{"id":2114855,"date":"2026-08-27T18:25:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T15:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2114855"},"modified":"2026-08-27T18:25:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T15:25:39","slug":"kingdom-hearts-story-has-gotten-so-complex-that-tetsuya-nomura-says-square-enix-hired-a-loremaster-to-keep-the-plot-cohesive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2114855","title":{"rendered":"Kingdom Hearts&#8217; Story Has Gotten So Complex That Tetsuya Nomura Says Square Enix Hired a Loremaster to Keep the Plot Cohesive"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-cy=\"article-content\" class=\"jsx-2154984108 article-content page-0\">\n<section data-cy=\"article-subtitle\" class=\"article jsx-3932497636 article-section jsx-862658659 news\" data-autopogo=\"true\">\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The lore of Kingdom Hearts is so expansive that Tetsuya Nomura says Square Enix hired a loremaster to keep its story cohesive.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iv\"><u>Kingdom Hearts IV<\/u><\/a> is officially set for a late 2027 release. In the lead-up to its highly anticipated launch, fans have been returning to previous games in the series, to the point where a collection of Kingdom Hearts titles became one of the <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-becomes-second-top-selling-steam-game-in-the-us-after-extended-d23-trailer-sparks-fan-excitement?_cache=pass\"><u>highest-selling games on Steam<\/u><\/a> following an <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-4-gets-extended-gameplay-trailer-featuring-playable-mickey-donald-and-goofy-d23-2026?_cache=pass\"><u>extended gameplay trailer<\/u><\/a> shown at D23 in July.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">In total, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-games-in-order\"><u>there are 13 games<\/u><\/a> in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, which have been released on a bevy of different platforms over the years. That\u2019s a lot to play through, not to mention a lot of story beats to keep track of as you go.<\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" style=\"display:none\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">Kingdom Hearts 4 &#8211; Official Announcement Images<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 6 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">This isn\u2019t a player-specific problem; even the developers find themselves getting lost from time to time, as revealed by series creator Tetsuya Nomura during an August 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.famitsu.com\/article\/202608\/85668\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>interview with Famitsu<\/u><\/a>. In fact, the storyline is so convoluted that Square Enix hired a loremaster to keep everything cohesive and explain the plot to Disney.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cAs the Kingdom Hearts series has continued, the number of characters has inevitably increased, and the story has become more complex,\u201d Nomura said. \u201cFor example, with the <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-4-gets-new-trailer-late-2027-release-window-and-a-disney-series?_cache=pass\"><u>newly announced anime series<\/u><\/a>, the number of external people involved in the Kingdom Hearts series has increased, and explaining the settings and scenarios each time has become quite difficult.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cFortunately, the staff working on the \u2018\u03c7 series\u2019 had someone who meticulously compiled and organized the settings of past Kingdom Hearts series in an easy-to-understand way, and he was also in charge of explaining the scenarios and settings to Disney. In fact, at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts IV&#8217;s development, Disney requested that he compile the materials, so he officially joined the Kingdom Hearts IV team as a proofreader.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2896921488 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Play.59e5540b.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Nomura says this &#8220;proofreader&#8221; was in charge of communicating the overarching story to Disney. He&#8217;s a popular staff member due to how thorough his is, as he breaks down story beats, characters, and lore using visual diagrams.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;He is well-liked because he explains things to Disney as clearly as possible, using diagrams and such. His role internally is to proofread the script,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;He checks to make sure there are no inconsistencies between the current script and past settings. He was especially suitable for this project because the \u03c7 series is deeply involved. Some people might mistakenly think he&#8217;s in charge of composition, but it&#8217;s actually \u2018proofreading.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Nomura\u2019s answer also revealed an integral connection between Kingdom Hearts IV and the \u03c7 titles, a series of prequel games set during the Age of Fairy Tales. These games were primarily available on web browsers and mobile devices, but Nomura says that \u201ceven if you haven&#8217;t played the smartphone version, don&#8217;t worry, their personalities are depicted within [Kingdom Hearts IV].&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The fact that even Disney themselves needed a loremaster to help explain the Kingdom Hearts story is a hilarious anecdote; the plot is famously convoluted and overwhelming, to the point where we at IGN felt the need to make a video <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=etdDRc9JkKs\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">explaining the lore in just five minutes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"poll-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\">\n<div class=\"card jsx-2310533475 jsx-1355461925 box poll-content-block\" data-cy=\"poll-content-block\">\n<fieldset class=\"answers jsx-332304107\" role=\"radiogroup\" aria-labelledby=\"poll-question\">\n<legend class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4192417768\"><span class=\"stack jsx-3547261442\"><\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"poll-question\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-1377259516 headline\" id=\"poll-question\">What&#8217;s the best game like Kingdom Hearts?