they expect their consumers to share gameplay videos and create a "buzz" to lead game titles to become more noticeable. When asked about the necessity of cultural changes in games, Matsuda replied that Square Enix games are appreciated for retaining their own cultural originality. Lastly, Matsuda reflected on taking advantage of the emerging market in countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, and especially India, where the once negative perspective on video games has been changing steadily. The Nintendo Switch and other platforms Following up on new platforms such as the Nintendo Switch and Microsoft's Project Scorpio this year, Matsuda believes that having more platforms is good for content creators. Square Enix is in fact increasing its interest in the Nintendo Switch in particular. The company has already released a few titles on the console and announced more future releases. Matsuda remarked that in addition to developing new titles for the Switch, the company would also like to port existing games to the console. He mentioned that while Nintendo may propose amazing ways to "switch" certain game characteristics, Square Enix aims to make games that will leverage the functions of the Switch following their own creative paths. Matsuda also commented on the smartphone game business, mentioning that Square Enix's smartphone titles released in the beginning of 2016 struggled in general due to the market having matured beyond the existing templates used to create those games. He also listed other issues such as limited storage capacity. He stressed that the company will need to research its competitors and figure out how to make their games different and engaging. Lastly, regarding Virtual Reality, Matsuda thinks that the focus is not to make a game specially for VR, but rather to use VR as a factor to make games interesting. What do you think of this rundown of Square Enix's future strategies, and how do you think it will affect future Kingdom Hearts titles? Would you like to see a worldwide simultaneous release of Kingdom Hearts III, or Kingdom Hearts games ported to the Switch? Let us know below!

A short video titled "Welcome to Kingdom Hearts" has been released by Square Enix to promote Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, which is out now in all countries. You can watch the video in English below, and in other languages on the official Kingdom Hearts YouTube channel:

AmiAmi has added a listing for the Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- Aqua Play Arts Kai, with pre-orders starting on April 5th, 12am JST. The figure was previously shown at the New York Toy Fair and Nuremburg Toy Fair in February, where the release date was first revealed to be July 2017. The figure has a listed price of 13.824 yen, with AmiAmi advertising a 29% discounted price. The final product pictures reveal that the figure will not only come with the Play Arts Kai base, optional hand parts, and the Rainfell Keyblade, but also the Master's Defender Keyblade. UPDATE: Square Enix is now accepting pre-orders on the Square Enix Japan store for 13,180 yen (about $120 USD) and the figure is set to be released on July 8th, 2017. It's currently unknown when it will be available in the North American store. You can view pictures of the figure below:

Pre-orders for the Kingdom Hearts II Riku Static Arts Gallery figure will be starting soon at AmiAmi on April 5, 2017, 12am JST. Its listed price is 5,184 yen, with AmiAmi offering a 29% discount. A prototype for this figure was previously in display at New York Comic Con 2016. The figure is due for release on July 2017 in Japan. UPDATE: Square Enix is now accepting pre-orders in the Square Enix Japan store for 4,940 yen (about $45 USD) and the figure is set to be released on July 29th, 2017. It's currently unknown when it will be available in the North American store. You can view pictures of it below:

Square Enix have announced that the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - album is now available for pre-order on the Square Enix Japan E-Store. It will be available on the E-Store for a limited time only. The album will release on April 14, 2017. The album was previously announced to be amongst merchandise merchandise exclusive to the events, along with the concert guide, Keyblade baton, and Kingdom Hearts Orchestra t-shirt, wallet, and purse. The Square Enix E-Store also features the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - T-shirt and purse among recommended items, with a listed release date of May 8, 2017. However, clicking on them leads to an error page. The Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - officially began on March 10, 2017, with its first show in Tokyo, Japan. Check out the upcoming show dates and locations here! Will you be attending any of the shows? If you're attending the London show on March 24th, don't forget to come to our pre-concert #KH13MeetUp! UPDATE 1: The Kingdom Hearts Concert - First Breath - now also has an album that's available for pre-order. It will be releasing July 26, 2017. You can pre-order it here. UPDATE 2: The Kingdom Hearts Orchestra - World Tour - album is now available for pre-order on the Square Enix NA E-Store for a limited time. You can pre-order it here for $40.00 USD. It will be releasing in NA in August 2017.

