Square Enix has unexpectedly delisted a Kingdom Hearts game that is hugely important to the franchise’s lore and story. Specifically, that game is Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road, which is one of the mobile entries in the long-running series. And while it might not seem like a big deal for Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road to now be unavailable to download, the entry could have major ramifications on the events of the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 4.
Within the past week, Square Enix removed Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road from storefronts for iOS and Android devices. This move came without any warning from Square Enix, which has since left Kingdom Hearts fans incredibly confused. Despite this delisting having now happened roughly one week ago, Square Enix has yet to provide an official statement on the matter and give better context to its disappearance.
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What’s particularly strange about Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road being removed is that the game required an internet connection in order to be played. While it was previously a live-service title, Square Enix converted Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road into an offline iteration a couple of years back so that fans could still experience its story. As a result, there was no need for the game to have been delisted based on these reasons.
When it comes to Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road’s ties to the larger Kingdom Hearts series, the game is set as a prequel before all other entries in the franchise. Kingdom Hearts χ is the first installment chronologically and is followed by Kingdom Hearts Union, which is a sequel of sorts to χ. Dark Road then tells a standalone story that is centered around Xehanort, who is one of the main villains in the Kingdom Hearts saga.
As mentioned, this situation with Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road could have major ramifications on Kingdom Hearts 4 as well. Introduced in Kingdom Hearts Union χ, Strelitzia is a character that appeared in the initial teaser for KH4. With her own game having now been wiped out, it could make it more difficult for Kingdom Hearts fans to catch up in advance of Kingdom Hearts 4 being released. Then again, perhaps Square Enix deleted Kingdom Hearts Union χ Dark Road to pave the way for a new version of the game that will arrive soon.
[H/T GameSpot]
