Square Enix has officially announced the cancellation of Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, a planned location-based action RPG for smartphones. The news was confirmed via a message shared by the development team on the official Kingdom Hearts social media channels, where the team extended their apologies and explained the reasoning behind the decision.
According to the announcement, the development team concluded that it would be difficult to deliver a service that players could enjoy consistently over an extended period of time. Despite multiple closed beta tests and a lengthy development process, the team ultimately felt they could not maintain a satisfactory gameplay experience and thus chose to discontinue the project. The statement thanked fans for their support and acknowledged those who participated in the prototype and beta phases.
Originally announced in 2022, Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link was set to explore the “blank era” of the Kingdom Hearts timeline. The title featured real-time 3D combat, collectible Disney character Pieces, and multiplayer support, all wrapped in a GPS-based structure that allowed players to explore a virtual map based on real-world locations. A closed prototype test was held in January 2023, with a planned release in 2024. However, the title was later delayed to an unspecified date in November 2024 before ultimately being canceled in May 2025.
Although the cancellation marks the end for Missing-Link, Square Enix emphasized that the Kingdom Hearts series is far from over. In the same announcement, the team confirmed that development on Kingdom Hearts IV is ongoing, and fans are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates. The decision to halt Missing-Link appears to reflect a strategic reallocation of resources, possibly toward refining the mainline entry expected to continue Sora’s journey in a more traditional console format.
The cancellation may come as a disappointment to fans who were intrigued by the game’s mobile-based structure and expanded lore. Still, the focus now returns to Kingdom Hearts IV, which is expected to serve as the next major chapter in the long-running Disney and Square Enix crossover franchise.