Update: Square Enix's live program, , has just shown the new Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX trailer. It was a very short trailer, about 25 seconds long, showing different cutscenes from all the games in the collection, with the track "Destati" playing in the background. You can view the trailer below. The original article follows. Square Enix have unveiled a new Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix trailer at Jump Festa 2017, according to rikunami13, an attendee at the event. This trailer was different from the game's announcement trailer. We will update this article with the new trailer as soon as it becomes available online. A Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue trailer was also shown, but it was not a new one. It may have possibly been the final trailer for the game, which was released on December 8, 2016. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix releases on March 9, 2017 in Japan, March 28, 2017 in North America, and March 31, 2017 in Europe. The PS4 collection will be running at 60 frames per second, and rendered at 1080p. Additionally, the game has been reported to show an improvement in graphics from its PS3 counterparts.

The latest issue of Famitsu Weekly contains a 4-page spread on Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, featuring new renders and screenshots from the game that show off cinematic scenes and new and returning gameplay elements. New images include gameplay images from Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage. The article features the costume customizations of Aqua, including a new pattern for her outfit. Aqua is also seen fighting against Darksides in the Enchanted Dominion area of the Dark World. Some of the screenshots were previewed online yesterday on the Famitsu website. Previous Weekly Shonen Jump screenshots of Aqua performing the magic-activated combo "Thundagun", and the finishing attack with Mickey for the "Wayfinder" Command Style at Destiny Islands, are also shown. Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover is also featured. A new CG image and render of Ephemer and the Master of Master's 6th apprentice (Luxu) holding Master Xehanort's Keyblade are also available. A close-up of Ephemer in a cinematic scene is also shown. Some of the new cinematic screenshots extend from the scenes shown in the final trailer for KH2.8. For instance, Master Ava and Master Gula are shown looking at a sleeping young Chirithy inside a flask. A new screenshot of the Master of Master and Luxu talking is shown. A picture of the five Foretellers in their study is included. The image of Luxu holding Master Xehanort's Keyblade was previously featured in a Famitsu web article. Two in-game trophies for Kingdom Hearts HD Dream Drop Distance HD have been revealed, and Flick Rush seems to be making a comeback to the HD remaster. Gameplay images and renders include the new elephant Dream Eater, as well as another new Dream Eater with the appearance of a Penguin in a hot bath. The elephant Dream Eater is called Beat Poi, a pun on the character Beat from The World Ends WIth You on which its design is based. The penguin Dream Eater is called Yuagari Penguin, which translates to "Spa Penguin." You can view scans of the feature below. Translations will be coming soon. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue releases on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017. Are you liking the new KHχ BC screenshots and renders of Ephemera and Luxu? Will you be playing Flick Rush and getting trophies on KH HD DDD? Let us know below!

The volumes of the Kingdom Hearts manga series that have been released thus far by Yen Press are now available for purchase in e-book format at Barnes & Nobles and iBooks. The individual manga have also been made available at ComiXology, an Amazon subsidiary, today. According to KHInsider, the manga were formerly available for purchase at Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Book Walker, and Kobo as well. It is unknown if the Kindle version of the manga volumes will be available for purchase again soon. The Kingdom Hearts manga series is a comic book adaptation of the video-game by artist Shiro Amano, with the final volume of the English Kingdom Hearts II manga coming out on May 23rd, 2017. The video-game has also been adapted into a series of light novels by Tomoco Kanemaki; Yen Press has in fact recently announced the future localization of the novels for Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, and Kingdom Hearts II Vol. 1 & 2. Will you be purchasing the digital versions of the Kingdom Hearts manga? Let us know in the comments!

