Kingdom Hearts 4 Sets 2027, Hit & Run Teased, STALKER 2 Update
D23 delivers a packed day for Disney and Square Enix, with Kingdom Hearts IV finally receiving a late-2027 release window and The Simpsons: Hit & Run apparently teased for a return. GSC Game World and Mega Crit also outline substantial updates for STALKER 2 and Slay the Spire 2.
Kingdom Hearts IV Sets a Late 2027 Release Window
Kingdom Hearts IV is scheduled to launch in late 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Square Enix also reveals a new trailer featuring a world inspired by Pixar’s Coco, where Sora encounters Miguel in the Land of the Dead.
The D23 showcase also announces Kingdom Hearts: The Series, an animated show coming soon to Disney+ and Disney Channel through a partnership involving Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix. The game still has no firm release date beyond its late-2027 window.
The Simpsons: Hit & Run Is Teased to Return in Some Form
The Simpsons creator Matt Groening says The Simpsons: Hit & Run is “coming back in some form” during a D23 panel, although showrunner Matt Selman quickly interrupts the exchange.
The comment adds weight to years of speculation around the 2003 open-world driving game, but the reports leave its format and timing unclear.
STALKER 2 2.0 Update Adds Fog and A-Life Improvements
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl receives its substantial 2.0 update next week, with GSC Game World targeting lighting, foliage, atmosphere, and simulation improvements. Indoor lighting is being revised, landscapes and foliage should look more natural, and hundreds of previously floating objects are being fixed.
The patch also adds functional fog and a suite of A-Life improvements, expanding the update beyond a visual upgrade.
Slay the Spire 2 Updates Slow Down for New Modes
Mega Crit is slowing Slay the Spire 2’s update schedule again after moving from weekly updates to a two-week cadence in May. The August Neowsletter says the slower pace supports work on additional modes, an alternate Act 2, and a new character with a bandaged foot.
Slay the Spire 2 launched in early access in March and has maintained a steady stream of updates since then, making the latest slowdown a development shift rather than an end to post-launch support.