KINGDOM HEARTS Missing Link Coming 2024!

[Luminary]

Do we need an invite to play the beta? Or can anyone download it?

It’s a closed beta, so you have to apply and be selected. The last round of recruitment was only open to Japan, UK, and Australia. No word for sure on if that will change with the addition of this extra iOS beta.

I was also thinking it may not actually be that far fetched for us to get a new trailer Monday. They released one when they announced the last round of recruiting and they’d get more reach for the applicant pool that way.

I also wonder what they mean by enjoying the game in more environments. Do they mean new locations added in the game, like the Disney worlds possibly? Or additional regions for the beta itself? (That could just be a translation error since it was done by Google translate.)

 

[Liodin]

I also wonder what they mean by enjoying the game in more environments. Do they mean new locations added in the game, like the Disney worlds possibly? Or additional regions for the beta itself? (That could just be a translation error since it was done by Google translate.)

In this context, “more environments” likely refers to different operating systems (Android and iOS) and/or different device models.

 

[Luminary]

And of course not a peep from SENA yet. They announced the Android dates at the exact same time, so it’s weird (but not uncharacteristic) of them to not say anything about this delay.

 

[HakaishinChampa]

Oh yeah, I forgot that the beta isn't open to North America anyways lol

 

[Chaser]

They peeped.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1781130642690089014

【Closed Beta Test schedule change for Android and Addition of iOS】We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this sudden announcement regarding the "KINGDOM HEARTS Missing-Link" closed beta test.


To prepare for the CBT of the Android version, we have made changes based on the feedback from the last iOS CBT.In order for more players to play the improved game, we have decided to postpone the start of the Android CBT and hold an additional iOS CBT at the same time.

■Schedule for the Android CBT■
Previous: 4/25(Thu) 07:00 AM UTC - 5/2(Thu) 08:59 AM UTC
Revised: 5/2(Thu) 07:00 AM UTC - 5/10(Fri) 08:59 AM UTC (tentative)

■Date of players selected for CBT notification email■
Previously: Around 4/19 (Fri)
Revised: Around 5/1 (Wed)

We sincerely apologize to all players for the postponement of the Android closed beta test.The CBT recruitment for the iOS version is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 22nd(Mon). More details will be provided via this account. Thank you for your patience!

 

[Luminary]

They peeped.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1781130642690089014

Wonder why the English language beta testers are being notified several days later compared to JP… It was all on the same date last time. And the actual beta stills runs the same dates this time.

I assume SENA is going on vacation and giving us the middle finger. But mayyybe it’s because there will be a much larger player base they need to recruit for from the US and other regions.

 

[Liodin]

Some thoughts:

First, the NA account should be renamed to WESTERN or GLOBAL.

Second, the communication delays of the international account with respect to the Japanese one brings back very bad memories of Ux, with its delayed updates. I hope they have learned their lesson, because I'm telling you, I will not go through the same shit again.

 

[Luminary]

Some thoughts:

First, the NA account should be renamed to WESTERN or GLOBAL.

Second, the communication delays of the international account with respect to the Japanese one brings back very bad memories of Ux, with its delayed updates. I hope they have learned their lesson, because I'm telling you, I will not go through the same shit again.

It seems they posted the announcement around the same time of day in North America as the JP did for its time zone. Maybe they did them separately so it would stand on its own since the information is a bit different.

Ever Crisis has been good about posting things simultaneously to both accounts from what I’ve seen, so that gives me some hope. And most of the other recent posts for ML have been simultaneous.

While I give them crap in jest, I don’t mind half a day difference. As long as we’re not going back to being several months behind on updates.

I’m officially making my bet that we’re getting a trailer Monday and announcement of a global beta. Content creators will be included in it. Pre-registration may start as well and we could get a release date, but not 100% on these two points. Don’t ask me why I think any of this.

 

[Liodin]

I’m officially making my bet that we’re getting a trailer Monday and announcement of a global beta. Content creators will be included in it. Pre-registration may start as well and we could get a release date, but not 100% on these two points. Don’t ask me why I think any of this.

Global beta announcement before the next beta even starts? Interesting prediction. I could only see that if it is at the end of May, but I don't see them showing the release date.

Let's compare with FFEC to see if we can see any similarities. The game was revealed on February 25, 2021. The re-reveal was two years and a few months later, at the SGF June 8. The beta started on July 6, the release date was announced on August 10 and was released on September 7. As you can see there is one month between each event.

Now, ML has already had its second trailer on October 30, almost 2 years its announcement, and the beta was a month later on November 29. Unlike FFEC, it seems that the beta detected some problems and improvements, so they have continued working. 5 months later we will have the second beta on April 25, now May 5.

Assuming that this will be the last beta, and based on the pattern we observed in FFEC and ML, the release date announcement should be one month after the beta start date. So early June, and the release in early July.

