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In the first three days since its Japan release, Kingdom Hearts III had no trouble topping the weekly video game sales chart in the country with over 600,000 copies, selling almost 2.5 times more copies than Resident Evil 2 in second place (which released on the same day). In the following week, commencing Monday, January 28, Kingdom Hearts III kept its number one position selling 91,019* more copies, adding to a cumulative 701,096* copies sold in Japan as of February 3. This includes both individual and bundled versions of the game. Kingdom Hearts III became the most downloaded game on the PlayStation Store in January despite releasing only 3 days before the end of the month. It was also the Players' Choice Winner of the month and the top PlayStation game in the Australian charts in its first week. It took the top spot in its first week also in video game sales in the UK. Square Enix have reported that the game sold more than 5 million copies worldwide within a week of its international release, including digitally and across all platforms, making it the fastest selling game in the series. Before its release, Kingdom Hearts III (PS4) was the most pre-ordered game on Amazon and remained the #1 bestseller entertainment software on the website until the end of the month. *This data was collected by Media Create. A higher cumulative number of copies sold is reported by Famitsu, who report that Kingdom Hearts III sold 81,795 copies in week commencing January 28, adding to a cumulative sales of 722,201.

Famitsu, the most popular and respected video games magazine in Japan, have finally released their rating for Kingdom Hearts III! Previously, they had published two preliminary reviews for the game online. In the most recent issue that released on February 7, they published their rating of the game, summing up the score of four reviewers to 39/40. In the same issue, they also featured different gameplay elements from the game. You can read a translation of the reviews below, and take a look at the scans from the issue at the end of the article. Translations are courtesy of @Keytotruth. Read KH13's review of Kingdom Hearts III here! For more Kingdom Hearts news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr, and check out the highlights on our Kingdom Hearts III master coverage! Recent Kingdom Hearts III news: - A special version of Dearly Beloved plays with Kingdom Hearts III Limited Edition PlayStation 4 Pro theme - Square Enix Cafe ARTNIA reveals the Kingdom Hearts III commemoration campaign menu - Kingdom Hearts III ships 5 million copies worldwide

Those who were able to obtain the Kingdom Hearts III Limited Edition PlayStation 4 Pro can now listen to a special version of Dearly Beloved with its theme! This version of the staple track from the series seems to be the same that first plays during a certain cutscene in Kingdom Hearts III. Fan xenosaga7 has uploaded a sample of the track. You can check it out in the video below.

Those who pre-ordered the Kingdom Hearts III Deluxe Edition have received, along with an exclusive steelbook and pin, a copy of the game's artbook. This starts with a message director Tetsuya Nomura wrote for the readers and includes character renders, screenshots, and concept art of bosses, Heartless, Gummi Ship enemies, Keyblades, and other weapons including Attractions. It also has an indicative timeline of the games in the series, although it seems to include some inconsistencies (Chain of Memories placed further ahead of Kingdom Hearts and right before Kingdom Hearts II, and "Kairi rescued" instead of "Namine rescued" in the middle of Chain of Memories.) Notably, the book includes the screenshot of Marluxia from the older trailer footage rather that from the game, as he seems to have blue eyes. The design choice of the Large Body heartless is also interesting; this is the design it takes in Arendelle. However, the clothes don't match any traditional styles in Norwegian or Scandinavian folk culture, but is slightly reminiscent to the style of clothing of the Sámi people, who inhabit huge parts of Northern Scandinavia. This style of clothing is also the same that Kristoff has during most of the original film. For those who couldn't obtain the artbook, luckily we have procured scans that you can view in the album below! The scans are courtesy of KH13 Staff HaakonHawk.

