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Pikmin Day Direct announcements: No Pikmin 5, but Switch 2, Bloom and animation updates
November 1, 2026Nintendo’s surprise Pikmin Day Direct did not reveal Pikmin 5. Instead, it set out a November schedule for Pikmin 4 on Switch 2, detailed Secret Caves for Pikmin Bloom and continued the Hello! Pikmin animated-short rollout.
Nintendo’s surprise Pikmin Day Direct answered the biggest question surrounding the presentation: it did not announce Pikmin 5 or another new mainline Pikmin game. Instead, Nintendo connected three existing parts of the series—a Switch 2 edition of Pikmin 4, a new Pikmin Bloom feature and an ongoing run of animated shorts.
Nintendo is designating November 1 as “Pikmin Day” starting in 2026. In the company’s Japanese-language presentation, the date was explained as a visual reference to the original red, blue and yellow Pikmin, which resemble the three numeral ones in 11/1. Nintendo’s official Japanese transcript provides that explanation, while Nintendo World Report’s coverage independently confirms that the presentation contained no new game announcement.
What Nintendo announced in the Pikmin Day Direct
The nearest console release is Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy, which launches November 12, 2026. Nintendo lists the Dandori Academy Upgrade Pack at $9.99 in the United States.
The Switch 2 edition adds microphone voice commands for Oatchi and the Dandori Academy mode. Nintendo says 72 Dandori Academy stages will be released over time, although it has not provided a complete delivery timetable. The release also supports GameShare and GameChat for Dandori Battles and includes enhanced visuals on Switch 2.
Players will be able to try the new edition before launch. According to Nintendo’s Japanese Direct transcript, a demo is scheduled for November 2 and includes the opening Sun-Speckled Terrace area and two Dandori Academy stages.
- November 1: Nintendo marks its newly designated Pikmin Day and plans to release another Hello! Pikmin short.
- November 2: The Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition demo is scheduled for release.
- November 12: The full Switch 2 edition and the $9.99 U.S. upgrade pack launch.
Pikmin Bloom gets Secret Caves in winter 2026
For mobile players, Pikmin Bloom is due to receive Secret Caves in winter 2026. Players will need Cave Maps to enter the caves and will command their Pikmin in battles against creatures. Treasures recovered during those expeditions will be recorded in a new Treasure Catalog, according to the official Pikmin Bloom announcement.
Nintendo has not provided a more precise public release date for Secret Caves. The official post also says players who play the Pikmin 4 demo or full game can earn Pikmin Bloom rewards, including a Cave Map and an Oatchi-Rider Costume.
Hello! Pikmin shorts will continue after Pikmin Day
Nintendo is also continuing its Pikmin animation rollout. The Direct highlighted Hello! Pikmin #01 Frog, produced with participation from Nintendo Pictures. Nintendo’s Japanese transcript says another short is scheduled for November 1, followed by one more during November and then one new short each month from December onward.
The schedule follows Nintendo’s earlier Pikmin animation reveal, giving the series a continuing presence beyond its games. Nintendo indicated that the shorts will appear through Nintendo Today! and other channels, but the retrieved materials do not provide a complete platform-by-platform availability list.
What the Direct means for Pikmin fans
This was a coordinated franchise update, not a new-game reveal. Fans waiting for a follow-up to Pikmin 4 received no Pikmin 5 news, but Switch 2 owners now have a demo date, a launch date and confirmed upgrade pricing. Pikmin Bloom players also have a cave-based feature planned for winter.
The November 12 release changes the Switch 2 outlook described in our earlier coverage of the Pikmin 4 free update, which reported in October 2025 that a Switch 2 boost was not then in sight. Nintendo has since announced and listed an official Switch 2 Edition and upgrade pack.
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