New Pikmin Game May Be Revealed This Year

01/09/2022 04:36 pm EST

This year is just getting started, but the Nintendo Switch already has an impressive line-up of exclusive games set to release in 2022. Many fans are already wondering what else Nintendo might reveal, and a new rumor suggests that the company has big plans for Pikmin. Leak group @LeakyPandy on Twitter claims that it has heard about a new series entry in development at Next Level Games, the team behind Luigi's Mansion 3. As with any Switch rumor, readers are advised to take this with a grain of salt until we receive official confirmation about the game from Nintendo. 

The original Tweet from @LeakyPandy can be found embedded below.

Pikmin has never been a huge seller for Nintendo, but the series maintains a healthy and passionate following. The original Pikmin released on the GameCube just a few weeks after the system's launch. The main series has seen two direct sequels, and Pikmin 3 was ported to Nintendo Switch following strong fan demand. Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto claimed that a fourth game in the series was in development many years ago, but Nintendo has not talked about the game in quite some time. However, the Pikmin franchise clearly remains a priority for the company; last year saw the release of Pikmin Bloom on mobile devices, and the Pikmin characters have appeared at Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.

If true, Next Level Games would make a lot of sense for the new game! After all, the studio has found a lot of success revitalizing another GameCube franchise with Luigi's Mansion. Nintendo purchased Next Level Games last year, but there has been no announcement regarding the studio's next project. The team's last three games all released within three years of one another; Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon in 2013, Metroid Prime: Federation Force in 2016, and Luigi's Mansion 3 in 2019. If that trend continues, we might not see their next game released until 2023. Hopefully, Nintendo will make some kind of announcement before then!

Are you a fan of the Pikmin series? Would you like to see a new game on Nintendo Switch? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!

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