Nintendo designates November 1 as Pikmin Day, dates Pikmin 4 Switch 2 launch

Nintendo designated November 1 as Pikmin Day during a surprise Pikmin Day Direct and set a free Pikmin 4 Switch 2 demo for November 2 ahead of the full game’s November 12 launch.

The surprise Pikmin Day Direct ran slightly over nine minutes, and Shigeru Miyamoto appeared on camera to confirm the November 12 release and introduce other Pikmin Day content. The unannounced presentation covered the Switch 2 edition of Pikmin 4, a Pikmin Bloom update, and new short films without revealing Pikmin 5. Actress Fuka Koshiba joined Miyamoto to discuss Pikmin and introduce a short film, and a new Pikmin Original Short Movie debuted during the presentation. Miyamoto promised additional shorts, and he explained that November 1 resembles three Pikmin standing together.

The free demo arrives November 2 and includes the Sun-Speckled Terrace opening area plus two Dandori Academy stages. Nintendo offered the demo ahead of the full release so players could test Dandori Academy content before November 12. Players can carry demo save data into the purchased version when it launches on November 12. Nintendo first announced the November 12 date during the September Nintendo Direct, and the Pikmin Day presentation repeated it as the full launch target.

The Switch 2 version of Pikmin 4 features improved visuals, and players can use the console’s built-in microphone to give voice commands to Oatchi, such as Rush and Go to work. Voice control lets players direct Oatchi during gameplay using the handheld’s microphone. Shacknews described the edition as delivering performance boosts and new content for the fall launch window.

Dandori Academy offers timed exams on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, plus one weekly opportunity to post a best time. The mode features three difficulty levels and a global leaderboard. IGN described weekend exams with timed tasks and medals, while Game Informer framed the mode as practice time trials followed by a single weekly attempt. Dandori Academy challenges provide an opportunity to collect cave maps by taking exams.

Pikmin Bloom, which Niantic released worldwide in October 2021, is receiving a Secret Caves update in 2026, with Miyamoto calling it substantial and IGN specifying a winter arrival window. In Secret Caves, players collect cave maps and send Pikmin into caves to battle creatures and earn rewards.

Miyamoto said Nintendo Pictures staff are making the shorts, and Pikmin shorts will arrive each month through the Nintendo Today! app and additional platforms. IGN said one new episode would arrive the day after the Direct and another would follow within November. Miyamoto promised greater visibility for the franchise going forward, saying, “going forward, I want people to know more about Pikmin.”

Players can play the full Pikmin series on both Switch and Switch 2. The franchise launched in Japan in Oct. 2001 and came to North America in December, while Pikmin 4 first launched on Switch during Jul. 2023. Pikmin 1+2 released digitally on Switch in Jun. 2023 and physically in Sep. 2023.

No announcements indicated Pikmin 1 and 2 would join Nintendo Switch Online, and the Direct did not reference Hey! Pikmin from 2017, with a Switch 2 port not expected soon. Game Informer said the omission leaves Pikmin 1 and 2 available for individual eShop purchase rather than subscription inclusion. The Switch 2 edition marks the first new main Pikmin game in ten years and will be sold physically and digitally with an upgrade pack through the Nintendo Store and eShop.

Pre-orders are available now.

Nintendo Treehouse Plays: Pikmin – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy releases on November 1 at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET. IGN viewed the holiday as evidence that Nintendo will not limit future Pikmin releases.