The latest Weekly Shōnen Jump issue features a page dedicated to certain gameplay attributes of Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-, the newest playable chapter from the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue PS4 collection. The spread shows four new screenshots from the game, including a still of Aqua and Mickey getting ready to perform a finishing attack ("Wayfinder") at Destiny Islands. The last three screenshots show a combo of consecutive attacks: Aqua performing a Thunder spell, then slashing the enemy with her Keyblade, and finally performing an attack against the enemy that is described to be more powerful than her previous Thunder attack. According to translations by Keytotruth: "You use magic and it enables a magic melee combo which later in the combo allows you to use the magic in the highest tier." This is similar to what series director Tetsuya Nomura referenced in a Dengeki Online interview, where he remarked that using magic in certain sequences will result in differently consequential attacks on enemies. In all the screenshots, Mickey is accompanying Aqua in battle. In the final Japanese and English trailers for the game, the full Aqua-Mickey Wayfinder attack is shown. You can view a scan of the article below, thanks to aibo_ac7. Full translations will be coming soon. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue releases on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017. What do you think of the new way of unlocking attacks using magic in Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-? Let us know below!

A new Japanese trailer for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue was released on December 8 at 10am EST, accompanied by an announcement noting that it is the final trailer before the release of the game in January 2017! This was followed by the reveal of the English trailer a few hours later. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (hereby KH2.8) is a PlayStation 4 collection of three stories from the series which make up the prologue to Kingdom Hearts III; the HD remaster Kingdom Hearts HD Dream Drop Distance running at 60fps, the HD cinematic Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, and Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-, a brand new playable chapter. The final trailer showcased an array of cinematics and interesting scenes from all three games, along with new gameplay footage from Kingdom Hearts 0.2. The English and Japanese trailers feature the -Ray of Hope MIX- versions of Simple and Clean and Hikari respectively; in the trailers, it is revealed that the remixes have been produced by PUNPEE. The trailer begins with an insignia for the Kingdom Hearts series' upcoming 15th anniversary on March 2017. Kingdom Hearts HD Dream Drop Distance The beginning of the trailer skips through various short scenes from Dream Drop Distance remastered in HD. Some scenes from KH3D are shown in remastered form for the first time, such as Young Xehanort talking to Sora during his déjà vu scene in Traverse Town, and Sora's meeting with Roxas in The World that Never Was. No gameplay footage was shown. Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover A myriad of short fascinating montage from KHχ BC was shown in the trailer, creating more intrigue to the story playing behind the scenes of Kingdom Hearts χ and Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ. Many scenes show a hooded figure in an Organization XIII coat; it is sometimes possible to predict whether this is the Master of Masters or Luxu thanks to voice-overs, body movements, and previous knowledge of the story. The short scenes at the beginning of the trailer, which are without dialogue, include: an aerial view of the Daybreak Town Clock Tower; the Master of Masters talking to the five Foretellers in the study; Ava looking at a young sleeping Chirithy inside a flask, with Ira and Aced in the background and Gula approaching her; a close-up of Ira talking; a Chirithy looking up at Ava in the streets of Daybreak Town; a view of Daybreak Town at dusk from an alley; and Ava talking while looking up at the sky, sitting on the fountain. A short scene depicts a hooded figure holding a Keyblade that resembles Master Xehanort's Keyblade (shown below). This could be Luxu, as he was seen holding the same Keyblade in the TGS 2016 trailer; the Keyblade was also shown hanging on the wall in the E3 2015 Kingdom Hearts III trailer (as you can see below). What are the origin and the significance of this mysterious Keyblade, and how did Master Xehanort come to possess it so many years later? There are some new scenes with voice-over that leave one wondering about the Kingdom Hearts origin story leading up to the Keyblade War. The Master of Masters is seen walking away from the hilltop near Daybreak Town, saying that whatever is written on the last page of the Book is going to happen. Ira is seen reading his copy of the Book of Prophecies and stating that they (the Foretellers) are there to make sure that light lives on. Aced is shown to get ready to fight Invi, Ava, and Gula, who have their Keyblades out. He insists that if the Foretellers take no action, light will