Kingdom Hearts 4 will let players control Donald Duck as a fully playable character during specific segments. The D23 trailer revealed that Donald, historically Sora's support sidekick, gets direct control in platforming and combat sequences set in the Hercules Underworld.
This marks a significant shift for the series. Donald functions as a Black Mage in the Kingdom Hearts universe, wielding offensive magic and ranged attacks. Giving players direct control over one of gaming's most powerful magic users typically breaks game balance. Kingdom Hearts 4 appears willing to embrace that risk.
The trailer showcases Donald in action alongside Goofy, who also becomes playable. Players see them executing a combo attack combining Goofy's shield-spinning defense with Donald's star projectiles. This cooperative dynamic suggests Square Enix and Disney want these sequences to feel distinct from Sora's standard gameplay.
Donald's inclusion as a playable character addresses longtime player requests. Fans have wanted more agency with Kingdom Hearts' iconic trio since the series launched on PlayStation 2. Previous entries featured Donald and Goofy only as AI companions, limiting player interaction with characters central to the franchise's appeal.
The Underworld setting provides thematic context for the swap. Sora's journey through Hercules' underworld likely places him in situations where Donald and Goofy must take the lead. Rather than simply swapping the active character, Square Enix designed unique mechanics around each sidekick's abilities.
This playable shift carries design implications. If Donald's magic proves as potent as his Black Mage archetype suggests, developers need challenge scaling to prevent trivializing encounters. The combo system hints at intentional power balancing through cooperative mechanics rather than individual nerfs.
Kingdom Hearts 4 launches in 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.