Kingdom Hearts 3 is far from release, but in a Dengeki PlayStation interview translated by affiliates of KH13, director Tetsuya Nomura has revealed that the game may feature new customization options making their debut in Kingdom Hearts 2.8.
For those unaware, Kingdom Hearts 2.8’s new content, called A Fragmentary Passage, allows players to customize their character’s outfit via items found in the environment. For example, Aqua will be able to find special hats, like Mickey Mouse ears, and wear them in battle. At this point it doesn’t appear these additions offer anything beyond cosmetics.
“I thought that we needed something fun to play around with even with the game’s jam-packed volume,” Nomura said of the feature. “It really changes the character’s look, so please gather a lot of items and design your own Aqua.”
Of course, the next question to ask is what this might mean for Kingdom Hearts 3. In that regard the director was enthused but stopped short of confirming anything. “We have other priorities ahead of us so it depends on time, but we’ll look at the reaction to [Kingdom Hearts 2.8] and consider it,” he qualified.
As the essential prologue to Kingdom Hearts 3, it makes sense that Kingdom Hearts 2.8 might offer a preview of what’s to come in the third main installment. In previous interviews, Nomura implied that both titles have close ties in narrative and combat.
For evidence of clothing customization specifically, we might also want to take a look at Square Enix’s recent work on Final Fantasy 15. Its clothing options might not have been as varied as many had hoped, but the intent to provide a personalized experience certainly exists in spirit. There’s been lots of discussion and teases about Sora’s Kingdom Hearts 3 outfit too, so it’d make sense for Nomura to bring those sorts of features into the game.
Many small Kingdom Hearts 3 tidbits have been gleaned from this particular interview, but, at least right now, it appears another big news update could be on the way in the next few weeks or months. Nomura has expressed hope to provide a Kingdom Hearts 3 showcase around the time of 2.8’s release. Kingdom Hearts 2.8 arrives in North America on Jan. 24.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is in development for PS4 and Xbox One.
Would you like to see the character customization from Kingdom Hearts 2.8 make its way to Kingdom Hearts 3? What designs would you like to see? Tell us in the comments section!