expire; this suggests his extreme disapproval of blindly following the events as written in the Book. In response to the doom foretold by the Master of Masters, Ava is seen crouching in Fountain Square staring at some dandelions on the ground, with mournfully asking the Master if there is anything they can do. Some more scenes play rapidly towards the end of the trailer, but give rise to many questions regarding the plot of KHχ BC. The camera closes up on a surprised-looking Gula standing in the dark streets of Daybreak Town, remarking that everyone wants to know about the Lost Page. Invi states that if everyone is collecting light, they are only doing it for themselves. This plays over a new battle scene between Invi and Aced under the rain, which gives an outlook on Invi's elegant and strategic battle style compared to Aced's use of rough force and movements. The next scene shows the Master of Masters saying, "'May your hearts be your guiding key'... I say it all the time!" before patting Invi's head. "Ultimately you need to do what your heart feels is right!" Many scenes are then shown in rapid sequence, including: a young Chirithy leaping inside its flask while a hooded figure watches and pokes the glass; a hooded figure ripping off a page from the Book of Prophecies; a crouched Gula grabbing Ava's hand in an alley; and Ira bending over and talking to a crouched Aced under the rain. A close-up of the hooded figure, possibly Luxu, with Xehanort's Keyblade is shown, walking through a wasteland and dragging a big, heavy case. The case has many locks, a peculiar silver and red emblem with 13 spikes, and writing in the middle of the emblem (a picture is available below for reference). The last KHχ BC scene in the trailer shows a hooded figure looking down from the Daybreak Town Clock Tower. Interestingly, a scene from KH0.2 immediately follows the Master of Master’s nuance about the heart being a “guiding key”, with Mickey repeating the same aphorism with a different wording. It could be speculated that it was the Master of Masters who tore out the page from the Book of Prophecies, as he was seen flipping through it in the TGS 2016 trailer. In that same trailer, the mysterious sealed box can also be seen in the background behind him (refer to the picture below) as he tells Luxu that he "better get started", and that unfortunately he will have to "go alone from here on out". Luxu then looks at his Keyblade - Master Xehanort's Keyblade - and asks, "What about the others?" Is there a connection between Luxu's 'mission' and the reason why he was seen dragging the sealed box across some badlands, with that Keyblade in hand? Another fascinating observation is the writing on the sealed case. On close inspection, it says 'XSuper' (or "YSuper", the first letter is unclear). Interestingly, the six Foretellers are all named after six of the seven deadly sins, which in Latin are written as ira (wrath), acedia (sloth), invidia (envy), avaritia (greed), gula (gluttony), and luxuria (lust). The only missing sin is superbia (pride), which is similar to the writing on the case. What does this imply? What might be inside the case? Does it link with a possible seventh Foreteller? Or is super(bia) connected to the name of the Master of Masters, who is a foreteller himself? The HD cinematics shown in this final trailer bring out the beauty, attention to detail, and an ethereal luminescence, especially in world scenery, in KHχ BC. This only increases excitement to see more Kingdom Hearts cinematic work achieved with the help of the Unreal Engine 4. Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage- [GAMEPLAY] The KH 2.8 final trailer put focus on impressing fans with 30 seconds of brand new gameplay footage. All the worlds shown in the trailer seem to be part of the Dark World; for convenience, they will be referred to as individual worlds, while in actuality they are fragments of worlds that have been "fused together." At the beginning of the trailer, Aqua is shown to get ready to battle her reflection - also previously shown in the TGS 2016 trailer - possibly inside the Magic Mirror from the Dwarf Woodlands. She's also shown battling a number of Darksides in an area of the Enchanted Dominion surrounded by thorns; the Darksides are able to deliver a particularly powerful attack using red balls of energy that are seen floating in the sky. In the gameplay footage, she is clearing her path through a thick growth of tree limbs covered with black and glowing red thorns; when she strikes them down with her Master's Defender Keyblade; the thorns slide away. There are slight changes in the HUD, as Aqua's static status icon looks darker and more refined than in previous trailers (see the comparison below). Mini maps are shown for the first time as the player plays in through the thorny territory, a cave full of icicles, and against the Darksides. The mini maps retain much of the design used for Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, but with a more compact and blended layout to accompany the multilayered environment, and the guiding Kingdom Key icon leaving a dotted trail in the path the player takes. TGS 2016 vs Final trailer A new HUD element debuts