Square Enix/Disney
- "Kingdom Hearts 3" is due out on January 25th, 2019 — but physical copies of the game already appeared on Facebook Marketplace more than a month early.
- Fans have been waiting for more than 13 years for a true sequel to "Kingdom Hearts 2" and are worried about spoilers hitting the internet before the game's official release.
- In order to quell the leak, angry fans have reported the alleged leaker to law enforcement, and posted what appears to be his personal information on social media.
- "Kingdom Hearts 3" director Tetsuya Nomura said the game's epilogue and secret movie will not be released until a later date to prevent major spoilers.
Ever since 2005's "Kingdom Hearts 2" teased more story yet to come, fans of the series have been eagerly anticipating the release of a true sequel. After a 13 year wait, with many spin-offs in the interim, publisher Square Enix is finally expected to release "Kingdom Hearts 3" on January 25th, 2019.
But now, more than a month before the game is due out worldwide, physical retail copies of the full game have leaked to the public. On December 15th a Facebook Marketplace user with a profile in Gastonia, North Carolina posted that he was selling the Xbox One version of the game for $100, sharing pictures of the case and screenshots of "Kingdom Hearts 3" being installed on the console as apparent proof that he got the game early.
Tweet Embed://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1074052770603384835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
30 copies of Kingdom Hearts 3 were stolen from a distribution center in North Carolina and were posted for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $100/ea.
Beware of spoilers! pic.twitter.com/662aawyFr8
With "Kingdom Hearts 3" serving as the culmination of 17 years worth of storytelling across several games, fans are worried that the leaks from early copies will flood social media and YouTube with spoilers prior to the game's release. In response, outraged fans have identified a Wal-Mart employee as the alleged seller, reported him to law enforcement, and spread what appears to be his personal information through social media. The marketplace post was removed over the weekend.
"Kingdom Hearts 3" producer Tetsuya Nomura acknowledged the leak and confirmed that the development team was aware of the source. In an effort to assuage fears of major spoilers, Nomura said that the epilogue and secret movie at the end of "Kingdom Hearts 3" are "planned to be released at a later date," to prevent them from leaking. This means that they may be added to the game or unlocked via a patch on the game's release date. In the meantime, Nomura asked that fans refrain from sharing leaked footage of "Kingdom Hearts 3" online.
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An important message for #KingdomHearts III from Director Tetsuya Nomura: pic.twitter.com/j9aVRFTS5B
Despite the leaks, "Kingdom Hearts 3" remains one of the most anticipated games of the decade. The game blends Disney's animated films and Square Enix's popular "Final Fantasy" series, and features dozens of cameos from both franchises. In "Kingdom Hearts 3" players will visit worlds based on Disney movies like "Frozen" and "Toy Story," fighting alongside Donald Duck, Goofy, and a host of Disney heroes. You can check out the latest trailer below:
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