Square Enix and Disney Confirm Kingdom Hearts D23 Panel Livestream
Image by James RichardsonDisney and Square Enix have confirmed more details about Kingdom Hearts’ dedicated panel at D23 this weekend, with the presentation set to be livestreamed so fans around the world can watch the celebration from home.
The one-hour “DEEP DIVE into KINGDOM HEARTS” presentation will take place on Saturday, August 15 from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM PT, placing one of Disney and Square Enix’s biggest gaming collaborations firmly in the spotlight during this year’s event.
Kingdom Hearts began in 2002 and follows Keyblade wielder Sora as he travels between worlds alongside Donald Duck and Goofy, bringing original Square Enix characters together with an ever-growing cast drawn from Disney and later Pixar properties.
D23 is billing the new panel as a celebration of 25 years of Kingdom Hearts, looking back at how the series brought Disney, Pixar and Square Enix together while sharing insight from the people who have helped create its games and characters.
Square Enix’s Tai Yasue will be among the guests, bringing the perspective of one of the developers who has played a major role in shaping the Kingdom Hearts series across multiple entries.
Disney & Pixar Games’ Nana Gadd will also take part alongside Renée Johnson of Disney Character Voices, adding insight from the Disney side of the long-running partnership.
The panel will also reunite fans with two of the voices most closely associated with the series, as Haley Joel Osment and David Gallagher are confirmed to appear representing Sora and Riku respectively.
Disney has described the presentation as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the games, suggesting that the hour will cover more than a straightforward retrospective as the guests discuss how Kingdom Hearts has developed over the course of the series.
The timing is likely to make the panel particularly interesting for fans waiting for more Kingdom Hearts IV information, especially after Square Enix shared another look at the long-awaited sequel with a new teaser in June 2026.
No Kingdom Hearts IV announcements have been promised for the D23 presentation, however, so any new footage, worlds, characters or release information should remain firmly in the realm of speculation until the panel begins.
The franchise already has another major release approaching, with Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] scheduled to arrive on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on October 8, 2026, bringing the main saga together for current-generation consoles.
For fans unable to attend D23 in Anaheim, the DEEP DIVE into KINGDOM HEARTS panel will stream live through Disney’s YouTube channel on August 15 beginning at 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET.
The Game Awards will also carry the presentation through its YouTube and Twitch channels, providing additional ways to follow the panel as it happens.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event runs from August 14 through August 16, 2026 in Anaheim, California, with Kingdom Hearts joining a packed weekend of panels and presentations covering Disney’s movies, television, games, theme parks and wider entertainment lineup.
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