in this trailer in the form of yellow arrows above the Command Menu (see below), much like the Command Gauge in KH BBS. In the trailer, while Aqua battles the Darksides, a third yellow arrow is added as she uses Firaga, much like how the Command Gauge is filled to trigger certain Style Changes by executing specific attacks. This was not present in the previous trailers or demos for the game. Could Square Enix have changed the way command styles work? Like the E3 demo, two pages of Shortcut commands were available. The player is able to play with Mickey as a companion, and is able to access Destiny Islands, which greatly resemble the remains of the world from the End of the World in the first Kingdom Hearts game. The trailer shows Mickey delivering a blow to a Devil's Wave (a swarm of Shadow Heartless) towards Aqua, who then performs a special attack which shoots golden chains to trap the Heartless. A new Command Style is introduced - 'Wayfinder'; the finisher for this style is shown with Aqua and Mickey shooting orbs of golden light against the chained Heartless, and Aqua shooting a final ray of energy against the enemies, which burst out of the chains as they break. Could this Command Style be influenced by the wielded Keyblade - in this case, Eraqus's Master's Defender? In fact, the chain attack greatly resembles attacks used by the Armor of Eraqus in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix. A gameplay element that took fans by surprise is the ability to customize Aqua's appearance. This is the first time this level of customization is available in the series with the exception of KHχ/KHUχ for PC and smartphone. The player can customize accessories on Aqua's head, arms, and back by accessing "Wardrobe" from the Main Menu. One can also change the pattern and color of Aqua's clothing, specifically of her drapings and sleeves. The color customization includes a Color Bar that can change the color balance of Red, Blue, and Green. The base color can be chosen on a color Palette. The Color History helps the player save the desired colors for future use. Further effects can be added with a Gradation option, where the player can choose a Top Color and Bottom Color to create a gradient on Aqua's clothing; there is also a Color History to save desired Gradations. It is unclear whether these customizations are carried forward to cutscenes, like Sora's Drive Forms are in Kingdom Hearts II. A list of Aqua's customizations shown in the English trailer can be found below. One of the head customizations include "Marie", which could possibly be white cat ears inspired by the white kitten from Aristocats. The main menu of the game shows options for Objectives, Wardrobe, Customize, Story, Config, and Help. The different customization scenes in the trailer are shown while the player is in different areas of the Dark World (with its world icon shown in one corner of the menu) namely "The World Within" and "Depth of Darkness". The background of the menu in each location is different, with "The World Within" showing a circular platform with towers and arches surrounding it. Battle and exploration in KH 0.2 are coupled by a Flowmotion-like element that has been present in previous trailers and demos. Aqua is seen sliding on branches in the Enchanted Dominion through thorns and Darksides trying to hit her. When hit, Aqua gracefully pirouettes in the air. She is able to slide to a branch near a looming Darkside and prepares to attack it. Much like the E3 2016 demo, and Sora and Riku in Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance and HD DDD, Aqua glows when using this version of "Flowmotion". In the trailer, the player explores the Magic Mirror Chamber in the Dwarf Woodlands. Compare tod KH BBS, the Chamber looks much bigger and much more detailed, with the Unreal Engine 4 and Kingdom Shader giving the world a sophisticated touch that creates a fantastical, "Disney" feel to it. The size of this area can also be inferred from the mini map, which shows a circular platform with two more chambers. This area also has a partly distorted and shattered design, just like Castle of Dreams in the previous trailers and demo. Another scene shows the player exploring with Mickey, running towards the exit of a cave full of icicles. Again, the level of detail and the manipulation of lighting, seen by the reflections on the rocky ground and the ice crystals and shadows, greatly enhances the visual experience of playing KH 0.2. This goes hand-in-hand with the various movements of the characters during gameplay as well as objects, such as fog. The staggering effect of the lighting can also be seen in the uncommon glow in the eyes of the enemy Heartless, which plays a part in bringing them to life like never before. Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage- [CINEMATICS] The stunning graphical enhancement can also be noticed during cinematics. A particular view of Destiny Island shows a stark contrast to the flatter imagery shown in the Kingdom Hearts III announcement trailer. Some quick scenes are shown at the beginning of the trailer, such as: Aqua's Wayfinder falling into Mickey's hand; a dark place resembling the Keyblade Graveyard, with many keychain-less Keyblades (such as Fenrir) stuck or fallen on the ground; a closeup of Kairi speaking to Riku in the Mysterious Tower; Aqua staring at her reflection in the Magic Mirror Chamber; and Ven and Terra walking towards the forest, perhaps in the Dwarf Woodlands. In this last scene, Ven's clothes show a color mismatch previously observed on a Shonen Jump screenshot; however, this does not appear to be consistent with the appearance of Ven in the rest of the trailer. It is unclear whether this was intentional, or something that could be fixed before the release of the game next month. One of the new scenes shown for KH 0.2 was that of Aqua running towards Terra and Ven in the Enchanted Dominion. When she calls to them, Terra turns around and calls her back, asking if she can see him. Terra's appearance looks more refined than as reported from fans who have played the E3 2016 demo. She is surprised to see him - perhaps because he is actually talking back, unlike in Castle of Dreams in the E3 2016 demo - and replies that she can see Ven as well. Ven, however, keeps his head down and eyes closed, as if sleeping, and does not respond. This raises questions as to whether these versions of Terra and Ven are only illusions (like the Terra from the E3 2016 demo) or actual connections to their real selves. Or are they distortions created by the darkness, eager to consume the light in Aqua's heart? Something else that is unclear is whether Terra's original voice actor, Jason Dohring, is reprising his role. The scene changes to Aqua and Mickey on a fragmented and distorted version of Destiny Islands. As mentioned before, this version of the Islands looks very similar to the version found at The End of the World in the first KH game. Mickey asks if Aqua knows this place, and she replies that she has visited it once before. A flashback of Aqua patting young Sora's and Riku's heads follows, with Aqua commenting that she had met two boys here that she considered bequeathing the Keyblade to. Following the scene from KHχ BC where the Master of Masters comments on following one's heart, somewhere in the Dark World, Mickey repeats, "May our hearts be our guiding key," to which Aqua replies that it is a phrase no one has used in ages. Mickey comments that it is something that he likes to try to remember. Where has Aqua heard this phrase before? Is this a saying she heard from Master Eraqus? If so, who did he hear it from? The association of the two games by this phrase provokes inquiry about the connection between the origin story of KHχ BC and the present. Terranort (Terra's body possessed by Master Xehanort) and Terra are shown as two individual figures, with Terranort grabbing Terra's skull as Terra struggles to break free. Here, Terra is enveloped in a thin layer of golden light. Another scene shows a great hand grabbing a semi-conscious Ven while Aqua turns towards them, bewildered; the enemy is cloaked with a thick layer of glittering light. It extends its other hand towards Aqua, ready to snatch her. Mickey is then shown approaching a floating, glowing Kingdom Key D in the darkness. A new scene starts, with what resembles the formation of Kingdom Hearts in the Keyblade Graveyard in KH BBS, as seen from the distance by a cloaked figure. The scene is not very clear; however, it seems as if the figure has a Keyblade on the ground in front of him. The Keyblade's design and silhouette matches that of Master Xehanort's, and the protruding blue orb looks like the keychain on Master Xehanort's Keyblade. Does this mean there is a third person - apart from DiZ - who is present in the Dark World with Aqua and Mickey, and that they are wielding Master Xehanort's Keyblade? Is this Luxu, and if so, how is this chronologically possible? Perhaps this scene is a scene from the ending of KHUχ/KHχ BC, retold from this character's perspective. It could also be the ending to KH BBS; but if so, it raises the question as to how there can be a second Master Xehanort's Keyblade when during this scene, Terranort was holding onto it. (It should be kept in mind that, however unlikely, it is possible for a Keyblade to be wielded in two different places at the same time.) A young Riku, with his original KH and Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories attire, makes an appearance, running in the darkness. Soon after, Mickey is shown lying on the floor in the dark, trying to look up; he is surrounded by a faint glimmer of golden lights, and is wearing the same outfit (consisting only of shorts) he wore in the first KH game. Will KH 0.2 also show Mickey's journey in the Realm of Darkness after the events of the first game, and his first meeting with Riku after closing the door to Kingdom Hearts? Will this be a flashback or a playable episode? The scene follows to the present, where Riku swings a suitcase over his shoulder while Mickey holds one of his own. They seem to be in the Mysterious Tower. Are they off to search for the "previous Keyblade wielders"? Riku's and Mickey's suitcases show a beautiful pattern of Mickey-head silhouettes and hearts, and perhaps even Keyblades and crowns; Riku's pattern is blue on black, while Mickey's is red on black. The