<\/h2>\n<p><\/span><\/legend>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54980\" id=\"answerId54980-label\"><span class=\"label\">Persona 5 Strikers <\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer highlight\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54981\" id=\"answerId54981-label\"><span class=\"label\">Final Fantasy 7 Remake<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1945348876\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54982\" id=\"answerId54982-label\"><span class=\"label\">The World Ends With You<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54983\" id=\"answerId54983-label\"><span class=\"label\">Epic Mickey<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54984\" id=\"answerId54984-label\"><span class=\"label\">NieR: Automata<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54985\" id=\"answerId54985-label\"><span class=\"label\">Final Fantasy 15<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54986\" id=\"answerId54986-label\"><span class=\"label\">Something else (let us know in the comments)<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/fieldset>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4255654680 poll-controls\"><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-2267841559 contained disabled full-width large\" type=\"submit\" disabled data-cy=\"poll-answer-btn\">Answer<\/button><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button jsx-3027214138 jsx-1624977611 nav next-button small\" title=\"See Results\" aria-label=\"See Results\" data-cy=\"see-results-btn\"><span style=\"white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-align:right\">See Results<\/span><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-4173866675\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" aria-label=\"See Results\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Virginia (she\/her) is IGN\u2019s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she\u2019s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheeMissGlaze\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>@TheeMissGlaze<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"jsx-2511205168 preferred-source\"><strong class=\"jsx-2511205168\">Get IGN&#8217;s Biggest Stories FIRST. Set Us as Your Source.<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.ign.com\" class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--secondary jsx-3027214138 icon-button contained centered large\" title=\"Add Source\" aria-label=\"Add Source\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ign-icon icon-google jsx-2750866048 jsx-3701596282\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-google\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Google.9e99a9d7.svg?cors=0\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 large\">Add Source<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-1475529924\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 bobble bobble-1 pogocnt pg-article\">\n<div data-mix-name=\"secondaryMedrec\" data-pos=\"1\" data-pogo-hide=\"1\" class=\"jsx-343126785 pogo-slot\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The lore of Kingdom Hearts is so expansive that Tetsuya Nomura says Square Enix hired a loremaster to keep its story cohesive.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iv\"><u>Kingdom Hearts IV<\/u><\/a> is officially set for a late 2027 release. In the lead-up to its highly anticipated launch, fans have been returning to previous games in the series, to the point where a collection of Kingdom Hearts titles became one of the <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-becomes-second-top-selling-steam-game-in-the-us-after-extended-d23-trailer-sparks-fan-excitement?_cache=pass\"><u>highest-selling games on Steam<\/u><\/a> following an <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-4-gets-extended-gameplay-trailer-featuring-playable-mickey-donald-and-goofy-d23-2026?_cache=pass\"><u>extended gameplay trailer<\/u><\/a> shown at D23 in July.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">In total, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-games-in-order\"><u>there are 13 games<\/u><\/a> in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, which have been released on a bevy of different platforms over the years. That\u2019s a lot to play through, not to mention a lot of story beats to keep track of as you go.<\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" style=\"display:none\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">Kingdom Hearts 4 &#8211; Official Announcement Images<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 6 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">This isn\u2019t a player-specific problem; even the developers find themselves getting lost from time to time, as revealed by series creator Tetsuya Nomura during an August 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.famitsu.com\/article\/202608\/85668\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><u>interview with Famitsu<\/u><\/a>. In fact, the storyline is so convoluted that Square Enix hired a loremaster to keep everything cohesive and explain the plot to Disney.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cAs the Kingdom Hearts series has continued, the number of characters has inevitably increased, and the story has become more complex,\u201d Nomura said. \u201cFor example, with the <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/kingdom-hearts-4-gets-new-trailer-late-2027-release-window-and-a-disney-series?_cache=pass\"><u>newly announced anime series<\/u><\/a>, the number of external people involved in the Kingdom Hearts series has increased, and explaining the settings and scenarios each time has become quite difficult.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cFortunately, the staff working on the \u2018\u03c7 series\u2019 had someone who meticulously compiled and organized the settings of past Kingdom Hearts series in an easy-to-understand way, and he was also in charge of explaining the scenarios and settings to Disney. In fact, at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts IV&#8217;s development, Disney requested that he compile the materials, so he officially joined the Kingdom Hearts IV team as a proofreader.