While Disney and Square Enix didn’t show any new in-game footage or announce a release window for the eagerly anticipated Kingdom Hearts III at today’s D23 Expo games conference, they did provide an exciting new announcement. Last year’s animated hit, Big Hero 6, will appear as a new level in the upcoming threequel.
Concept art was shown of series protagonist Sora riding the lovable robot Baymax into an aerial battle, along with the reveal that the level will serve as a direct follow-up to the original movie’s story. This is a unique change for the familiar Kingdom Hearts formula, where each Disney level generally served as a loose recreation of the original movie’s plot.
Square Enix reps also offered some new details on the previously announced transformations that the Keyblade, Sora’s longtime weapon of choice, will offer different forms depending on which version of it is equipped. Previous games generally rewarded a new Keyblade upon completion of a Disney-themed world, so assuming that process is repeated here, Sora will have a constantly growing lineup of fancy new moves to use in battle.
We will continue to post more updates on Kingdom Hearts III as they arise, so stay tuned!