So my bet on when the release date will be announced, as I've been saying for almost a year now, goes to June 7, at the SGF.

 

[Luminary]

Global beta announcement before the next beta even starts? Interesting prediction. I could only see that if it is at the end of May, but I don't see them showing the release date.

Nah I’m saying this next beta starting May 2nd IS the global beta. That’s why SENA needs more time to notify participants than Japan does this round. They said they’ll be announcing the details about the recruitment on Monday and that’s when they’ll share that it is global rather than just UK and Australia.

We already know thanks to Cynical spilling the beans that they’ve been planning a wider beta that content creators would be a part of. This is that beta. It’s why most of them are being quiet about the delay situation because they know what’s coming.

I do agree with you that SGF will probably be the release date trailer alongside a KH4 re-reveal. But the SGF trailer for Ever Crisis was for the start of pre-registration and recruitment for the beta test. The trailer I believe we’re getting Monday will be the equivalent of Ever Crisis’ SGF trailer last year. It will announce pre-registration and the closed beta details. Then at SGF we’ll get a final trailer with the July release date.

 

[Liodin]

Nah I’m saying this next beta starting May 2nd IS the global beta. That’s why SENA needs more time to notify participants than Japan does this round. They said they’ll be announcing the details about the recruitment on Monday and that’s when they’ll share that it is global rather than just UK and Australia.

Oh, then I join you in your prediction
I think it makes a lot of sense for this beta to be global, since in theory it should be the last one.

We already know thanks to Cynical spilling the beans that they’ve been planning a wider beta that content creators would be a part of. This is that beta. It’s why most of them are being quiet about the delay situation because they know what’s coming.

I think Cynical mentioned in the video that he was contacted to do things for the launch, he didn't mention anything about a global beta. But I would not be surprised if that were the case.

I do agree with you that SGF will probably be the release date trailer alongside a KH4 re-reveal. But the SGF trailer for Ever Crisis was for the start of pre-registration and recruitment for the beta test. The trailer I believe we’re getting Monday will be the equivalent of Ever Crisis’ SGF trailer last year. It will announce pre-registration and the closed beta details. Then at SGF we’ll get a final trailer with the July release date.

Yes! The previous trailer was also released on a Monday by the way.
We are so close!

If the trailer is real, I expect it will be the trailer that was shown to the exclusive group of the previous beta in Japan, who were with Nomura and the team doing a Q&A, where they showed the Disney worlds.

 

[Luminary]

I think Cynical mentioned in the video that he was contacted to do things for the launch, he didn't mention anything about a global beta. But I would not be surprised if that were the case.

Yeah I’m thinking he may have been using “launch things” a bit loosely. This would still be to kick off the build up to the launch. It would be the equivalent of the pre-launch previews influencers often do for console games. They just probably have to do it during a beta with the way mobile games work.

If we’re getting a trailer, tomorrow is the day!

 

[Chaser]

I hope I actually get into the beta this time. I just wanna get a proper feel for how the game works rather than just passively absorbing it.

 

[Squood!]

Currently 12:18 PM in Japan rn. I expect people to be notified soon.

 

[Luminary]

Currently 12:18 PM in Japan rn. I expect people to be notified soon.

Today isn’t the notifications. They’re announcing the full details of the recruitment for the iOS beta. It’ll probably be either 3pm or 8-9pm in Japan when they post it.

 

[Chaser]

Registrations are open - https://www.kingdomhearts.com/missinglink/en-us/

Edit: well they would be if the page didn't lead to "The application period has finished."

 

[Liodin]

Not GLOBAL and no trailer

 

[Luminary]

Damn still only Australia and UK. Guess we’ll still have to wait a while if they’re going to do a wider beta.

EDIT: It looks like they updated the date for the JP testers to be notified to 5/1 as well… So I blame that for throwing off my prediction!

Also, shouldn’t they mention that in the tweet or make it more obvious in the website that it is only those locations? Last time they clearly called it out. I’m kind of annoyed about it.

 

[Chaser]

Weird that they didn't make the UK / Aus thing more prominent. It's buried in one of the terms and conditions, not in their tweet, nor the FAQ on the website. Thought for a moment it was open to all lol.

Not GLOBAL and no trailer

I don't know why a trailer would have been made for a slightly delayed beta but TBH I'd just see them iron out some bugs from these tests before going to launch, skipping a big open beta test.

I'm amazed at how the form page isn't working though. Feels so on-brand for Missing-Link at this point.

 

[Liodin]

I don't know why a trailer would have been made for a slightly delayed beta but TBH I'd just see them iron out some bugs from these tests before going to launch, skipping a big open beta test.

Luminary's theory was that another reason for the delay was because it was going to be global, so to promote that and have more people join, they were going to release a trailer.

I have been fooled