Kingdom Hearts series producer and Final Fantasy series brand manager Shinji Hashimoto was in attendance at a conference at Lucca Comics & Games 2016 in Italy last month. During this conference, Hashimoto was able to discuss and answer questions relating to the upcoming Kingdom Hearts releases.

The translations below have been provided by Aquaberry.

Hashimoto noted that the cinematic movie Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, present in the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue collection, will fill up a missing space in the Kingdom Hearts timeline and that it will be comprehensible even to those who have not played Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ for smartphone.

He commented on Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A Fragmentary Passage-, saying that its story will connect directly to the story that will be presented in Kingdom Hearts III. He also said that the duration of the game will partly depend upon the player's abilities. While it may seem a short game, it has a substantial amount of playable content.

He also noted that there will be no "Kingdom Hearts 2.9" after Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue as "it will proceed directly to [Kingdom Hearts] 3."

Hashimoto discussed Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, saying that the idea for the compilation was due to fans all around the world commenting on the complexity of the plot of the Kingdom Hearts series. The PlayStation 4 release will address this issue by enabling the fans to own the entire collection on the same console. Furthermore, he indicated that the PS4 re-release will contain some differences from the PS3 releases; it will have much better graphics.

Hashimoto was also asked to comment on the legitimacy of the story surrounding the conception of Kingdom Hearts in an accidental meeting in an elevator with a Disney employee who worked in the same building. Hashimoto answered that this is a matter he has been asked about many times. He clarified that while Square were working in the same building as Disney, it was the latter that approached with a proposal for a collaboration that later became the Kingdom Hearts series.

As reported previously, Hashimoto confirmed that Kingdom Hearts HD Dream Drop Distance will be fully translated in Italian and Spanish; this is a novel development as Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance for Nintendo 3DS was not fully localised in these languages. The game, originally intended for two screens, will certainly be playable in one screen on the PS4.

Hashimoto also reminded fans that the Sora DLC for World of Final Fantasy will be available for only a limited time only this winter.

Lastly, Hashimoto reflected on his contentment towards the evolution of the Kingdom Hearts series, saying that he is happy about the success of the series reflected by fans across the world.

A full video of the conference can be viewed below, thanks to GamerClick.it.

What are your expectations from Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue? Are you excited to play Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX on PS4? Let us know in the comments below!