The "Kingdom Hearts" videogame series is a collaboration between Disney and what famous gaming company?

The unique blend of Disney characters and worlds with a distinct action RPG style defines the beloved Kingdom Hearts series. This crossover phenomenon is a direct result of a major collaboration between Disney and a renowned Japanese video game developer and publisher.

That company is Square Enix, famous for its extensive catalog of role-playing games, most notably the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series. The idea for Kingdom Hearts reportedly originated from a casual conversation between Square's Shinji Hashimoto and a Disney executive, leading to the involvement of Tetsuya Nomura, a key designer from Square, who went on to direct and design the series. Square Enix (originally Square) develops and publishes the games, while Disney owns the intellectual property.

The partnership allowed for the creative integration of iconic Disney animated characters and movie settings alongside original characters and elements from Square Enix's own intellectual properties, primarily Final Fantasy. This fusion created a fresh and compelling universe where players could journey through familiar Disney locales while engaging in deep, action-oriented combat and a complex storyline characteristic of Square Enix's RPG pedigree. The enduring success of Kingdom Hearts, which has shipped over 36 million copies worldwide as of March 2022, stands as a testament to this ambitious and fruitful collaboration.