Players of Kingdom Hearts 3 have been patiently awaiting news about the Re:Mind DLC, and it seems that an accidental release of the trailer confirms both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One release date, as well as some key elements of the plot. January 23 looks to be the release date for the PS4, and January 25 for the Xbox One.
The trailer provides some key details about to expect, beginning with the question “Where is Sora?” Equally as important is that the people discussing Sora’s whereabouts are none other than characters from the Final Fantasy universe, which have been absent until now, including Yuffie Kisaragi, Aerith Gainsborough, and Squall Leonhart.
The exclusion of the Final Fantasy roster from Kingdom Hearts 3 was a point of contention for many long-time fans. Although they had small parts in both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2, fans expected their return to wrap up unresolved stories, particularly between Cloud and Sephiroth.
In March, the game’s co-director Tai Yasue spoke to Game Informer on the matter, stating that it all came down to having too many characters and a worry of diverting focus from one main storyline,
"We had a lot of original characters. It's the conclusion of the Xehanort saga and we really wanted to concentrate on the main storyline of Kingdom Hearts, such as Sora and Roxas, for the example. They're having all these stories in other games and we wanted them to conclude."
Now that the main story has been wrapped up in the base game, it seems reasonable to bring back the fan favorite Final Fantasy characters to help Sora in his quest. More importantly, the unexpected inclusion of these characters in DLC open the door for the many other franchises that some fans expected but did not see. Neither the MCU nor Star Wars series are in Kingdom Hearts 3 but given the acquisition recently by Disney of those properties, there is no reason not to expect it now.
There are so many questions left unanswered with this short reveal. A primary concern is how the DLC will be handled among players. Will the DLC affect new players who may be starting Kingdom Hearts 3 for the first time, or will they need to reach a point before its content becomes relevant? How will players who have defeated the game already deal with the DLC? Right now, it is anybody’s guess.
Source: ign.com