TGS: Square Enix Confirms New Kingdom Hearts Titles

As widely anticipated, Japanese publisher and developer Square Enix has confirmed a number of new Kingdom Hearts titles at the Tokyo Game Show, including new entries in the series for the Nintendo DS, Sony's PSP and mobile phones. There has been considerable press speculation regarding a possible announcement and target platform for Kingdom Hearts III, with the franchise now one of Square Enix’s most lucrative in both Japan and North America. Ultimately, the company made no announcements of a direct sequel, or indeed, any franchise additions for consoles, but instead focused on new titles for portable formats. The Nintendo DS title is named Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and will be developed internally at Square Enix, with additional assistance from H.a.n.d. Series regular Tetsuya Nomura will oversee the game, alongside Tomohiro Hasegawa. The unusual title revolves around a plot featuring both series mainstay Sora and alter-ego Roxas. The PSP title is named Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and will also be co-directed Tetsuya Nomura, alongside Tai Yasue. The game will feature the more obscure character of Terra, who has so far appeared only in the Japanese exclusive Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+. The mobile phone game is named Kingdom Hearts: Coded, with a plot involving Jiminy Cricket that takes place shortly after the event of the original Kingdom Hearts. No release dates have been confirmed for any of the games, but the Nintendo DS and PSP titles, at least, are expected to be released in the West.