News ► Kingdom Hearts 3 not expected to be out in early 2015?

[Gexus]

Today, Square Enix released their financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31st this year. In said report, the struggling company has finally announced a return to profitability, due mainly to the success of such titles as FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn, FINAL FANTASY X/X-2 HD Remaster, Thief and more.

However, things aren't as positive for the company in the coming months, considering that it does not expect to see a return in profit again before March 2015. This could be due mainly to the fact that no major title, such as the next installment in the Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts series, is expected to release before then.

In other words, Square Enix predicts that sales for their games will fall by 5 million units, selling a total of 12 million games until March next year. Any year a mainline Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts entry is released, their sales are projected to be much higher than that, possibly confirming that neither Kingdom Hearts 3 nor Final Fantasy 15 will be released before then.

Of course, this is all speculatory. With that said, both games might very well be released at some point later in the year, although that still remains to be determined as of now.

According to the report, the highly anticipated Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX for the PS3 is still on track for a 2014 release, already confirming past information. News regarding the HD remaster have been scarce as of late, but should be expected to arrive sooner rather than later.

Source: Square Enix Holdings

 

[Sephiroth0812]

I can't say that I am surprised at least when KH 3 is concerned.
Nomura admitted that the unveil at last year's E3 was a rushed one and done very early in development, not to mention that when taking into consideration development time for a title as big as KH 3 (if you do not want a rushed product) anyone actually expecting KH 3 to release that early must have been out of their mind.
I estimate that if we're lucky we might get KH 3 around August/September 2015, but more realistic I guess would be an 2016 release.

FF XV however is a different matter considering how long they were/are struggling with that title, I would have expected an early 2015 release for it.

 

[WanPisu]

It's as Sephi says. There's not much surprising about anything in this report. And seeing as the financial results only count until March, I'm not all that surprised about FFXV either even though we're not even sure whether this actually confirms anything. March would be the earliest month in 2015 I'd expect the game to be released in.

 

[rawpower]

I'm a little surprised about FFXV not having a release this year. But then again, why should I be? I wasn't expecting KHIII for while but I feel like FFXV should have been ready by this point. I know it's had a long, tough development but I was sort of under the impression that they were almost done and ready to push it out into the market soon. Whatever, KH 2.5 will tide me over for a good long time. I wish it was coming out in the summer though.

 

[Gram]

Cant say I'm all that surprised either. Though at this point in time kh3 will always seem like a skeptical illusion to me until the day (likely when Im 50 at this point) holding it in my hands.

Hope this doesnt affect 2.5 though.

 

[Sign]

I'm a little surprised about FFXV not having a release this year. But then again, why should I be? I wasn't expecting KHIII for while but I feel like FFXV should have been ready by this point. I know it's had a long, tough development but I was sort of under the impression that they were almost done and ready to push it out into the market soon. Whatever, KH 2.5 will tide me over for a good long time. I wish it was coming out in the summer though.

It's complicated. Remember, the staff had been taken off and on XV to aid with other projects as well as moving the whole thing over to PS4 in 2011.

At least E3 is in a month. They should definitely have something there for both titles, regardless of the shape or form.

 

[GotItMemorized?!]

Was anyone actually expecting it to release by early 2015? It's going to be December of 2015 at the earliest for sure.

 

[Sign]

Was anyone actually expecting it to release by early 2015?

You'd be surprised.

It's going to be December of 2015 at the earliest for sure.

Even that is seriously pushing it.

 

[Javelin434]

Welp... That's... Kinda sad. Was kinda hoping for KH3 to come out sooner, but... Well this is just depressing xP

 

[Happyfunshineman]

Was anyone actually expecting it to release by early 2015? It's going to be December of 2015 at the earliest for sure.

It better not. I bet Monopoly money on September of 2016, and nobody gets my Monopoly money.

 

[flayedfox]

I don't expect III to be out until 2017, it's all good.

 

[Antar]

I agree with Sephiroth0812, I was and still am expecting a release date most likely around the very end of 2015. And I don't even mind, 2.5 will easily fill up that time.

 

[WaveK89]

I really think we should all be prepared that 2015 may very well be a year without Kingdom Hearts. It's not something I would be against. Square has been pretty generous giving us a game nearly every year, so going on without any for one year doesn't seem so bad. Of course, there's always room for a KH3D Remaster, but I just see it as more work better spent for KH3 preparations.

 

[Prince Enigma]

I would much prefer they spend as much time as possible ensuring that KH3 is as good a game as possible, and attempt to meet most of the expectations of it, rather than rush it for a 2015 release, which is what I think a lot of people are hoping for, and I am among them in the regard that I want to play the game sooner rather than later, but would want it to be as good as they can make it, so in that case I don't mind seeing a 2016 release.

A 2017 release? Now even SE wouldn't be that mean, surely?

 

[Sign]

I would much prefer they spend as much time as possible ensuring that KH3 is as good a game as possible, and attempt to meet most of the expectations of it, rather than rush it for a 2015 release, which is what I think a lot of people are hoping for, and I am among them in the regard that I want to play the game sooner rather than later, but would want it to be as good as they can make it, so in that case I don't mind seeing a 2016 release.

A 2017 release? Now even SE wouldn't be that mean, surely?

2017 for a PS4 title is pretty realistic/generous, to be honest.

I really think we should all be prepared that 2015 may very well be a year without Kingdom Hearts. It's not something I would be against. Square has been pretty generous giving us a game nearly every year, so going on without any for one year doesn't seem so bad. Of course, there's always room for a KH3D Remaster, but I just see it as more work better spent for KH3 preparations.

Let us believe in Hazama, in the hopes that Theatrhythm Kingdom Hearts is currently in the making to fill that gap.

 

[kuraudoVII]

I would much prefer they spend as much time as possible ensuring that KH3 is as good a game as possible, and attempt to meet most of the expectations of it, rather than rush it for a 2015 release, which is what I think a lot of people are hoping for, and I am among them in the regard that I want to play the game sooner rather than later, but would want it to be as good as they can make it, so in that case I don't mind seeing a 2016 release.

A 2017 release? Now even SE wouldn't be that mean, surely?

I'd argue that 2017 is probably more likely than 2016 in this instance. This is going to be the first official numbered title in years (Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance can be argued as unofficial numbered titles), so it wouldn't surprise us that they would spend a little more time trying to get everything just right. Remember, this is the same company that forced Final Fantasy XV to be stuck in development hell for years back when it was still called Versus XIII.

While I'd be annoyed that we couldn't get the game until 2017, I'd be downright infuriated if we ended up with a shoddy product that is glitched up and practically impossible to play. I will never forgive Square Enix if screw up Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III just because they wanted to rush the game into the market the same way that Sega did with Sonic '06.

 

[Launchpad]

If you expected KH3 in early 2015 you ackin cray cray and I don't know what to say say

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

If you expected KH3 in early 2015 you ackin cray cray and I don't know what to say say

Some people did. I don't know who but they probably float around the KH FB or in the darker regions of the internet

 

[Launchpad]

People wanted KH3 Holiday 2013. Seriously.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

People wanted KH3 Holiday 2013. Seriously.

0_o
Some people have really no idea about what developing a true AAA-title really means, do they?

If KH III would really turn out to be a second Sonic 06 I bet these guys who are/were crying for an early release would be the ones to complain the loudest.
The internet is really a funny place...

I'd still say that late 2015 is a very optimistic estimation while 2016 is the most likely year to get it, maybe 2017 if they really want to polish it up (and possibly eliminate the need for a Final Mix this time from the get go for a change).