Not the May release date that was leaked earlier this week.
During Nintendo’s latest Direct, the official release date for Pikmin 4 was finally revealed. However, it’s not the May release date that was leaked on a retailer’s website earlier this week.
Pikmin 4 is making its way to Nintendo on July 21. This real-time strategy game was confirmed in last year’s Nintendo September Direct, but that announcement only came with the general 2023 release date. Earlier this week, a Greek retailer listed the release date for the game as May 26, which caused quite the buzz. It seemed odd that a release date would be announced so close to Nintendo’s live stream, and fans wondered how accurate the release date was. As it turns out, it was off by a few months.
Speaking of things that may or may not be true, it’s rumored that Pikmin 4 has been in development since 2015. There were even rumors that the game might have been released in 2016 or 2017 after the game’s creator Shigeru Miyamoto claimed that the game was almost finished in 2015. Although, as we know now, fans would have to wait a few more years before a semblance of an official announcement made its way to the public.
In Pikmin, players take the lead as the captain of plant-like creatures called Pikmin. As one of these Pikmin’s, you explore the world and solve puzzles. Fans can assume that Pikmin 4 will be more or less similar to the previous Pikmins, though one new character was announced during Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct. This iteration will feature a new ice-type character and a strong dog friend named Oatachi. Oatachi isn’t just for show though, he can help your Pikmin pull heavy objects, crush walls, and cross water.
The game has been anticipated for quite some time. The previous entry, Pikmin 3, released a decade ago in July 2013. Along with the original game, Pikmin 3 also released a deluxe version that offered players the opportunity to experience side-story missions featuring Olimar and Louie, as well as the ability to play story mode with a friend, but it’s not quite known if the fourth game will also release with a deluxe version or not. Even without a deluxe version, with all the excitement surrounding this release and a decade of no Pikmin’s in sight, this is a release Pikmin fans won’t want to miss.