development in graphical details seems to unravel around the cinematics of KH 0.2, and the revamped effect of lighting is especially noticeable when it contrasts with the murkiness of the Dark World. The glow on reflective surfaces, such as watery and metallic surfaces, the delineation of different textures, and the careful placement of shadows give a very realistic feel and show the great care the production team has put in enriching every characteristic and particular of the worlds' elements as possible. The trailer ends on a wonderful note, showing none other than the protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series himself running up the steps to the Yen Sid's Tower in his Kingdom Hearts II clothes. Sora meets Donald and Goofy at the door, the latter who comments that he has been gone a long time and asks him what he has been up to. Sora scratches his cheek in his habitual manner and laughs, replying that it's a secret. Haley Joel Osment's and Bill Farmer's returning voices are distinguishable, and from playing KH3D, it can be assumed that Sora had just returned from his trip to Traverse Town to meet the Dream Eater Spirits. Sora's face is finally shown at the end, when he opens the door and leans forward, exclaiming "I'm back!" - reminiscent of the indelible ending to Kingdom Hearts II. Kingdom Hearts is indeed back with a new playable title, a remaster of the last one, and two new narratives to enjoy in the stunning enhancement of the Unreal Engine 4 and all that the latest upgrades brought to game development in recent years. Get ready to receive a taste of Kingdom Hearts III while waiting impatiently for its release! Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue releases on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017. Screenshots from the final KH 2.8 trailer are now available in our gallery, and can be accessed below. What are your thoughts and observations on this trailer? Do you have analyses of your own? Feel free to join the discussion in the comments below!

The last trailer for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue has just been released. This trailer features cutscenes and gameplay from every instalment in the KH2.8 collection, including brand new gameplay featuring both Aqua and King Mickey, and a customization feature for Aqua. The trailer also features "Simple and Clean -Ray of Hope MIX-", remixed by PUNPEE, which will is available for pre-order on iTunes Japan for release on January 11, 2017, along with other remixes of both "Hikari" and "Simple and Clean". Among the returning voice actors for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue are Bill Farmer as Goofy and Haley Joel Osment as Sora. While Terra also has a new speaking line in the trailer but it is currently unknown if Jason Dohring reprised his role. You can watch the trailer below. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue releases on the PlayStation 4 in Japan on January 12, 2017, and worldwide on January 24, 2017. What do you think of the new trailer? Let us know in the comments!

Update 2: The "Simple and Clean (Ray of Hope MIX)" EP is now available for pre-order on the North American iTunes Store as well as the UK iTunes Store has a listed release date of January 11th, 2017. Update 1: PUNPEE, the producer behind the Hikari and Simple and Clean -Ray of Hope MIX- versions, as well as the "P's CLUB MIX" remixes, will be present at Utada Hikaru's live-streamed event "Sanjudai wa Hodohodo" tomorrow. The event has been organized to celebrate Utada's return to music and to show her appreciation for her fans, and will include live studio performances. Fans will have the opportunity to ask questions in real-time and have them answered by Utada herself during the livestream. The event is scheduled to run between 9-9-30 pm JST. For more information on the event and how to stream it, visit the event page. The original article follows. An EP featuring remixes of the Kingdom Hearts series Japanese and English theme songs by Utada Hikaru - "Hikari" and "Simple and Clean"- are up for pre-order on iTunes for release on January 11, 2017, for 750 yen. The track listing includes the -Ray of Hope MIX- versions of the songs, which have been featured in the recent trailers for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue. These tracks are also the Japanese and English opening themes for Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-. The album also includes a new remix for both "Hikari" and "Simple and Clean", called "P's CLUB MIX." The remixes in this EP have been produced by PUNPEE, a sound engineer producing sounds for numerous artists including RHYMESTER. The cover of the EP will be the same as the one drawn by Tetsuya Nomura in December 2014 in commemoration of Utada's 15th anniversary since her debut. The Kingdom Hearts official Japanese Twitter account has tweeted some comments about the EP. We will update with translations soon. The track listing and durations are as follows: Will you be purchasing this new EP? Do you think that the "P's CLUB MIX" versions of the theme songs will be the ending tracks to Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-? Let us know in the comments!