In an interview conducted by Newsweek posted earlier today, Kingdom Hearts III co-director Tai Yasue revealed some details surrounding the game’s prolonged absence. When questioned about the various factors that led to the 14 year gap between the second and third titles, Yasue cited the decision to change game engines as the main reason. He added that with changes in technology and work flows, it took his team a bit of time to adapt. Then, when asked to address fans who have long awaited this third title, Yasue had the following to say:
I’m truly sorry to have kept everyone waiting for so long! It took a while, but we really wanted to make sure the game met everyone’s expectations. I hope, more than I’ve hoped for anything else in my 20 years of making games, that you all enjoy it.
In addition to his remarks on timing, Yasue also commented on some of the new game mechanics. Among these are the new wall-riding and theme park mechanics. Yasue stated that his team wanted to create a “quintessential Disney experience, arranged in a way that would be fun to use in battle”. He later went on to say that they worked to make each ride feel original, not simply an imitation of the real thing.
We wanted to make sure the rides had universal appeal, so we had weekly meetings with over 30 developers to discuss our opinions on game design and graphics, adjusting each ride until we felt we had really nailed it.
With Kingdom Hearts III releasing in Japan on January 25th and worldwide on the 29th, it’s hard to believe that 14 years have elapsed between the second series entry and this one. If what Yasue says is correct and this title is as innovative as it seems (a “celebration of gaming, old and new”), then I’d say the wait will have been well worth it.
