News ► Square Enix Hiring Various Positions in HD Development for the Kingdom Hearts series

[Chaser]

Square Enix seems to be getting work on something related to another Kingdom Hearts game, as three job postings at their Osaka studios have opened up for the HD developement of the Kingdom Hearts series.

As first reported by KHUnion, Square Enix have listed jobs for a UI Designer, and Effect Designer, and Technical Artist. Both the UI Designer and the Technical Artist jobs require experience with developing for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game consoles, with the Effect Designer only listing experience necessary in relation to the PlayStation 4. Each listing makes mention of Unreal Engine 4, suggesting that this project will be developed on that engine.

Square Enix and Disney have not formally announced the next Kingdom Hearts game, and there is still the matter of Kingdom Hearts III's DLC, titled Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind which is set to launch on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this winter (a solid release date is still unknown). It's also worth noting that each employee is given a 6 month trial period, so while they may be intially hired for Kingdom Hearts III's DLCs they could be potentially moved to another project while on this trial period.

If these jobs are, in fact, in relation to the next Kingdom Hearts game, hopefully we won't have to wait long for Square Enix and Disney to announce the project. With various assets such as items, characters, and levels already built for Kingdom Hearts III, the next Kingdom Hearts game can hopefully have a faster and smoother development.

To be clear, these job postings are in relation to the future development of the Kingdom Hearts series however, as previously stated, the next Kingdom Hearts game hasn't been formally announced and it's not initially clear if these jobs are instead in relation to Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind.

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[Perkilator]

So it looks like it's going to be on PS4 and XBOne. I wonder if it'll be on the Switch as well.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

So it looks like it's going to be on PS4 and XBOne. I wonder if it'll be on the Switch as well.

Doubtful, but first we'd have to see what they have in mind. If it's anything like KH3, then that's a big nope for Switch.

 

[Launchpad]

Uh oh! Here we go again!

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

Could mean something! Could mean nothing! Could mean something! Could mean nothing!

 

[Sakuraba Neku]

Not surprising if they are already started to work in the next game. I believe the KH team is divided into two groups right now - Some stayed behind to work in KH3 DLC, while the others went ahead and are starting to work on the next game.

There are some things that make me positive about the development of the next game:

- It won't be the first time Osaka team is developing for a home console.
- If they keep UE4 engine it won't be their first time using it either, and there shouldn't be problems with changing engines like it happened with KH3, which made them lose one year of work.
- It won't be their first time dealing with Pixar.

If anything, KH3 should have been a big lesson for them. My worst fear is if the next KH game will be exclusive to Nintendo Switch. Seems like going backwards after all the work of putting all titles in PS4, but it's Square-Enix. Anything is possible.

 

[Zettaflare]

Great news. I'm way more interested in the next game(whether DDD.2 or something else) then ReMIND so I hope an announcement comes soon after the DLC release

 

[NoWay]

Maybe the development for the next game has already begun. But I wouldn’t mind if they released another KH3 DLC next year to be honest because I adore KH3.
I hope they release the new game on current and next gen consoles. Maybe next year’s E3 will tell us more.

 

[Twilight Lumiair]

My worst fear is if the next KH game will be exclusive to Nintendo Switch. Seems like going backwards after all the work of putting all titles in PS4, but it's Square-Enix. Anything is possible.

Considering this series' tendency to never release their follow up games on the same console as the one that immediately came before (with the exception of 2.8 and KH3), I wouldn't be surprised if the next game ended up being a Nintendo release. Especially if it's some kind of sequel to DDD, as many theorize.

That said, it's still a toss what they're planning to do at this point, so who really knows.

 

[Face My Fears]

I'm pretty sure that they learned their lesson and will keep things in the PS line from now on. Especially considering how much gaming technology has changed and how many issues they encountered developing KH3, I think they will stick to PS (maybe Xbox). I doubt they will do a Nintendo project again simply because the handheld titles like CoM/Days had gameplay specifically designed for handheld usage. The card gameplay wouldn't have worked if it was released right after KH1 on PS2, let alone the fact that the Disney worlds were so empty and meaningless.

I feel like the series has been forced into a position of less experimenting and more focus because of the current age of gaming -- which I don't mind at all.

 

[Omage]

I'm pretty sure that they learned their lesson and will keep things in the PS line from now on. Especially considering how much gaming technology has changed and how many issues they encountered developing KH3, I think they will stick to PS (maybe Xbox). I doubt they will do a Nintendo project again simply because the handheld titles like CoM/Days had gameplay specifically designed for handheld usage. The card gameplay wouldn't have worked if it was released right after KH1 on PS2, let alone the fact that the Disney worlds were so empty and meaningless.

