Nintendo has officially revealed that its recently released Close To You video is, in fact, a new Pikmin animated short. The confirmation arrived through the Nintendo Today app, where the company published an updated version of the video featuring additional Pikmin not visible in the original release. The short, which depicts a baby and several Pikmin engaged in a playful struggle over a pacifier, marks the latest creative expansion of the beloved franchise outside the mainline games.
The original Close To You video, released yesterday without any accompanying description or branding, immediately drew attention across social media for its peculiar yet charming premise. Fans quickly speculated that the mysterious short might be tied to Pikmin after noticing subtle visual and musical cues, including what appeared to be a red Pikmin hidden in one of the frames and background music reminiscent of Pikmin 4. The latest version of the short now makes the connection explicit, showcasing several Pikmin interacting directly with the baby in a lighthearted and endearing sequence.
The confirmation validates fan theories that emerged after the short first appeared online. User Necrolipe shared the updated video on Twitter. This revision suggests that Nintendo may have intentionally teased fans with the initial, less complete version to generate curiosity and discussion ahead of the official reveal.
Nintendo’s acknowledgment of Close To You as a Pikmin project further strengthens its ongoing strategy to highlight the series as one of its core properties. Earlier this year, during a financial results briefing, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa listed Pikmin alongside The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. as one of the company’s key franchises. This elevation in status reflects Nintendo’s renewed interest in broadening Pikmin’s appeal across different media formats, following the success of Pikmin 4 and the Pikmin Bloom mobile title.
At present, Nintendo has not confirmed whether Close To You will lead to additional shorts or a larger animated project. However, the company’s decision to release a fully produced, standalone animation focused on Pikmin suggests a continuing effort to explore the series’ storytelling potential. For fans, the short serves as both a delightful surprise and a hopeful sign of more creative endeavors to come from Nintendo’s growing library of animated content.
