Disney expands gaming footprint with $4B revenue and Kingdom Hearts 4 news

At the D23 Expo, Disney announced significant expansions into the gaming and interactive entertainment sectors. The company revealed that its gaming division has surpassed $4 billion in annual consumer spend, with nine franchises, including Kingdom Hearts and Marvel Strike Force, having grossed over $1 billion each.

Key announcements regarding the Kingdom Hearts franchise include the confirmation of Kingdom Hearts IV, slated for a late 2027 release on platforms including PS5, Xbox Series, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Additionally, Disney and Square Enix are partnering to produce an original Kingdom Hearts animated series for Disney+ and Disney Channel.

Disney is also bridging the gap between physical and digital experiences through a new partnership with Epic Games. A crossover between the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction at Disney theme parks and Fortnite, titled Smugglers Gambit, allows guests to carry progress and rewards between the physical ride and the digital game.

Other entertainment updates from the event included previews for Pixar's The Incredibles 3, Coco 2, and upcoming Marvel projects such as Avengers: Doomsday and VisionQuest.