'Kingdom Hearts 3' release date for PS4, Xbox One news update: Third and last installment gets delayed

"Kingdom Hearts 3" is one of Square Enix's highly anticipated games featuring characters from multiple Disney settings in one cross-over role-playing adventure. Despite the build-up of anticipation from fans, the game's release date remains far from certain.

During the Electronic Entertainment Expo last June 2016, the franchise's loyal fan base who attended the event was disappointed. The developer showed a trailer not for the "Kingdom Hearts 3," but for "Kingdom Hearts 2.8" with a message saying that further announcements regarding the third installment are due this winter. Some game observers suggest an April launch next year, a few months after the announcements in December.

There are also reports saying that the third game in the highly popular cross-over series may be the last . However, this claim may not be entirely true as more "Kingdom Hearts" games may be created with the entry of new box office hit Disney animation films like "Frozen," "The Jungle Book," "Toy Story," "Wreck-it Ralph," and "Zootopia."

With no confirmed updates so far, some fans worry about another setback. However, the anticipation over "Kingdom Hearts 3" never seems to dissipate. With each postponement, Square Enix stresses that they are still working on "Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue" — a precursor of what's to come in the third installment.

"We want to share as much as possible... But 2.8 we're releasing globally at the beginning of December. We wanted to concentrate on that first. We want what's best for the moment. We're currently making 3 and 2.8 at the same time, but we wanted to concentrate on 2.8 right now," said the game's co-director Tai Yasue, as reported by GamenGuide.

Meanwhile, series creator Tetsuya Nomura dropped some storyline teasers about the upcoming "Kingdom Hearts" title. Some plotlines have been carried over from "Kingdom Hearts 3D" and "Kingdom Hearts 0.2" to "Kingdom Hearts 2.8" to create a prologue for the third installment, Parent Herald reported. However, players with no prior background of the game can still follow the storyline. "Kingdom Hearts 3" is reportedly designed so that first-time fans can relate to the game's plot.