This weekKingdom Hearts 3fans were treated to a new trailer, dubbedthe Final Battle, that offers glimpses at summons, towns, worlds, and story content. Of course, the action RPG still surely has some cards up its sleeves, but one of the biggest reveals in this trailer is the identity of the second playable character. Be forewarned: this article contains what some may considerMINOR SPOILERS.
For the uninitiated,Kingdom Hearts 3director Tetsuya Nomura revealed that Sora would not be the only playable character back in 2017. Since then, there has been plenty of speculation to the identity of this character, and there are certainly multiple characters worthy of fulfilling the role. It ultimately seems that the developers behind the latest entry in the beloved franchise chose to go with someone around since the beginning, Riku.
Sora’s childhood friend, Riku is from the same Destiny Island and had a prominent role in the originalKingdom Hearts,as well as the entire series at hand. Now fans have confirmation, though not to what extent, that Riku will be playable inKingdom Hearts 3.For those that wish to see Riku in action, pay attention around the 1:06 mark:
Of course, some may remember that this is not the first time that Riku has been playable.Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, which takes place between the first and second game, also lets players control the character. When considering how long this series has run, though, it seems possible some have forgotten this fact. Luckily,Kingdom Hearts 3will contain astory recapas a refresher.
For those who can’t wait that long, however, it’s worth mentioning that theKingdom Hearts: The Story So Far collectionis available now, which allows players to experience all the preceding events set beforeKingdom Hearts 3. Those players will want to get on top of this as soon as possible, however, as the game’s release is right around the corner.
Kingdom Hearts 3launches on Jun 25, 2025, for PS4 and Xbox One.
