More than two decades after Kingdom Hearts debuted, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has admitted he cannot remember why he approved the project that eventually became one of gaming’s most successful crossover franchises. His comments offer a rare look into the origins of a series that many fans have long viewed as an unlikely collaboration between Disney and Square.
The revelation came during an interview conducted by journalist Stephen Totilo for Game File, where Eisner reflected on his time leading The Walt Disney Company. Considering Disney’s traditionally careful approach to licensing its characters, the approval of a role-playing game starring Mickey Mouse alongside Final Fantasy heroes has often been described as one of the company’s most unexpected creative partnerships.
Michael Eisner barely remembered the project
According to the interview, Eisner initially did not recognize the name Kingdom Hearts. It was only after Totilo described it as the
“Final Fantasy plus Disney characters”
project that the former executive recalled it, responding,
“Oh, I remember now.”
When asked what convinced him to greenlight the game, Eisner gave a surprisingly candid answer:
“I don’t.”
While the response may surprise longtime fans, Eisner oversaw countless projects during his more than two decades as Disney’s CEO, making it understandable that the details of one video game approval have faded over time.
An unlikely crossover that became a gaming phenomenon
The original Kingdom Hearts was created by Tetsuya Nomura and Shinji Hashimoto at Square (now Square Enix). According to the franchise’s well-known development history, early discussions reportedly began after Hashimoto met a Disney executive by chance in an elevator, eventually leading to one of gaming’s most recognizable crossover series.
Since its 2002 debut, Kingdom Hearts has grown into a long-running franchise spanning multiple platforms while blending Disney worlds with original characters and familiar faces from the Final Fantasy universe.
The series is also preparing for its next major chapter with Kingdom Hearts IV currently in development, while Disney is expected to spotlight the franchise during an upcoming D23 presentation, showing that the collaboration Eisner barely remembers continues to thrive more than 20 years later.
