Kingdom Hearts 25th Anniversary Panel to Stream Live at D23

Square Enix and Disney have announced a special "Deep Dive into KINGDOM HEARTS" panel to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise. The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026, and will be a focal point of the D23 festivities.

The panel will take place from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM PT on the Backlot Stage at the Anaheim Convention Center. To ensure global reach, the presentation will be livestreamed via Disney's official YouTube channel and co-streamed by The Game Awards.

A Quarter Century of Collaboration

The Kingdom Hearts series, a landmark collaboration between Square Enix and Disney, first debuted in 2002. For over two decades, the franchise has blended Disney's iconic characters with Square Enix's action-RPG mechanics. The community is currently awaiting the release of Kingdom Hearts IV, which was first revealed in 2022. Interest in the series has intensified recently following a gameplay teaser released two months prior to this D23 announcement.

Implications for the Fanbase

The decision to utilize high-profile streaming partners like The Game Awards underscores the significance of the 25th-anniversary milestone. While the live broadcast ensures immediate access, reports from Polygon suggest the stream may not be available as a Video on Demand (VOD) archive after the event concludes. If true, this restriction would create significant urgency for fans to tune in live to avoid missing potential updates on the series' future.

What to Watch

Industry analysts expect the panel to serve as a primary venue for new information. According to Polygon staff, the event feels like a natural place for Square Enix to share more details, whether those are behind-the-scenes insights or further previews of the upcoming title. While the core event details are confirmed, fans are still waiting for official word on whether a permanent recording of the presentation will be archived for those unable to attend the live window.