Former Disney CEO Doesn't Remember Why 'Kingdom Hearts' Was Approved

Kingdom Hearts fans know better than anyone that the mere existence of a game like this borders on a miracle: all of Disney’s big characters interacting with completely different universes, not to mention the story, which grows more complex with every new entry in the franchise. In a quick conversation with The Game File, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner even said he doesn’t remember why he approved the project.

In fact, Eisner barely remembered Kingdom Hearts existed, and only understood what the interviewer was talking about when it was explained to him as a mix of Final Fantasy and Disney. Asked whether he remembered the approval process, he gave a blunt “No.”

Perhaps Eisner’s own indifference is a sign of how the first Kingdom Hearts got made. At the time, the game already featured names like Donald, Goofy, and several of the company’s most popular princesses. Mickey himself makes a very brief appearance — likely limited by concerns from the company that owned him — before taking on a bigger role in the sequels.

Since then, Sora’s story has become a pillar of contemporary JRPGs, and 2026 has been kind to the series: in addition to the surprise trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 at June’s Nintendo Direct, fans are also looking forward to a panel at D23, which has already been confirmed.