Skrillex has uploaded the official music video for 'Face My Fears', the Kingdom Hearts III opening theme he produced with Utada Hikaru and Poo Bear. You can view it below! Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III and stay up to date with the latest news via our Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr! Latest Kingdom Hearts III news: - Read our review of Kingdom Hearts III - a masterpiece - "Face My Fears" debuts at #98 on Billboard's Hot 100 - Kingdom Hearts III sold over 600,000 physical copies in Japan

The Kingdom Hearts III's Update 1.03 comprising the "secret movie" is now available for download on the PlayStation and Xbox stores! Kingdom Hearts III is following the footsteps of a number of past games in that players can unlock a secret ending after satisfying certain conditions depending on the difficulty level they have chosen. For Kingdom Hearts III, one must capture a certain number of photos of the Mickey Mouse lucky emblems that can be found around the worlds. For beginner difficulty, they must capture all of them; this is less in standard mode, and even less in proud mode. What kind of secret ending does director Tetsuya Nomura have in store for us? Will it foreshadow the events in the next game in the series? You can discuss in our Kingdom Hearts III forum! Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III and stay up to date with the latest news via our Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr! Latest Kingdom Hearts III news: - "Face My Fears" debuts at #98 on Billboard's Hot 100 - Kingdom Hearts III sold over 600,000 physical copies in Japan - Kingdom Hearts executive producer Shinji Hashimoto has reflected on Kingdom Hearts III's release with a message to fan

On the day of Kingdom Hearts III's worldwide release, The Verge published an interview with Skrillex (Sonny Moore), who is credited for producing the game's opening theme "Face My Fears" with Utada Hikaru. Skrillex met Utada Hikaru in the artists' lounge at a heavy metal festival in Germany in 2013. Since then, they kept in touch. They caught up in two years ago on the phone when Utada told him that she was working on the theme song for Kingdom Hearts III. She proposed that he could do a remix of it. At the time, she sent him 'Don't Think Twice', which was supposed to be the only original theme song for the game; but Skrillex wasn't sure what he could do with it. Last summer, Utada happened to be in London, where Skrillex was working with producer Poo Bear (Jason Boyd). They went to the studio to try it out. Skrillex said that it was everything he expected. While working on it, he soundtracked his work with the Kingdom Hearts III trailers. The song was apparently finished a year* before it released. In regards to Kingdom Hearts, of which he has been a longtime fan, Skrillex said: Regardless of his work in Kingdom Hearts III, he still didn't receive a copy of the game in advance! *The times mentioned in the original article by The Verge are slightly contradicting. Skrillex said "Face My Fears" was produced about a year before it released/was put in the game (according to The Verge, a year before it 'saw the light of day'). This contradicts The Verge's retelling which says that it was conceived 'last summer' (2018). It could be that Skrillex was referencing the new year and not a full yearly period of time. Did you know that "Face My Fears" was written in the same key as "Passion" and using the same chords as "Dearly Beloved"? Read more about it here! "Face My Fears" is available worldwide; the album song can be bought from the Apple Store, Google Play Music, and Amazon as well as streamed on Spotify. You can also now listen to it in Kingdom Hearts III itself, during the opening cinematics. For lyrics and more information, click here. Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III and stay up to date with the latest news via our Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Discord! Latest news: - Kingdom Hearts III releases worldwide along with Update 1.02; Launch Day! and Launch Commercial videos released - Kingdom Hearts Snapchat crown filter available for limited time - Kingdom Hearts III trophy list