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2896921488 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/Play.59e5540b.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Nomura says this &#8220;proofreader&#8221; was in charge of communicating the overarching story to Disney. He&#8217;s a popular staff member due to how thorough his is, as he breaks down story beats, characters, and lore using visual diagrams.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;He is well-liked because he explains things to Disney as clearly as possible, using diagrams and such. His role internally is to proofread the script,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;He checks to make sure there are no inconsistencies between the current script and past settings. He was especially suitable for this project because the \u03c7 series is deeply involved. Some people might mistakenly think he&#8217;s in charge of composition, but it&#8217;s actually \u2018proofreading.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Nomura\u2019s answer also revealed an integral connection between Kingdom Hearts IV and the \u03c7 titles, a series of prequel games set during the Age of Fairy Tales. These games were primarily available on web browsers and mobile devices, but Nomura says that \u201ceven if you haven&#8217;t played the smartphone version, don&#8217;t worry, their personalities are depicted within [Kingdom Hearts IV].&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">The fact that even Disney themselves needed a loremaster to help explain the Kingdom Hearts story is a hilarious anecdote; the plot is famously convoluted and overwhelming, to the point where we at IGN felt the need to make a video <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=etdDRc9JkKs\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">explaining the lore in just five minutes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"poll-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<section class=\"box-wrapper jsx-2673806401\">\n<div class=\"card jsx-2310533475 jsx-1355461925 box poll-content-block\" data-cy=\"poll-content-block\">\n<fieldset class=\"answers jsx-332304107\" role=\"radiogroup\" aria-labelledby=\"poll-question\">\n<legend class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4192417768\"><span class=\"stack jsx-3547261442\"><\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"poll-question\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-1377259516 headline\" id=\"poll-question\">What&#8217;s the best game like Kingdom Hearts?<\/h2>\n<p><\/span><\/legend>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54980\" id=\"answerId54980-label\"><span class=\"label\">Persona 5 Strikers <\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer highlight\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54981\" id=\"answerId54981-label\"><span class=\"label\">Final Fantasy 7 Remake<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1945348876\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54982\" id=\"answerId54982-label\"><span class=\"label\">The World Ends With You<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54983\" id=\"answerId54983-label\"><span class=\"label\">Epic Mickey<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54984\" id=\"answerId54984-label\"><span class=\"label\">NieR: Automata<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54985\" id=\"answerId54985-label\"><span class=\"label\">Final Fantasy 15<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-cy=\"poll-answer\" class=\"jsx-45304670 poll-answer\"><label class=\"interface jsx-1132626198 toggle-label jsx-803093603 left-justified radio\" for=\"answerId54986\" id=\"answerId54986-label\"><span class=\"label\">Something else (let us know in the comments)<\/span><span data-cy=\"left-justified\" class=\"left-justified toggle-wrapper\"><span class=\"icon-toggle-indicator\"><\/span><\/span><\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-2988246289\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/fieldset>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-2624643483 jsx-4255654680 poll-controls\"><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3027214138 jsx-2267841559 contained disabled full-width large\" type=\"submit\" disabled data-cy=\"poll-answer-btn\">Answer<\/button><button class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button jsx-3027214138 jsx-1624977611 nav next-button small\" title=\"See Results\" aria-label=\"See Results\" data-cy=\"see-results-btn\"><span style=\"white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-align:right\">See Results<\/span><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-4173866675\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" aria-label=\"See Results\" style=\"mask:url(https:\/\/kraken.ignimgs.com\/_next\/static\/media\/RightChevron.272be43c.svg?cors=1) no-repeat center center \/ contain;background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/button><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Virginia (she\/her) is IGN\u2019s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she\u2019s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheeMissGlaze\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>@TheeMissGlaze<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The lore of Kingdom Hearts is so expansive that Tetsuya Nomura says Square Enix hired a loremaster to keep its story cohesive. Kingdom Hearts IV is officially set for a late 2027 release. In the lead-up to its highly anticipated launch, fans have been returning to previous games in the series, to the point where [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,243],"class_list":["post-2114855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-ign-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2114855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2114855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2114855\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2114855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2114855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2114855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}