September 26th, 2003 (12:00am) - Disney Interactive, a publishing label of Buena Vista Games, Inc., and Square Enix Co., Ltd. ("Square Enix"), announced today that they will once again join forces to develop two sequel titles to KINGDOM HEARTS, the blockbuster hit video game which was released worldwide in 2002 for the PlayStation 2. The sequels include KINGDOM HEARTS -CHAIN OF MEMORIES- for Game Boy Advance and KINGDOM HEARTS II for the PlayStation 2.
KINGDOM HEARTS -CHAIN OF MEMORIES- will be developed for Game Boy Advance, making it the first handheld game for KINGDOM HEARTS. The title is newly designed for the Game Boy Advance and features Sora, Donald, Goofy and other Disney characters and worlds. KINGDOM HEARTS -CHAIN OF MEMORIES- promises to deliver an unsurpassed gaming experience to gamers by implementing elements never before seen on the Game Boy Advance. The title is scheduled for release in Japan in 2004, followed by North America and Europe.
KINGDOM HEARTS II will be developed for the PlayStation 2 and the story will pick up where it ended in the original KINGDOM HEARTS. The "mystery" that has kept fans waiting will finally unfold in this sequel. The title will hail the return of Sora, Kairi and Riku along with many other Disney characters and worlds. The release schedule for KINGDOM HEARTS II in Japan, North America and Europe will be announced at a later date.
"We are extremely proud of the success of KINGDOM HEARTS and are very excited to be taking the game to the next level with these two new titles," said Tetsuya Nomura, director and main character designer, KINGDOM HEARTS series. "Our development team is eager to create a new chapter in KINGDOM HEARTS history and determined to deliver an even more unique and exciting gaming experience that will appeal to the global marketplace."
"Buena Vista Games is thrilled to be collaborating with Square Enix again to continue the KINGDOM HEARTS journey," said Graham Hopper, senior vice president and general manager, Buena Vista Games. "Like KINGDOM HEARTS, the sequels will feature Disney’s most beloved properties and give fans the chance to experience them in new ways."
The top-selling action role-playing game (RPG) of 2002 in North America, KINGDOM HEARTS was the first video game project between Square Enix and Buena Vista Games. For the first time, multiple Disney characters and worlds co-existed in one interactive product. The title combines more than 100 Disney characters and many well-known Disney worlds with newly introduced characters and environments created in the renowned Square Enix style. New Disney characters, Sora, Riku, Kairi and the Heartless, designed by Square Enix’s Tetsuya Nomura, director and character designer of KINGDOM HEARTS, made their debut in KINGDOM HEARTS. The unprecedented inclusion of original and new characters and worlds told a new story and offered breakthrough creative content.
Launching first in Japan in March 2002, worldwide sales of KINGDOM HEARTS topped 3.3 million units to date, with over 1.3 million units sold in Japan and 2 million units in North America and Europe combined. In North America, the title reached its million-unit mark in just three months, seized the top-selling RPG spot in 2002 and garnered nominations for over 40 industry awards. KINGDOM HEARTS will now join Sony Computer Entertainment America’s "Greatest Hits" series in North America. The Greatest Hits edition will be available starting October 6, 2003 with a suggested retail price of $19.99 US.
KINGDOM HEARTS -CHAIN OF MEMORIES- for Game Boy Advance and KINGDOM HEARTS II for the PlayStation 2 will be developed under the direction of director and main character designer Tetsuya Nomura, and produced by Shinji Hashimoto and co-producer Yoshinori Kitase.
The combination of Square Enix’s award-winning game design and Disney’s legendary cast of characters in KINGDOM HEARTS resulted in a game that gave players a new opportunity to enjoy and interact with many of Disney’s most treasured properties. With the development of KINGDOM HEARTS -CHAIN OF MEMORIES- and KINGDOM HEARTS II, the creative partnership once again promises to deliver a unique interactive gaming experience that draws on Square Enix’s and Disney’s expertise in animation, design, story-telling and character development.
