Nintendo has announced through a surprise Pikmin Day Direct broadcast that November 1st will now be celebrated annually as the official "Pikmin Day." Hosted by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the presentation focused on updates for existing titles in the beloved strategy franchise, new hardware features, and a brand-new animation project, rather than revealing a completely new game.
The standout announcement of the event was the Pikmin 4 - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, which is scheduled to launch on November 12. This next-generation version introduces a comprehensive "Dandori Academy" mode, consisting of 72 different challenge stages designed to test players' organizational skills. Additionally, players will be able to issue direct voice commands, such as "Go to work," to the space dog Oatchi using the Switch 2's built-in microphone. A free demo, with progress carrying over to the full game, became available to players on November 2.
On the mobile front, a major winter update was announced for Pikmin Bloom, the augmented reality game developed by Niantic. Titled "Secret Caves," this upcoming content will allow players to send their Pikmin on treasure hunts and into battles against creatures. Furthermore, a new series of short animated films called "Hello! Pikmin," produced in collaboration with Nintendo Pictures, was also revealed. The first episode debuted during the event, and it was announced that a new short film will be released every month starting in December.