Pikmin 4 now has the opportunity to continue this breadcrumb trail of storytelling that began with the first Pikmin game. From the brief glimpses of footage shown for the game, audiences have already seen that Pikmin 4 will be visiting what appears to be a garden or backyard, suggesting the game’s setting might be closer to the remnants of civilization than previous games. Since humanity’s fate has so far been left to fan theories, Pikmin 4 could finally let players take a deeper look into what happened to the humans and the left behind Earth that is free for Pikmin, Bulborb, Snagret, and more to roam.
RELATED: Pikmin 4 Should Adapt the Customization Practices of Niantic’s Bloom
Pikmin, A Nuclear Apocalypse, and 250 Million Years In The Future
While other games such as Pikmin 3 Deluxe and Hey! Pikmin exist within the franchise, they are either spin-offs or remakes, so the main body of the series consists of three main games: Pikmin, Pikmin 2, and Pikmin 3. It’s in these three games that players can carefully glean details about PNF-404 and its relationship to Earth through environmental elements, treasures, or in-game descriptions. These range from subtle nods such as tin cans or cardboard boxes unsuitable for Olimar’s size to more direct examples, with treasures referencing notable brand names like a Duracell battery or a 7-Up bottle cap.
However, in the first Pikmin, one of the ship pieces Olimar needs to collect is the Geiger Counter, though he admits he doesn’t know what it’s for despite the noise it makes. For players in the know, a Geiger counter is a tool used to detect radiation, recognized for its unmistakable clicking sound. In Pikmin, the Geiger Counter is shown to be constantly active, implying that PNF-404 has high levels of radiation everywhere. Putting two and two together has led fans to believe that humanity was wiped out via a nuclear apocalypse, with any surviving creatures adapting following the radioactive fallout.
Despite good evidence for this theory, it hasn’t been officially confirmed, but what fans have been able to work out is that PNF-404 is likely Earth over 250 million years in the future. The reasoning behind this comes from Pikmin 3 following a redesign of the planet from the first two games. The island’s geography shows a clear resemblance to real-life models of “Pangaea Proxima,” a well-known idea based on continents repeatedly breaking up and reforming under the supercontinent cycle. Add this to the increased levels of radiation and many are convinced that PNF-404 is a very distant future Earth that suffered nuclear devastation.
Pikmin 4 And Addressing Humanity’s Fate
It’s incredibly likely that Pikmin 4 will continue the Pikmin tradition of teasing out small details about the fate of planet Earth and the people who used to live on it. Though there may be some challenges that would need to be addressed, such as Pikmin 3 showing man-made elements more heavily deteriorated than earlier games compared to Pikmin 4’s trailer not reflecting this. An easy reason for this would be that Pikmin 3 is set after Pikmin 4, explaining why everything still looks in good shape, but then Pikmin 4 would need to ensure it doesn’t contradict any other games’ continuities.
Alternatively, Nintendo might not need to address these at all and instead use the latest game as a pseudo-soft reboot, especially with how long fans have been waiting for Pikmin 4. For instance, Nintendo could finally determine a solid timeline for Earth using the same storytelling techniques it has relied on thus far, such as introducing treasures like dated newspaper clippings referencing rising threats of nuclear war to locations based on doomsday shelters and bunkers. By focusing on not just adding superficial details but instead officially confirming what actually happened to PNF-404 and humanity, Pikmin 4 would become the most meaningful entry yet.
Pikmin 4 is set to release in 2023 exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
MORE: Pikmin Bloom’s Rainy ‘Leaf Hat’ Decor Could Inspire Weather Mechanics in Pikmin 4
