Summary
Nintendo’s daily updates via the Nintendo Today app are usually pretty mundane. One time it was just a 3D look at theSwitch 2’s HDMI cable (no, really). However, every now and again, without any sort of warning, it will use the app to reveal something like, oh, I don’t know, a brand newSplatoongame coming to Nintendo Switch 2.
That’s what it decided to use the app for today, revealing thatSplatoon Raiders, an entirely new entry in the Splatoon series, and the first, non-numbered Splatoon spin-off ever. In this new take on Splatoon, rather than facing off against each other, you will be exploring the Spirhalite Islands, going on an adventure that will require you to use your Splatoon know-how in completely new ways.
You will play the role of a mechanic and be joined by the Deep Cut trio on your exciting new adventure. Yes, that does mean Big Man will have a significant role to play in Raiders. Here’s hoping the spinoff’s release is paired witha Big Man amiibo reprint. Probably the most sought-after Splatoon amiibo to date, and one that I missed out on the first time around.
A Splatoon Spinoff, Out Of Nowhere
This Couldn’t Have Been Part Of Summer Game Fest, Nintendo?
You can check out the first trailer for Splatoon Raiders above. It shows the game’s quartet crash landing on the Spirhalite Islands after getting caught up in a storm. However, other than its name, a quick look, and its Switch 2 exclusivity, we don’t know much else about the spinoff yet. There wasn’t even a mention of when it might launch, which could point to an early 2026 release date.
The reveal of Splatoon Raiders only accounted for half of the Splatoon news Nintendo shared out of nowhere. It also revealedSplatoon 3is getting a free update, on bothSwitchand Switch 2, and that does have a date - June 12, so this Thursday. The update will include new weapons, 30 new weapon kits, and the return of Urchin Underpass, a stage that those of you who have been playing Splatoon since its inception on theWii Uwill be familiar with.
The update will also include an increase on Freshness caps, and new badges for you to earn. It’s also likely a sign that, even though there will almost certainly be a Splatoon 4 on Switch 2 eventually, the focus will be on updating Splatoon 3, for now. That and more potential spinoffs, especially if fans of the series take to Splatoon Raiders.
