Nintendo marks first Pikmin Day with new shorts
Nintendo held a short Pikmin Day Direct, sharing Pikmin 4 for Switch 2 details, a Pikmin Bloom update and a new series of animated shorts.
The facts
- According to The Verge, Nintendo announced that 1 November will be the first annual Pikmin Day, and Shigeru Miyamoto presented a short Pikmin Day Direct.
- Pikmin 4 on Switch 2 will let players use the built-in microphone to give voice commands to Oatchi, and will add a Dandori Academy challenge mode with leaderboards.
- Pikmin Bloom is getting a feature called Secret Caves, where players battle enemies and explore to win treasure.
- A new series of shorts, Hello! Pikmin, gets a second episode on 1 November and a third later in November, then one short a month from December.
Case notes · Danny's take
Why it matters
Nintendo is turning one of its quieter franchises into a yearly event. Short films, a mobile app and a console game all point at the same characters. That is how a company keeps a series in people's heads between big releases. Not one launch. A calendar.
For builders
Nintendo is using voice input on Switch 2, timed challenges with leaderboards and short-form video together to keep players engaged. If you build games or apps, notice how small recurring events and shareable shorts do the work that one big launch cannot.
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This story was summarised with AI from The Verge's reporting and checked against our editorial policy. Danny's take reflects his views. Disclaimer.
Danny Walter
Founder of Moon Republic, Volt Terminal and Moon Republic Academy. Author of The Market Is a Crime Scene and After the Applause.