Disney has announced its lineup of programming for this year’s D23 fan event – a biennial expo in Anaheim, California that showcases everything Disney – and it includes a few potentially exciting things for fans of Disney video games.
It also includes at least one event dedicated to a beloved Disney-adjacent video game, Kingdom Hearts. A panel has been revealed as part of the show’s program that will take fans on a “deep dive” into the Square Enix and Disney crossover RPG series, in celebration of the franchise’s 25th (!!) anniversary.
Now, it must be stressed that there is no mention made in the lineup announcement of anything to do with Kingdom Hearts IV appearing during this panel, but given the long-awaited sequel’s marketing has only just been spun back up, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to expect something, however small. Mostly what we can expect will be the presence of folks behind the series’ creation; developers, voice actors and so on, chatting about what makes the games as cherished and important as they are.
Here’s what the official D23 website has to say about the event:
DEEP DIVE into KINGDOM HEARTS
Join us for a journey through light and darkness as we commemorate 25 years of KINGDOM HEARTS. Discover how this saga united Disney, Pixar, and Square Enix, with insights from the creative minds, character voices, and more behind the magic.
Other gaming-centric panels revealed as part of D23 2026 include a look at the future of the Disney Lorcana trading card game, which continues to go from strength to strength in just the short few years it’s been around, along with a retrospective on cosy life sim, Disney Dreamlight Valley, as well as a sneak peek into what’s ahead for the game.
Born into the world of video games through SEGA, and in particular Sonic the Hedgehog, Kieron’s gaming tastes now consist of the latest, shiny AAA thing, an indie darling or two, and an embarrassing number of hours of Balatro.