Former Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner reportedly has almost no memory of greenlighting Kingdom Hearts, the long-running crossover franchise from Square Enix that paired Disney characters with Final Fantasy elements.

In a report by Stephen Totilo of The Game File, Eisner admitted he initially did not remember the project at all. When reminded that it was the 'Final Fantasy plus Disney characters' game, Eisner responded, 'Oh, I remember now.' Asked specifically why he chose to approve the first game over two decades ago, Eisner offered a blunt response: 'I don't.'

Quick Facts

  • Michael Eisner ran The Walt Disney Company for over 20 years before his departure.
  • Eisner initially failed to recall Kingdom Hearts until it was described as the Final Fantasy and Disney crossover project.
  • The original game's development began when designer Tetsuya Nomura and producer Shinji Hashimoto aimed to emulate the free-flowing movement of Super Mario 64.
  • Square Enix and Disney discussions for the project started after Hashimoto encountered a Disney executive in an elevator.

Origins of the Disney and Square Enix Crossover

The creation of Kingdom Hearts stands as an unusual collaboration in video game history. Tetsuya Nomura and Shinji Hashimoto sought to bring 3D movement to a JRPG, heavily influenced by Super Mario 64. Through an elevator encounter with a Disney executive, talks began that eventually led to Disney allowing its iconic mascots, including Mickey Mouse, to appear alongside an anime protagonist wielding a key-shaped sword.

While Disney was no stranger to unconventional video game concepts—having previously worked on Disney Infinity and Epic Mickey—the unusual pairing of Final Fantasy characters with Disney royalty successfully bypassed the company's normally strict IP oversight.

Future Updates

Despite the former CEO's lack of memory regarding its inception, Kingdom Hearts has grown into a massive franchise operating independently of Eisner's tenure. Square Enix is currently working on Kingdom Hearts 4, with a dedicated deep dive into the series scheduled for the D23 event.