Kingdom Hearts titles often blend appearances by characters from both the Final Fantasy and Disney catalogs. Final Fantasy 7's Cloud and Sephiroth are perhaps the most memorable characters to appear since Kingdom Hearts began, as the series has offered unique reinventions of both characters. Given their reinvention in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, Cloud and Sephiroth's current iterations should have big ramifications on Kingdom Hearts 4.

Kingdom Hearts 4 was announced during the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event in April 2022 with gameplay that portrayed an art style and tone more aligned with modern Final Fantasy titles. Sora's cartoonish proportions and clothing were much more realistic and grounded. The same shift in characterization occurred in 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake, the first in a trilogy of titles that seeks to reimagine the original Final Fantasy 7. Should Kingdom Hearts 4 seek to include Cloud and Sephiroth again, this reinvention could have major ramifications on the title's plot and side quests.

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Kingdom Hearts Has Adapted Reinventions In the Past

As the source material for some of Kingdom Hearts' most popular characters is being modernized, it only makes sense that those characters' portrayals in future Kingdom Hearts games will be updated too. Cloud and Sephiroth's Final Fantasy 7 Remake storyline could play a huge part in Kingdom Hearts 4, and longtime fans of the Kingdom Hearts series may recall this happening once before. Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance modernized its Tron depiction to reflect the events and tone of the recently released Tron: Legacy.

The world of Tron debuted in Kingdom Hearts 2, with the Space Paranoids location reinventing some of the original Tron's visuals and enemies for a modern audience. However, by the time Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance released in 2012, Disney had debuted a reinvention of Tron that meant rather than stick to Kingdom Hearts 2's version, Dream Drop Distance adapted the character arcs and locations from Tron: Legacy through a second digital world, The Grid. This allowed both Sora and Riku to experience unique versions of the sequel's plot, with ramifications beyond The Grid itself that played a role in the overall plot of Dream Drop Distance's sleeping worlds.

The Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Could Have a Long-Term Effect on Kingdom Hearts

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Cloud and Sephiroth's relationships in both the Remake trilogy and Kingdom Hearts are unique from the original source material, pointing to a similar dynamic as with Space Paranoids and Tron Legacy. By the time Kingdom Hearts 4's release date arrives, fans will likely have played at least two of the three titles in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Therefore, fans can speculate that its characters' inclusion in Kingdom Hearts 4 would adhere to the new source material rather than prior Kingdom Hearts depictions. Kingdom Hearts 4's Quadratum promises a more mature setting for Sora's next adventure, and given its heavy Final Fantasy influences, fans may see characters reappear akin to Dream Drop Distance's The Grid.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake's continuity could affect Kingdom Hearts 4 in a variety of ways. As Final Fantasy 7 Remake's plot revolves around defying fate, its adaptation into Kingdom Hearts could drastically change the series' trajectory and major events, particularly if its fate-breaking is utilized by the series' enemies. With both the Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy 7 series entering a new age, now would be the perfect time to reinvent how they connect. Though little is known about Kingdom Hearts 4, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is due to arrive by the end of 2023. Players attempting to predict how the Remake trilogy could impact Kingdom Hearts might have a much better idea following Rebirth, as it will dive deeper into the ramifications of altering the series' canon.

Kingdom Hearts 4 is currently in development.

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