I feel like the series has been forced into a position of less experimenting and more focus because of the current age of gaming -- which I don't mind at all.

You come off as a Playstation fanboy. I hope the next game comes to Switch and is exclusive just to see people whine about it more.

 

[Elysium]

^ Sounds more like someone sick of this series' console spread trainwreck. The fact that the Playstation is KH's main platform rather than Nintendo is incidental.

 

[Omage]

^That's complete nonsense. KH has been with Nintendo for years. It's literally babies who cry about having to buy other platforms so that means others with those platforms shouldn't have their precious KH games. If you don't like how they've handled it and will likely keep handling it, then maybe you should have left the series a long time ago.

And it's funny how some of those who cry about KH going to Switch as an exclusive have the gall to wish for Sora to be in Smash.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

^That's complete nonsense. KH has been with Nintendo for years. It's literally babies who cry about having to buy other platforms so that means others with those platforms shouldn't have their precious KH games. If you don't like how they've handled it and will likely keep handling it, then maybe you should have left the series a long time ago.

And it's funny how some of those who cry about KH going to Switch as an exclusive have the gall to wish for Sora to be in Smash.

You sound like a Nintendo fanboy. It's okay to want things and to also accept that what you want and what is happening aren't the same thing. There may be a KH game on the Switch in the future, but whatever these job listings are for are not that game.

Have you seen anybody in this topic even talking about Sora in Smash? Why are you bringing up irrelevant topics?

 

[Omage]

You sound like a Nintendo fanboy. It's okay to want things and to also accept that what you want and what is happening aren't the same thing. There may be a KH game on the Switch in the future, but whatever these job listings are for are not that game.

Have you seen anybody in this topic even talking about Sora in Smash? Why are you bringing up irrelevant topics?

The job listings are for current gen systems with PS4 and Xbox One as examples. If you actually read it(which you didn't), you'd know this. So please spare me your drivel. It can be on either of these platforms including even next gen platforms but seeing comments on here crying about KH going to Switch is just pure comedy especially when they beg for him to be in Smash. I bet you're one of those people too.

 

[Launchpad]

Oooo get em Arielle get im good. Get his ass

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

The job listings are for current gen systems with PS4 and Xbox One as examples. If you actually read it(which you didn't), you'd know this. So please spare me your drivel. It can be on either of these platforms including even next gen platforms but seeing comments on here crying about KH going to Switch is just pure comedy especially when they beg for him to be in Smash. I bet you're one of those people too.

You're exhausting.

Edit: Banned for hostile behavior.

 

[Face My Fears]

You come off as a Playstation fanboy. I hope the next game comes to Switch and is exclusive just to see people whine about it more.

I'm not a fanboy of anything lol (well KH fanboy). I'm not much of a gamer anymore and really only got a PS4 for KH3. I don't really care what console the next KH game comes out on, I mean like my original post was alluding to, it's basically down to PS4, Xbone or Switch unlike the past that had multiple portable devices and home consoles to choose from. My point was that the handheld KH games had gimmicks that were complimented by the handheld consoles. Now that such devices are no longer in use and Square had to deal with so much scrutiny over the years of the games being spread across different consoles, really there is no point in making one spinoff on one console, then another title on another. I get why COM/Days/BbS etc. were on handhelds, but the gaming industry has evolved and grown from back then -- experimentation/smaller titles are now mobile games (like KHUX) and side games/DLC can be featured on main consoles (like 0.2). The old days had the side games/experimentation titles as handheld games, but mobile games are the new handheld.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

I imagine they're gonna start actual development of the next entry, seeing as how, if my memory does not fail me, Nomura said that the dev team was already working on the next title.

 

[Squood!]

I imagine they're gonna start actual development of the next entry, seeing as how, if my memory does not fail me, Nomura said that the dev team was already working on the next title.

I recall him saying that too! Don't remember where he said it tho.

EDIT: I found it! It was in the Ultimania!

Nomura: At this point in time, I have given the staff a list of the battle elements I want to do, and they are investigating. As for additional story, I think it will mainly be expanding on the Keyblade Graveyard things I mentioned before when I talked about narrowing my aim. I do plan to complete it as soon as possible, but as we are working on it alongside preparation for the next project, I still can't tell you when to expect it to be released. For the time being, we are planning to present several pieces of content as one pack rather than release several separate things.

Me thinks preparation means Pre-Production.