Dengeki: Nomura discusses OST, MOM, Kingdom Hearts going on break

[Oracle Spockanort]

Kingdom Hearts series creator and director Tetsuya Nomura recently spoke with Denegki Online about Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory including stories about its development, the release of the Kingdom Hearts III, II.8, Unchained χ & Union χ [Cross] Original Soundtrack, the lack of PS3 and PS Vita games in the series, and the upcoming break in releases until 2022.

Full translations will be coming soon, but for now you can read the highlights below:

• Nomura didn't want Indieszero to just make a Theatrhythm version of Kingdom Hearts, but something that combined the action of Kingdom Hearts with the music to make the rhythm game
  
  
• Nomura didn't want to have to add songs after the release through DLC so he asked that they could fit as many songs in as possible
  
  
• Dark Road is not a project that was released with the future of the series in mind, but rather something that the UX team decided they wanted to do
  
  
• There were no releases for the PS3 or Vita, but Nomura did have a vague idea about it. He was working on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, though, so nothing was ever really considered. Vita had high specs for a handheld console, so it was believed that it would be better to focus on a stationary console instead 
  
  
• Developers have been announcing games for the PS5/Xbox Series X, but if Kingdom Hearts were to announce anything, it would be a late comer. Nothing has been announced for Kingdom Hearts on the newest console generation, though
  
  
• Nomura asked Yoko Shimomura to compose Kingdom Hearts because of how easy it was to work with her when they were working on Parasite Eve together
  
  
• Nomura learned from overseas staff that Shimomura is called "goddess" and he is called "papa" by fans
  
  
• The song that left the greatest impact on Nomura has been "Hikari" by Hikaru Utada. When the song was finished, he listened to the song in the recording studio and the impact of the song was so much more greater when the song came through the high tech audio equipment. He still remembers the goosebumps he got when he heard it the first time
  
  
• Now that Melody of Memory is out, they will be taking a break from new releases in the series
  
  
• Nomura hopes to deliver good news during the 20th anniversary in 2022

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[Chaser]

We’ve been spoiled with yearly releases for like a decade now, and three releases this year!, that having next year off just feels so.... empty....

Ah well, they have big games to make and need the time to do so. It’ll all be worth it in the end

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I'm shocked that this has been up for 11 minutes and like none of you are like "oh my god KH on a break here comes the news drought"

 

[Idreamaboutcats]

This is actually somewhat good news for me. I just splurged on a new laptop and am thinking of giving it a ram upgrade, antimalware subscription, the works. I was tempted to splurge more money to buy a PS5, but with one of two game series I love down and out, I can resist the temptation better.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

This is actually somewhat good news for me. I just splurged on a new laptop and am thinking of giving it a ram upgrade, antimalware subscription, the works. I was tempted to splurge more money to buy a PS5, but with one of two game series I love down and out, I can resist the temptation better.

I feel that. I don't feel so inclined to rush out there to get a PS5 now knowing that KH isn't even close to being on it. By time it happens, there will hopefully be a PS5 revision and price drop.

 

[The_Echo]

Nomura asked Yoko Shimomura to compose Kingdom Hearts because of how easy it was to work with her when they were working on Parasite Eve together

Where's the Parasite Eve Remake, Nomura
I'm waiting

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Where's the Parasite Eve Remake, Nomura
I'm waiting

#BringBackAya2021

 

[Chaser]

It’s been quite impressive that they were able to remaster five old games, make seven hours of HD cutscenes for two other games, and build a 3 hour playable proof of concept before releasing, within the last two years, a massive and graphically detailed AAA game, 15 impeccable boss battles, and a long time fan requested musical game.

It’s a shame the series may be going dark for a bit but I’m sure there’ll be bits and pieces of light to guide us through, like the ultimania translation.

Also means that when they choose to reveal the next game, it’ll be further along in development and closer to release which is good.

Also I couldn’t believe Nomura would drop the Versus XIII name. He spoke the forbidden words

 

[SweetYetSalty]

Truthfully, I was planning to take a break from KH after the release of the last KH3 Novel. I've been in KH mode non stop since 2018 and I need to recharge, think of some new crazy theories and such. I'll still likely be playing some Melody of Memory, KH3 Data Org, and Data Greeting on and off in 2021, but I'll likely be doing most of it by myself away from the community. And like Spockanort said, I don't need to rush to get a PS5. One less thing. Kingdom Hearts could use the drought to rest too.

