Kingdom Hearts 4 at D23: Nomura explains the return of the Coco world
During the Kingdom Hearts 4 presentation at D23, new gameplay footage reaffirmed several worlds players will explore in the next mainline entry—including a return to Quadratum and the return of the Inferni of Mount Olympus, tied to events from Kingdom Hearts 2. It also confirmed that the Mexican Día de los Muertos-themed world from Disney-Pixar’s Coco will appear in the game, and Tetsuya Nomura explained why that specific setting was chosen.
Why Kingdom Hearts 4 is adding the Coco world
Nomura said his world-selection process centers on how well a location supports the overall progression of Sora’s main story. For Kingdom Hearts 4, he evaluated the themes and concluded that Coco is the best world to help achieve that narrative goal.
In other words, the decision wasn’t just about picking a popular property—Nomura framed it as the right thematic fit for where Sora’s story is headed in this installment.
What was shown at D23
The D23 reveal included a new trailer that confirmed multiple destinations inside Kingdom Hearts 4:
- Quadratum (already presented before the show)
- The Inferni of Mount Olympus (returning after the events of Kingdom Hearts 2)
- Coco (the Día de los Muertos-themed realm in the land of the dead)
Other characters players can control
Beyond world reveals, Kingdom Hearts 4 was also discussed in terms of playable characters. Players will be able to use other characters, including:
- Donald Duck (for the first time)
- Goofy (for the first time)
- Mickey Mouse (as has happened in the past)
Release timing: planned for 2027
Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently scheduled to launch in 2027. Nomura stated he is 100% sure the game will not be delayed.