The wait is finally over! Kingdom Hearts III is officially available for fans worldwide to play both digitally and physically! Director Tetsuya Nomura has stated: An English version of the animated Launch Day promo video was also uploaded on YouTube. You can view it below. Remember to install the patches for Update 1.01 inclusive of the Memory Archive, as well as claim any DLC Keyblades you're owed! You can also download Update 1.02, inclusive of the Epilogue video which you can unlock once you finish the game. From January 31 at 7:00 PM JST, you can download the subsequent update and start to unlock the Secret Ending. Update [Jan 29, 2019]: A Launch Commercial (the English-dubbed version of the 30-second Japanese commercial from December) has also been released! Watch it below. Are you securing your copy today, or do you have it already? Will you binge through the experience or are you going to play through it slowly and savor the moment? (Some of us may be stuck on the menu screen crying to Dearly Beloved for a while...) Let us know your play styles and completion plans in the comment below! Stay tuned for more info and the international release! Follow our coverage of Kingdom Hearts III here and on social media! Twitter Facebook Tumblr Discord KH13.com's spoiler policy on Kingdom Hearts III is in effect until March 31, 2019. Our news coverage will include reports on officially released information (press releases, interviews, etc.); after Kingdom Hearts III's global release, we will report on basic game content such as the opening cinematics, artbook, trophy list, etc. while being mindful of spoilers on our website (via spoiler boxes/warnings) and on social media. As a member of the KH13.com forums, your avatars, cover photos, statuses, and thread titles must not contain spoilers. You are allowed to discuss spoilers in the Kingdom Hearts III forum as long as you use spoiler boxes (by clicking on the 'eye' button on the editor). For more guidelines, including a guide to using spoiler tags, read our spoiler policy here. KH13.com’s Discord has its own rules and appropriate channels to avoid/discuss spoilers. Read the rules on the #announcements channel for more information! We would lastly like to say to fans avoiding spoilers to be extra careful on social media, especially comment sections. Thumbnails, titles, autoplay, recommended videos, and comments on Youtube can be especially dangerous and full of spoilers.

The official Kingdom Hearts account has been releasing short 10-second videos for each Disney world in Kingdom Hearts III to promote the game in the last days before its international release. In the past three days, they have published promos for The Caribbean, Arendelle, and Toy Box, showcasing the worlds and their music. You can see each one below. Previously, they also published short promotional videos for Kingdom of Corona, San Fransokyo, Olympus, and Monstropolis. Kingdom Hearts III's international release has already started, with countries like Australia and New Zealand who have already crossed over to January 29! Less than 15 hours remain until it is available worldwide. Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III and stay up to date with the latest news via our Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Discord! Latest news: - With Kingdom Hearts III and Update 1.01 now pre-downloading on consoles, here’s how the release is going around the world - Memory Archive recap videos have been uploaded to Kingdom Hearts Youtube channel - Kingdom Hearts VR Experience Review

With only two days to go until the international release of Kingdom Hearts III (or one, depending on your timezone), fans who have pre-ordered the digital version are now pre-downloading it on consoles! The Update 1.01, comprising several data fixes and the Memory Archive for the series recap videos, is also available to download on PlayStation 4 ahead of schedule. Many fans around the world were able to receive their pre-ordered physical copies of Kingdom Hearts III ahead of its international release on January 29 due to early shipping. Many also reported that they have bought the game from various retailers. Reportedly, many European stores have also started soft launches of the game, some even bumping up the release date on their listings to January 26. Multiple stores in the UK will be selling the game starting Monday, January 28. Older reports state that the game had broken street date even in some countries in the Middle East such as the UAE. With many fans already owning the localized versions of the game, they will now able to download Update 1.01 and enjoy the game with the intended updates before their scheduled release. Amongst the physical copy pre-orders of the game is the Limited Edition Kingdom Hearts III PlayStation 4 Pro Bundle; some fans have already received theirs in the mail, whilst others are still waiting for their delivery. Unfortunately for American fans, GameStop US - who were selling the PS4 bundle exclusively in the country - have cancelled multiple orders due to overselling the product. You can read their statement below. If you have pre-ordered the bundle from GameStop US, make sure to contact their customer service to check up on the status of your order. Some branches of GameStop US will be holding a 9 PM (local time) release for the game. The main EBGames branch in Melbourne, Australia, will be holding a midnight launch, as will GAME UK (Stratford, London branch). Gamers Hideout branches in Malaysia will also hold a midnight release, during which they will host activities such as cosplay photo session & giveaway and photo op with Kingdom Hearts props. Don't forget to inquire at your local retailer about midnight launches if you're interested! Furthermore, Game Realms in Burbank, California, will be holding a post-launch party on February 2nd! Special guests include Quinton Flynn and Bill Farmer, the voice actors of Axel and Goofy. You can read their rules and policies for the event here. Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III pre- and post launch here! Stay up-to-date with the latest news on our Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Discord! Recent news: - Memory Archive recap videos have been uploaded to Kingdom Hearts Youtube channel - Our Kingdom Hearts VR Experience Review - Content creators release Kingdom Hearts series retrospectives looking back on the long wait for Kingdom Hearts III and recapping the series' story

