To satiate the hunger of fans who are clamoring for "Kingdom Hearts 3," game company Square Enix has announced the launch of an in-between game in the franchise titled "Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Final Chapter Prologue." However, now, it has been announced that the latter game will have a delayed launch, implying the possibility of the former being delayed, too.
As reported by VG 24/7, Square-Enix has announced during the Tokyo Game Show that the launch of "Kingdom Hearts 2.8" is being pushed from its December schedule to Jan. 12 in Japan and Jan. 24 in the West. In effect, this signals the high probability of "Kingdom Hearts 3" to be pushed back as well.
It is important to note that an official release date for "Kingdom Hearts III" has not been announced as of the moment, but it is widely speculated that the game is going to be launched sometime in 2017. Additionally, "Kingdom Hearts III" will not be released until "Kingdom Hearts 2.8" is out, given that the latter is a primer that will set up the world, characters, and conflict for the former.
As stated in a report from Mobile N Apps, "Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Final Chapter Prologue" contains a 3D movie, a short game focusing on the story of Keyblade wielder Aqua, and the HD remake of the 3DS title "Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance."
These three entries all reveal more backstory and characters that will become prominent in "Kingdom Hearts III," which is why the two games are being released in a specific order.
Square Enix has not explained why "Kingdom Hearts 2.8" is being delayed, although the report points out that it might be due to the delay of "Final Fantasy XV," which was initially meant to roll out at the end of September and has since been pushed back to November.
By delaying "Kingdom Hearts 2.8" by a few weeks, the market may be able to focus entirely on "Final Fantasy XV" before consumers get busy with the "Kingdom Hearts" games. This will ensure that the two games do not fight each other for the attention of the consumers and that both could earn high sales.
Along with the announcement, Square Enix released a brand new trailer for "Kingdom Hearts 2.8 HD Final Chapter Prologue," specifically featuring segments surrounding Aqua and her story which revolves around the Keyblade War.
