A few weeks ago, Nintendo released a mysterious new animated short, titled “Close to You.” Pretty quickly, fans clocked it as a potential Pikmin teaser. And sure enough, Nintendo later updated the clip to reveal that the mysterious forces moving objects were indeed Pikmin. But we still didn’t know just what that Pikmin video could be teasing, leaving many fans hopeful for a Pikmin 5 announcement. Today, Nintendo revealed some big Pikmin news, but it’s not quite what fans expected.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Rather than reveal a new title in the Pikmin franchise, Nintendo has something a bit more unexpected to unveil. The most recent installment, 2023’s Pikmin 4, is getting a free update for Nintendo Switch. The new update will be released in November, and it’s bringing a decent amount of new content for players to explore, including a tie-in with the Pikmin Bloom mobile game.
Pikmin 4 Free Update Adds New Difficulty Modes, Pikmin, And More
Along with a news post breaking down the details for the new, free Pikmin 4 update, Nintendo shared an update overview trailer. This video offers a first look at new features like the Field Camera, Decor Pikmin, and more. You can check out the update preview trailer below:
Along with a new Field Camera photo mode, the free Pikmin 4 update will add Decor Pikmin. These costumed Pikmin were first introduced in Pikmin Bloom, and are now making their way to Pikmin 4. Players will be able to track down Pikmin wearing items like wind-up toys, donuts, and more. And they can be transferred to Pikmin Bloom, offering new options for adding to your collection in the mobile game, as well.
Finally, the free Pikmin 4 update will add two new game mode options – Relaxed and Fierce. As the name suggests, the Relaxed version of the game adjusts creature activity so they won’t attack unless you do. Meanwhile, Fierce mode steps up the difficulty for players looking for more of a challenge in Pikmin 4.
The exact date for the free update hasn’t been confirmed, but it will be available sometime in November. While it’s exciting to see the beloved Pikmin game getting a free update, it might not be welcome news for everyone. Many fans hoped that the Close to You video short was teasing a Pikmin 5 announcement. But with this free update on the way for Pikmin 4, it could be that Nintendo was hyping up something a bit smaller for the franchise.
A free update to Pikmin 4 doesn’t necessarily mean we aren’t getting a new Pikmin announcement soon. In fact, it could be a ramp-up to get fans excited about the series again before a new installment. But this free update announcement does make it seem a little less likely that Pikmin 5 is what Nintendo was teasing with its animated short. At any rate, Pikmin fans can at least look forward to new free content in the most recent console release and the mobile game.
Pikmin 4 is available on the Nintendo Switch and is compatible with the Switch 2, though there isn’t an upgraded Switch 2 version of the game. There is a free demo available, with progress carried over if you decide to buy.
Are you excited about a new free update for Pikmin 4? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of 2th Century Studios -
image courtesy of 20th Century Studios -
Image via THQ Nordic
