Wow....gettin' rather serious here.

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Square Enix and Disney's Buena Vista Games Ramp Up for Highly Anticipated Release of KINGDOM HEARTS II Video Game

Star-Studded Launch Party to Take Place at Wolfgang Puck at Pacific Design Center on March 23rd

  Celebrity Guests to Include Haley Joel Osment, Jesse McCartney, Hayden Panettiere, David Gallagher and Rachael Leigh Cook

  WHAT:   Square Enix, Inc. (Square Enix), the publisher of Square Enix(TM) interactive entertainment products in North America, and Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), will celebrate the March 28th release of the KINGDOM HEARTS II video game (PlayStation 2) in style with a kick-off party at Wolfgang Puck at Pacific Design Center.  Internationally acclaimed DJ Charles Webster will spin a hypnotic web of sounds as lucky guests get their first crack at the sequel to one of the top 10 best-selling PlayStation 2 titles of all time in North America.  In the guise of some of their favorite characters, players will explore beloved and new Disney worlds such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Lion King, Tron, Mulan and Hercules rendered in Square Enix's renowned style as they battle in real time, challenging and fast-paced action game play.

KINGDOM HEARTS II all-star ensemble voice cast includes Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, Hayden Panettiere, Brittany Snow, Jesse McCartney, Rachael Leigh Cook, Mena Suvari, Steve Burton, Ming-Na, James Woods, Zach Braff, Christopher Lee, Hedy Buress, Tara Strong and Gwendoline Yeo.

  WHEN:   Thursday, March 23, 6 to 10 pm

  WHERE:  Wolfgang Puck at Pacific Design Center
          8687 Melrose Avenue
          West Hollywood, CA 90069

  INFO:   KINGDOM HEARTS II exclusively for the PlayStation 2 will be
          available at North American retailers for a suggested retail price
          of $49.99 (USD).  Additional information can be found at
          www.kingdomhearts.com.

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Good lord . . . they ARE unplugging the stops, aren't they?! Although, who is this Jesse McCartney I hear so much of?

Man, I loved the first one. Conn and I never tire of talking about how we're looking forward to both Suiko V and Kingdom Hearts 2

Also, can anyone verify rumours of Square releasing "Final Mix" in the States? I heard it was going to be a Greatest Hits Kingdom Hearts, only with all the extras that Final Mix had.

Waitaminute! Christopher Lee?! That's soooo awesome!

I recall them throwing a similar party for Kingdom Hearts I, so it doesn't surprise me at all (although it did back then).

Final Mix as a Greatest Hit in the US? Well, KH1 has been a Greatest Hit in the US for a while now, so they'd have to do something to differentiate FM from the standard version. With that fact in mind, I could see them releasing FM for $30 rather than $20... but I have heard nothing about this, so I can't say anything for sure.

He's a pop singer and also stars in a drama(?) series called Summerland.
And if it's unclear: in KH2, he is the voice of Roxas.

Check Wikipedia if you really care.

I'm really looking forward to this.  I only wish they would put an option for you to listen to the Japanese audio track with English subtitles.  I liked the voice acting for the Japanese release version.  Hearing Donald and Goofy speak Japanese was particularly amusing.

I did, actually, check Wikipedia afterwards. I was just too lazy to edit my post