Kingdom Hearts has been around for a long time at this point. The first title released back in 2002, getting close to two decades ago. The unlikely hybrid of Disney and Square Enix properties has since become one of gaming's most popular franchises. Many of its fans have quite literally grown up with the series. Early in the franchise, the main character's age matched up with a lot of the game's fans. Sora was around twelve during the events of the first game, but between Kingdom Hearts, Chain of Memories, and then Kingdom Hearts 2, he had aged commensurately. While that trend didn't continue with Kingdom Hearts 3, it could be a good move to see Sora age further to once again match the fan base.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is something fans are already getting excited about, but cautiously so after the enormous gap between the second and third mainline games. While many fans hope Kingdom Hearts 4 won't take as long to release, there will still be a huge time gap between the freshman entry and the newest game even if the sequel launched next year. While its involvement with Disney means that Kingdom Hearts will likely continue to target younger demographics, a large chunk of its fanbase are older now. As such, Sora being aged up to represent the fan base could be a big deal for them.
Why an Older Sora Could Work Well in Kingdom Hearts 4
Sora has been through a lot throughout the history of Kingdom Hearts. Not only was he isolated from his closest friends in the beginning of the series, but even after everything he has achieved and accomplished he remains separated from them at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. While ever the optimist, even Sora may have his limits. This doesn't mean that the next game should remove his stubborn optimism, but it almost feels like he hasn't truly changed much despite all of his adventures. With the future of Kingdom Hearts at the forefront of fans' minds, they are likely wondering if they'll see a more mature version of the hero.
This could work really well for the next game. If Kingdom Hearts is trying to distinguish itself from Final Fantasy as it seemed to do in KH3, then a more mature character could help fill that void. Though Riku serves as a good foil to Sora, he isn't truly more mature. His eagerness to sacrifice himself for the overall good shows an element of selfishness, not seeing how that would affect his friends. The Final Fantasy characters like Squall (Leon) helped serve as a rational grounding for Sora in the first game. They were often more knowledgeable about the problems at hand and kept Sora from charging blindly into danger, though now he should be able to take care of himself.
Exploring a Sora that has taken the time to really consider his current situation and the implications of everything he's gone through could ensure a more emotionally grounded story for Kingdom Hearts. Sora is essentially a person with no home, at least not one he has seen in years. Constantly on the move and in danger, Sora's persistent cheer could be tempered by the reality of his journey so far. Kingdom Hearts is inextricably linked with Disney, but it isn't a stranger to handling some heavier themes within its colorful worlds. Doing the same with Sora and Kingdom Hearts could make the best possible story going forward.
A Kingdom Hearts project is confirmed to be in development.