After years in development, beta tests, and delays, Square Enix has finally canceled the next Kingdom Hearts game, Kingdom Hearts Missing Link. The development team behind Missing Link announced the game’s cancellation on the official Kingdom Hearts website.“Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development,” the team said in a statement.On a slightly more positive note, Square Enix said it is “hard at work” on Kingdom Hearts 4, which will continue Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s adventures in a new story arc.Here’s the developer’s full statement on Kingdom Hearts Missing Link’s cancellation:We have made the decision to cancel the development of KINGDOM HEARTS Missing-Link.We wish to convey our heartfelt apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to the start of service.Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development.We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to everyone who gave us their support and assistance with the multiple closed beta tests. We are truly sorry to have to make this announcement.The KINGDOM HEARTS series will continue. We are hard at work on KINGDOM HEARTS IV, and hope you’ll continue to support the series as you keep an eye out for further updates.Kingdom Hearts Missing Link was announced in 2022 alongside Kingdom Hearts 4. Missing Link was in development for Android and iOS devices, and was subject to multiple closed beta test since 2022. Square Enix last updated Kingdom Hearts fans’ on Missing Link’s fate in November 2024, when the publisher announced it has “made the difficult decision to delay the release” — which was originally intended for 2025.It’s unclear what, exactly, Square Enix couldn’t pull off with Missing Link, but the prospect of creating a compelling, sustainable, and profitable live-service mobile game in a crowded and entrenched market is daunting. Square Enix has also signaled it will “pursue a shift from quantity to quality” philosophy and “a regular launch cadence, focusing its development efforts and investments on titles with substantial potential to be loved by customers for years.” Apparently, Missing Link did not meet that bar.Square Enix hasn’t said much about how Missing Link tied into the overall Kingdom Hearts saga. But Square Enix has turned previous stories told through browser and mobile games into animated shorts and movies. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, for example, included the 60-minute movie Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover that recounted and added to story elements from Kingdom Hearts χ.See More: #square #enix #kills #kingdom #hearts