Nintendo Solves Pikmin Short Film Mystery, Showcasing Its New Animation Studio Nintendo has finally revealed the purpose behind the two mysterious animated shorts it released earlier this week, putting an end to the speculation. The company confirmed these are the inaugural short films from Nintendo Pictures, the animation studio it acquired back in 2022, which was formerly known as Dynamo Pictures. In a post on social media platform X, Nintendo stated, We hope you enjoyed the two Close to You videos released on October 7 and 8. The company noted that the second video is available on the Nintendo Today app, a free application for smart devices. The announcement clarified that these are the first short films created by Nintendo Pictures Co., Ltd., and that the studio will continue to explore new creative possibilities through video content. This communication also suggests that, for the time being, Nintendo does not intend to release the second short film outside of its proprietary Nintendo Today app. Furthermore, it appears the films were not created to promote a new Pikmin video game, even though one is likely in development following the massive success of Pikmin 4, which quickly became the best-selling entry in the franchise. The two shorts themselves are charming pieces of animation. The first film shows a man going about his daily life, with the helpful Pikmin creatures visibly assisting him with small tasks. The clever twist comes in the second short, which presents the same scenario but with the Pikmin almost entirely invisible, offering a mundane perspective of the man seemingly performing actions on his own, with only a brief, subtle hint of a Pikmin scurrying under a crib in the background. This project marks a significant step for Nintendo Pictures. Until now, the studio has primarily functioned as a support division for Nintendo’s game development, assisting with animation, art, design, and cinematic sequences for its parent company’s titles. It has also collaborated with external studios, such as performing motion capture work for the upcoming Death Stranding 2. Nintendo’s major forays into film have so far been through partnerships, teaming up with Universal Pictures and Illumination for the Super Mario Bros. movie and a potential Donkey Kong spinoff, and with Sony Pictures for the live-action The Legend of Zelda film. However, these new Pikmin shorts serve as compelling evidence that Nintendo Pictures possesses the talent and capability to produce engaging video content primarily in-house. This move signals a potential strategic expansion as Nintendo continues to explore entertainment avenues beyond its core video game business, building its own media production prowess.
