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Shinji Hashimoto Interview: KH3 and FFXV Skip E3 2014

Famitsu.com just posted an interview with Square Enix’s Shinji Hashimoto where he discusses their E3 2014 plans, most importantly, their decision not to feature Kingdom Hearts 3 or Final Fantasy XV heavily. He says that as far as promoting goes, they’d prefer to wait for events later on this year. I’ve translated the article, you can read it below.

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As previously reported, Square Enix has charged ahead of the E3 2014 event and announced the release dates for Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix. The announcement trailer also teased the newest numbering title in the series, Kingdom Hearts 3. Both titles were presented at E3 last year and at a special stage event at the D23 Expo Japan in October 2013, but until now there haven’t been any announcements revealing new information since then.

Additionally, since last year’s E3, no announcements have been made about their hugely anticipated title, Final Fantasy XV.

Will new information on both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy XV be announced soon? We hope so. We had a chance to speak to the executive producer of both titles Shinji Hashimoto briefly regarding what is planned for E3 2014. Here’s what he had to say.

– The release dates for Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix were just announced. Can we expect new information on Kingdom Hearts 3 at E3 2014 too?

Hashimoto: We are are working diligently on KH3, but I think releasing new information will still take some time. We included a small part regarding the story of KH3 In the new trailer KH 2.5 prepared for E3 2014, so please check that out.

– As always, we’d like to ask about Final Fantasy XV too. In March earlier this year at Thailand Comic Con, you mentioned that FFXV will be exhibited at E3, so we wanted to follow up…

Hashimoto: There was a misunderstanding in the reporting of that, a number of stories were accidently mixed into one. When I was asked about FFXV’s presence at E3, the answer I gave was that “I can’t answer yet.” But somehow what I had said was framed in a different context when it was reported.

– So there will be new information about “something” that is not “Final Fantasy XV”?

Hashimoto: That’s right, you’ll have to wait until E3 to know more.

– But seriously, information on Final Fantasy XV will be at E3, right?

Hashimoto: Well, first I’d like to say that development for FFXV is going well. Internally, we try to ascertain the best timing for revealing new information about FFXV to the fans. So when we were going over our promotion plans, we judged that this year’s E3 would not be the best time to exhibit information about FFXV. Instead we are currently planning to exhibit new information at events after E3 2014. I am extremely grateful to all the fans who excitedly anticipate FFXV, and I’m looking forward to share new information when the timing is right. I would appreciate if fans hold out until then.

It’s very disappointing, but it looks like Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy XV will not have a big presence at E3 this year. However, there is still a small teaser about KH3’s story in the KH 2.5 trailer and new information about FFXV will be revealed at events later this year. Sounds like potentially there might be a larger presence at Gamescom 2014 in this August or more definitely at Tokyo Game Show 2014 this September.