Nintendo seems like it’s trying to bring every franchise it can muster to the Switch right now. In the last few years, Nintendo fans have seen the company stage unexpected revivals of nostalgic franchises, includingMetroid,Mario Strikers,and evenWii Sportsby way ofNintendo Switch Sports.In spite of all that, though, there’s one Nintendo franchise that still has a somewhat complicated relationship with the Switch:Pikmin.Fans have been waiting forPikmin 4for more than seven years now, and yet Nintendo still hasn’t released the game. That’s in spite of repeated assurances thatPikmin 4is in development and doing well.
It’s really a shame thatPikmin 4hasn’t shown its face yet; the adorable puzzle strategy franchise is arguably one of Nintendo’s unique IPs, thanks to the titular plant-like Pikmin and the various challenges players have to overcome with the help of Pikmin. Nevertheless, sinceNintendo hasn’t publicly canceledPikmin 4, one can only assume that the game is still in the works for the Switch. If that’s the case, thenPikmin 4may thrive in the Switch’s late years. The console will apparently stick around for a few more years, so Nintendo still has time to releasePikmin 4as a core Switch game.
RELATED:Pikmin 4 Should Adapt the Customization Practices of Niantic’s Bloom
Pikmin 4’s Eventual Release
The more content Nintendo reveals for 2022, the less likely it seems thatPikmin 4will get a surprise release this year. The first half of 2022 is stacked so far thanks toKirby and the Forgotten Land, Mario Strikers: Battle League,andNintendo Switch Sports.Later in the year, Switch users haveBayonetta 3, Splatoon 3,andThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2to look forward to, alongsiderumors of a newFire Emblemgame. With all these exciting games on their way,Pikmin 4might struggle to get a word in edgewise if it tries to debut in 2022.
Thankfully,the Switch will remain Nintendo’s flagship consolefor a little while yet, which meansPikmin 4can wait to release until 2023 or so. 2022 looks like an exciting year for Nintendo fans, but the company still needs to hang on to a few new games to extend the Switch’s lifespan. Releasing every game possible in 2022 could create a drought of Nintendo exclusives in the Switch’s final years. That’s whyPikmin 4’s long journey through development might ultimately be a good thing. By waiting its turn,Pikmin 4can be a cherry on top of the Switch’s library as support for the console starts to wind down.
RELATED:Pikmin 4 on Switch Feels More Likely After Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Pikmin’s Place on the Switch
Odds do seem good thatPikmin 4will release for the Switch, rather than remaining unseen until another Nintendo console rolls around.Pikmin 4may be elusive, but thePikminfranchise as a whole is actually doing well right now.Pikmin 3 Deluxe,an enhanced Switch port of the franchise’s Wii U installation, has becomethe best-sellingPikmingame to date.Pikmin Bloomhas also given the franchise a presence on mobile. Thanks to these games, there’s a good appetite for a new mainlinePikmininstallation right now, soPikmin 4would be very valuable to the Switch.
Pikmin 4certainly occupies a strange place in the Nintendo library right now. Years ago, Shigeru Miyamoto assured fans thatPikmin 4was going smoothly, but since then, Nintendo hasn’t addressed the game. Nintendo’s otherPikmingames don’t give off the impression that the company has given up on the franchise, so development is probably just taking longer than expected.Pikmin 4probably isn’t destined for a 2022 release, but the game has good reason to release on the Switch sometime soon.