A shame this likely means no DLC for MoM. So many songs weren't in the game that I was hoping for.

 

[Darkspawn]

I’m hoping if the next KH won’t be announced until 2022, maybe we’ll see FFXVI come out sooner than expected and/or an official announcement (and maybe release?) for FFVII Part 2 sooner.

Also, if the next project is taking longer to develop, it should be able to take better advantage of the new gen tech. That’ll be helpful if we’re getting a game that has a significantly different graphic style compared to previous games.

 

[bambii (aka foreteller)]

The bit about Dark Road is interesting. From what I can tell (using Google Translate lol) the gist of what he’s saying is that he had a rough idea of the story sitting in the backburner, but it’s really being driven by the Ux team now without much direct connection to mainline series developments.

What I can’t decipher is whether he’s implying the Dark Road story will only become relevant much later, or perhaps that it’s not very significant to the overall plot at all. The latter would be disappointing, as I would like to see DR in Unreal Engine cutscenes someday. This makes me question his overall gameplan with Ux/DR, given how the main series (i.e. KH3/ReMind/MoM) has largely ignored them and their lore/plot developments, with the exception of a few subtle nods and Easter eggs (and the Foretellers, whose story was told independently of the mobile games anyway).

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I’m hoping if the next KH won’t be announced until 2022, maybe we’ll see FFXVI come out sooner than expected and/or an official announcement (and maybe release?) for FFVII Part 2 sooner.

Also, if the next project is taking longer to develop, it should be able to take better advantage of the new gen tech. That’ll be helpful if we’re getting a game that has a significantly different graphic style compared to previous games.

The (possible) landscape of SE in 2021:

• Bravely Default II
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake next-gen port with Tifa story
• TWEWY
• NieR Replicant ver. 1.22474487139...
• New NieR project
• Probably another FFXIV expansion
• Surprise Parasite Eve late Q3/early Q4

And we will receive updates on projects like Project Athia (targeting 2022/3), FFXVI (targeting early 2022), Avengers overhaul and move to F2P...

I'm probably wrong, though xD

 

[Cumguardian69]

....

Now would be a PERFECT time to remaster Re:coded and Days...

Just saying...

 

[Xagzan]

Please please PLEASE OST Plus like FF7R is getting. There are at minimum 50+ tracks that were left off this one, at most around 80 by my count.

I NEED that Xigbar in Olympus track...

 

[Zettaflare]

Yup, Yoko is certainly a Goddess

While I'm excited for the next game It's kind of nice to be on a break from major releases after KH3, Re:MIND and MoM. At least there is still Dark Road and Chi to give us new things to talk and speculate about

 

[the red monster]

This might be a good thing. i have huge backlog and i couldn't really focus on it with all the kingdom hearts goodness we got lately.
plus 2021 is probably FFXVI year anyway.

 

[SuperNova]

I take this as a good thing, I needed a break from all of the KH nonsense anyways, now is a good time to catch up on my backlog.

 

[Clue.Less]

I love that we are all relieved

 

[Darkspawn]

The (possible) landscape of SE in 2021:

• Bravely Default II
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake next-gen port with Tifa story
• TWEWY
• NieR Replicant ver. 1.22474487139...
• New NieR project
• Probably another FFXIV expansion
• Surprise Parasite Eve late Q3/early Q4

And we will receive updates on projects like Project Athia (targeting 2022/3), FFXVI (targeting early 2022), Avengers overhaul and move to F2P...

I'm probably wrong, though xD

Sounds pretty spot on to me. A next gen port for FFVIIR makes a lot of sense. It’d be (relatively) easy to do at a time when other projects have been pushed back, it would help transition the Remake series to next gen, and it could explain why they haven’t bothered patching the game. Seems likely to be a matter of when than if. Gimme that Tifa story.

From other comments I’m seeing from the interview, it sounds like Nomura plans to really shake things up with the next installment. So I’m happy they’ll be taking their time to hopefully get it right.

 

[MATGSY]

There were no releases for the PS3 or Vita, but Nomura did have a vague idea about it. He was working on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, though, so nothing was ever really considered. Vita had high specs for a handheld console, so it was believed that it would be better to focus on a stationary console instead

Kinda weird reason to omit the Vita. Like they could've just ported 1.5 & 2.5 if nothing else. Of course I say literally the same thing about Switch.