‘Kingdom Hearts III’ Has Leaked, So Watch Out For Spoilers
Be careful in your internet travels, friends.
Be careful if you’re searching for the new Kingdom Hearts III trailer. Though the game is scheduled to be released on January 29, full copies have already made their way into the wild, and with them the inevitable spoilers.
Kingdom Hearts, a video game series in which Donald Duck has a gun, is an improbable fever dream blend of Square Enix and Disney characters. In it, a spiky-haired boy uses a giant key to beat up monsters while accompanied by Donald Duck and Goofy.
It doesn’t sound like a winning formula, but the games pulled it off with aplomb, gaining a large and loyal fan base. As such, fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of Kingdom Hearts III for over a decade. While there were other games in the series after Kingdom Hearts II in 2005, Kingdom Hearts III will reportedly conclude the Dark Seeker saga, ending the first phase of the Kingdom Hearts series.
Heads up, Kingdom Hearts fans:
The full version (!) of KH3 appears to be out in the wild (some screenshots and videos exist that I won't share here)
But yeah, be careful on both social media and YouTube pic.twitter.com/6QKhu31IaZ
— Nibel (@Nibellion) December 15, 2018
However, news spread over the weekend that someone had already acquired full Xbox One copies of Kingdom Hearts III, over a month before the game was scheduled to be released. Screenshots and footage were also uploaded online, allegedly to act as proof of the game’s authenticity to potential buyers. Copies were being offered on the Facebook Marketplace in North Carolina for $US100 each.
Speaking to Kotaku via Facebook message, the seller, who went by Broderick Jackson, wouldn’t explain how he got the copies, saying only, “I’m the man… plain and simple.”
Kingdom Hearts III director Tetsuya Nomura confirmed the leak in a Twitter statement on Sunday, and asked that people not spread spoilers. “We want everyone to be able to equally experience the full game after its release, so we ask for your continued support on this matter.”
An important message for #KingdomHearts III from Director Tetsuya Nomura: pic.twitter.com/j9aVRFTS5B
— KINGDOM HEARTS (@KINGDOMHEARTS) December 16, 2018
Indeed, fans have been diligently warning each other, and clips of Kingdom Hearts III footage have been removed from YouTube. It is still very easy to find such videos with a simple Google search, but those who want to go in unspoiled are less likely to stumble across information they would rather not know.
Nomura also reassured players that even if they are spoiled, a few important parts of the game had definitely not been leaked. “The game’s epilogue and secret movie, which are the biggest spoilers in this game, are planned to be released at a later date just in case, so they will not be shown before the game’s release,” he said in his statement.
Still, it pays to be extra careful in the lead up to Kingdom Hearts III‘s release, even when dealing with official video. Some fans have complained the game’s latest trailer is itself rather spoilery, so watch with caution, if you decide to watch at all.