(1) No One Has Suffered More From Longer Development Cycle Than Kingdom Hearts Fans (The Gamer)

Fans are still streaming their Kingdom Hearts 3 gameplay on Twitch. One gamer is playing and streaming his daily battle with Yozora until the new title is released. He may be playing until 2029. It does seem like Square Enix is missing an opportunity. Why not release small DLCs that let players return to the worlds from KH3? It would be like filler episodes in Naruto between story arcs. Those episodes were always lighthearted. They let you spend time with the characters whilst very slowly advancing the plotline. They never took themselves very seriously. They also gave you a chance to catch your breath before the next major confrontation.

Sora would be unplayable of course but how grand to explore Scala ad Caelum with Riku, Roxas, and Aqua? How about spending a day with Xion with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in Corona? Would you fancy an afternoon with Kairi in whatever dreamscape she finds herself? What’s Naminé doing in Twilight Town or Merlin in Olympus? Did you know Ventus was sent to San Fransokyo by Yen Sid!

It would also remedy one major flaw in the games. There’s always a sadness attached to each world because you never get to really (really) immerse yourself against the backdrop of whatever mission you are fulfilling. I still LOAD the game just to wander around and explore each world.

Riku: Well, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are searching for clues in every past
world that Sora’s been to. Terra, Ven, and Aqua went to the realm of
darkness. And the Twilight Town gang are studying Roxas and Xion’s memories.

Aerith: And what about Kairi?

Riku: Kairi…

(Kairi sleeps in the chair in Ansem the Wise’s computer room as Ienzo pores
over the tablet in his hand. Ansem walks from Vexen at the keyboard to the
chair)

Riku: She believes her heart might hold a clue about Sora. For a year, she’s
been sound asleep while they search her heart.

Aerith: So there’s been no progress…