The official Kingdom Hearts Twitter have posted a 10-second promotional video showcasing the world and music of Kingdom of Corona in Kingdom Hearts III! Take a look at it below. You can join the adventure in this world with Rapunzel in Kingdom Hearts III when it releases on January 29, or in the Japanese version which is out now! Recent articles: - Worldwide reviews for Kingdom Hearts III published - Tetsuya Nomura discusses the power of awakening, Roxas, and secret ending requirements in Kingdom Hearts III - Tetsuya Nomura discusses writing the scenario (including dialogue) for Kingdom Hearts III and the game's own Instagram-like social network - Tetsuya Nomura talks aboutfree and inclusive DLC for Kingdom Hearts III, prioritizing the next title, and rethinking simultaneous worldwide releases after leaks

We have translated the third and final part of Famitsu's exclusive interview with Kingdom Hearts III director Tetsuya Nomura! In the previous parts, which you can read here and here, he talked about many interesting aspects of the game, including the requirements for unlocking the secret movie, the power of awakening, how he wrote the scenario (including dialogue) of the game himself, and the new Instagram-like social media present in-game that Sora and Riku can post on with their Gummiphones. In this part of the interview, Nomura talks about how he would rather publish a free DLC with extra content all at once rather than in an episodic, divided style, and how he'd like to give priority to the next title rather than DLC. He also commented on the game's leak earlier in December, shedding some light on the number of copies of the game actually leaked and how this unfortunate event has led him to reconsider simultaneous/near-simultaneous worldwide releases for his next title. You can read the translations below, thanks to KH13 Staff @Mio-chan and Solis! See all the pictures published with this interview in the gallery below! Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III here and on social media! Recent articles: - Kingdom Hearts III releases in Japan - Worldwide reviews for Kingdom Hearts III published - Tetsuya Nomura discusses the power of awakening, Roxas, and secret ending requirements in Kingdom Hearts III - Tetsuya Nomura discusses writing the scenario (including dialogue) for Kingdom Hearts III and the game's own Instagram-like social network

Famitsu published an exclusive interview with Kingdom Hearts III director Tetsuya Nomura just hours before the game's release in Japan. In the first part of the interview (you can read the translations here), Nomura talkes about the power of awakening, why Sora is tryign to resurrect Roxas, and that the epilogue and secret movie in Kingdom Hearts III will give hints towards the series' future. He also talked about the requirements for unlocking the secret movie in Kingdom Hearts III for various difficulty levels. We now have translations to the second part of the interview. Here, Nomura talked about changing specific game settings to adjust to the level of challenge, and revealed that he has written the scenario (including dialogue) in Kingdom Hearts III, and that he has been doing so since Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days! Kingdom Hearts III also seems to have its own in-game social network, resembling Instagram, with its own design, patters, and hashtag symbol. Both Sora and Riku can uses this social network to upload photos taken with their Gummiphones and make updates throughout their journey. You can read this part of the interview below, thanks to proofreading by KH13 translators Mio-chan and Solis! The rest of the interview will be published very soon. UPDATE [Jan 25, 2019]: We have published our final part of the interview! Read it here. Follow our master coverage of Kingdom Hearts III here and on social media! Recent articles: - Kingdom Hearts III releases in Japan - Worldwide reviews for Kingdom Hearts III published - Tetsuya Nomura discusses the power of awakening, Roxas, and secret ending requirements in Kingdom Hearts III - Tetsuya Nomura discusses writing the scenario (including dialogue) for Kingdom Hearts III and the game's own Instagram-like social network

