In the most recent, and last issue of, Dengeki Playstation, Kingdom Hearts III Director Tetsuya Nomura had something to say about Verum Rex and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. It comes as no surprise that comparisons have been thrown around regarding Yozora of Verum Rex and now Kingdom Hearts fame, and Noctis the protagonist of Final Fantasy XV (and Versus XIII by extension). Regardless of what fans have theorized or speculated, Nomura said this. [Thanks, MysticDistance!]
Only I know the full story behind Versus XIII and Verum Rex. However, the two are completely different and I think an unexpected development is occurring.
Aside from that remark, little else was mentioned in the interview regarding any connection between the two properties.
This speculation, or rather, theories about the two properties being intertwined began after the release of Kingdom Hearts III. Inside the game a promotional ad for Verum Rex can be found in the Toy Story segment. This cinematic shows vague parallels between both Verum Rex and the cancelled Versus XIII.
The protagonist of Verum Rex, Yozora, was recently introduced as an actual character to the Kingdom Hearts series with the release of the ReMIND DLC. Additionally, when completing Kingdom Hearts III ReMIND a cutscene plays that mirrors a shot seen in one of the first Versus XIII trailers. While it cannot be denied that Yozora bears a striking resemblance to the Prince of Lucis, as it stands these characters are not one in the same.
Earlier this year, Nomura answered questions regarding what will be coming next for the Kingdom Hearts series. This included more information about the Kingdom Hearts timeline, why Final Fantasy characters were absent from the main story, and more.
Kingdom Hearts III is available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The ReMIND DLC is now available on PS4 and Xbox One.
