On the Nintendo Today app this morning, Nintendo uploaded a brand-new version of its mysterious “Close to You” short that reveals what many assume it was: an animated Pikmin short. The trailer is almost exactly the same as the previous version, just that it now features the colorful Pikmin we know and love in full view. It’s uncertain if the baby and mother simply cannot see the Pikmin or are unsure of what they are, but at least we don’t have to speculate about what magical forces are at play.
One possible explanation comes from the mobile game Pikmin Bloom. According to that, humans cannot see Pikmin with their naked eyes. The justification is that your phone is the gateway to discovering Pikmin in the real world, so maybe this teaser is just an elaborate ad for the overlooked mobile app. It could also be a new animated short for Nintendo’s own internal animation studio… although that seems kind of odd given that the company has a working relationship with Illumination Studios for its filmic endeavors.
In the past, Miyamoto has spoken about growing the Pikmin brand. Speaking to IGN shortly after the launch of Universal Studios Florida’s Epic Universe park, Miyamoto said, “I think Pikmin has this unique ability to have appeal across a broad range… for both younger audiences and older audiences and in Japan. And so I’m hoping that we can expand that globally.” Whether that takes the form of a movie, an animated series, or even just more games is unknown.
Whatever this short is about or meant to promote, we at least know that Pikmin is on Nintendo’s minds. I wouldn’t expect a Pikmin 5 anytime soon as Pikmin 4 released just last year. There is the potential of a “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” for the game, but you never can tell with Nintendo. Maybe all the Pikmin games are about to get Switch 2 versions with mouse controls.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
