Pikmin 4 is in development and "very close to completion", Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has exclusively confirmed to Eurogamer.
Speaking during an interview held back in July, Nintendo's top designer revealed that work on a fourth major Pikmin game was well underway.
"It's actually very close to completion," Miyamoto said. "Pikmin teams are always working on the next one."
Nintendo then confirmed the news to Eurogamer in a separate statement:
"We can confirm that Pikmin 4 is in development but that is all we can confirm at present."
The last title in the garden strategy series, Pikmin 3, launched for Wii U back in 2013.
Miyamoto did not specify the platform that Pikmin 4 would launch on, but word that the game is close to completion suggests a launch is possible on the company's current hardware.
Nintendo's next platform, the mysterious NX console, is currently in development but is not due to be detailed until some point in 2016. There's no word yet on if it will also launch next year too.
A mix of time-management and strategy tactics, Nintendo's Pikmin series sees you lead an army of tiny creatures as you attempt to survive on a mysterious planet.
The original Pikmin and its sequel released three years apart, both for GameCube. Fans then had to endure a long nine year wait for Pikmin 3.
During that wait, Nintendo re-released the two original titles for Wii with added motion controls. Series hero Captain Olimar also joined the all-star cast of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and later reappeared in Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U.
The first Pikmin game saw you race against time to repair your spaceship. Its sequel strengthened the formula by adding procedurally-generated dungeon caves and fresh Pikmin species.
Pikmin 3 landed somewhere nearer the first in terms of its gameplay, although now with stylish HD visuals. However, some criticised how older Pikmin types had been side-lined.
Eurogamer has much more from our time with Shigeru Miyamoto, including his thoughts on
when we'll see a Super Mario Galaxy 3 and a video walkthrough of
how Nintendo crafted Mario's most iconic level.
