The long drought of Kingdom Hearts news presumably begins after Melody of Memory releases, but it perhaps won't be too long. With Nomura confirming a 2022 targeted release year for the next major Kingdom Hearts project, lining up with the franchise's 20th anniversary, the wait won't be Kingdom Hearts 3 long. That being said, many are wondering what kind of game to expect in 2022, whether it's a large-scale spin-off like Dream Drop Distance, or a legitimate Kingdom Hearts 4.
There are certainly hints that another game centered on dreams may be coming, as hinted by Kingdom Hearts 3's secret ending. However, the worlds of Verum Rex and Shibuya could be connected to a very different world for Kingdom Hearts, one centered on Final Fantasy specifically. It's no coincidence that Tetsuya Nomura, the main concept writer for Kingdom Hearts, is tossing in references from another RPG he previously directed: Final Fantasy Versus 13. It's very possible the next Kingdom Hearts game strongly features Final Fantasy.
The Lack of Final Fantasy in Kingdom Hearts 3
One of the main criticisms of Kingdom Hearts 3's base game was the complete and total lack of Final Fantasy characters. One of the defining aspects of the Kingdom Hearts project in the beginning was it's strange dynamic duo between Disney worlds and Final Fantasy characters. Sora fighting Cloud in Olympus Coliseum, Auron fighting through the Underworld with Sora, Squall and Cloud teaming up in Hollow Bastion, all of these weird but endearing mashups were made possible by Kingdom Hearts' unique team up. When players beat Kingdom Hearts 3 for the first time, many were still wondering what happened to the Final Fantasy characters.
Then in Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind, players briefly returned to the Final Fantasy crew back in Hollow Bastion, but only for a short time. While Riku's conversation with them was a nice return, it was very short-lived when all it lead to were the Data Battles boss rush mode in Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind. The only other reference to Final Fantasy throughout Kingdom Hearts 3 is during the ending cinematic of ReMind's secret boss. Whether players defeat or are defeated by Yozora, they're given a familiar cutscene that resembles one of Final Fantasy Versus 13's first trailers, which could be a very big hint on what's to come.
Yozora and Verum Rex Could Lead to a Final Fantasy World
One of the biggest fan theories out there about Yozora and the next Kingdom Hearts game is that Yozora's true identity may be Final Fantasy Versus 13's Noctis, or some version of Noctis (like with Final Fantasy 8's Squall becoming "Leon"). This world, whether it's Verum Rex or Insomnia or something entirely different, could very well be a new original world that's based entirely around Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts. It would certainly be a first, considering basically all worlds in Kingdom Hearts have either been Disney-themed or original to the series.
Much of this theory depends on the purpose of Yozora's role in Kingdom Hearts' future. There's not much known so far, but already there's a lot of importance presumably riding on the world Sora and Riku wake up in during Kingdom Hearts 3's secret ending. Yozora is there watching over Riku, Sora has ended up in this city even though he's presumably lost his life, and even the Master of Masters is seen overlooking Shibuya crossing on the other side of the city. What other reason would there be an entire Final Fantasy Versus 13 reference in ReMind's ending if this world wasn't intended to be Final Fantasy themed?
The Perfect Way to Address Missing Final Fantasy Characters
In a way, this could be the perfect avenue to address criticisms of Kingdom Hearts 3 not having any Final Fantasy characters. For the first time in the Kingdom Hearts series, the next installment could feature a Final Fantasy-specific world. Granted one that would presumably include Neku and The World Ends with You characters in Shibuya, but it's still possible. Or alternatively, the game could be entirely centered on exploring this city only, instead of multiple separate Disney worlds. All that's known for now is this city almost certainly has to be intrinsically tied to reawakening/reviving Sora, whose fate is still a mystery at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind.
It's hard to say in any form if this theory is likely, but the importance of this unknown Kingdom Hearts world (with Shibuya in it) seems to be emphasized greatly. Considering the next installment is planned to release on 2022 for the anniversary, fans at least won't have to wait a decade for the story to truly continue. Yozora's true identity still remains a mystery for now, but he could be a sign that Kingdom Hearts intends to lean back into its Final Fantasy partnership in the next major installment.
The next Kingdom Hearts installment is reportedly in development.