Kingdom Hearts III is now officially available in Japan! Director Tetsuya Nomura has tweeted a message in regards to the release, thanking fans for following the countdown and wishing they enjoy the new adventure with Sora. With this, he also stated that a new video edit of all the pervious countdown videos is now available. You can read a translation of his message below. Here is the video: For those purchasing the digital version, remember to install the patches for Update 1.01 and the Memory Archive today, as well as claim any DLC Keyblades you're owed! From January 26 at midnight JST, provided you have completed the game, you can also download and view the Epilogue video. From January 31 at 7:00 PM JST, you can start to unlock the Secret Ending. The wait for Kingdom Hearts III's global release on January 29 is merely a few days starting now. Will you be acquiring the Japanese version of the game now or are you waiting it out? Stay tuned for more info and the international release! Follow our coverage of Kingdom Hearts III here and on social media! Twitter Facebook Tumblr Discord KH13.com's spoiler policy on Kingdom Hearts III will be in effect from now until March 31, 2019. Our news coverage will include reports on officially released information (press releases, interviews, etc.); after Kingdom Hearts III's global release, we will report on basic game content such as the opening cinematics, artbook, trophy list, etc. while being mindful of spoilers on our website (via spoiler boxes/warnings) and on social media. As a member of the KH13.com forums, your avatars, cover photos, statuses, and thread titles must not contain spoilers. You are allowed to discuss spoilers freely in the KH3 Spoilers subforum. For more guidelines, including a guide to using spoiler tags, read our spoiler policy here. KH13.com’s Discord has its own rules and appropriate channels to avoid/discuss spoilers. Read the rules on the #announcements channel for more information! We would lastly like to say to fans avoiding spoilers to be extra careful on social media, especially comment sections. Thumbnails, titles, autoplay, recommended videos, and comments on Youtube can be especially dangerous and full of spoilers.

GAME UK will have a midnight release for Kingdom Hearts III! The launch will take place at the Stratford branch in London. The first 200 people will also receive a free goodie bag! The launch seems to be sponsored by Square Enix. Various GameStop branches in the United States have confirmed to inquiring customers that they will be having a 9PM (local time) release for the game. The main EBGames branch in Melbourne, Australia, will have a midnight release. Gamers Hideout branches in Malaysia will also hold a midnight release, during which they will host activities such as cosplay photo session & giveaway and photo op with Kingdom Hearts props. Inquire at your local store to find out whether they will have an early or a midnight release for the game! Kingdom Hearts III will release in Japan on January 25, and worldwide on January 29, 2019.

A 10-second promotional video has just been tweeted by the official Kingdom Hearts Twitter account focussing on the world of Big Hero 6! Along with brief cutscenes and gameplay from San Fransokyo, a new track - possibly the world's battle theme - played in the background. Watch the video below!

In what seems to be a countdown to the worldwide release of Kingdom Hearts III, the official Kingdom Hearts Twitter has been featuring brief videos for each world. Yesterday it was Olympus, featuring a new arrangement of the battle track 'Go For It'. Today, the 10-second video focused on Monstropolis, with a background music that seems to be a track featured in that world. This track sounds similar to another track, apparently the battle track from Monstropolis, featured in the recently published Monsters, Inc. animated short and Monsters, Inc. yo-yo promotional video. It could be part of the same track or a separate track entirely. Watch the footage below!

The Square Enix e-Store (Japan) has opened pre-orders for handkerchiefs inspired by Sora, Riku, and Kairi from Kingdom Hearts III! Roxas's iconic checkered design has also been implemented into a hadkerchief. Each handkerchief, along with featuring the characters' designs, also comes with a small charm representative of each character. They can be pre-ordered for ¥3,456 (approx. $32). They will release on April 20, 2019. See them in the gallery below!