A wind of adventure blows over the Splatoon license... Nintendo continues to surprise with the announcement of Splatoon Raiders, a brand-new video game developed in-house and published by the Japanese giant. It's the first-ever spin-off from the popular Splatoon multiplayer franchise.
Designed exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2, this title currently has neither an official release date nor in-depth technical details, but a first trailer already gives a glimpse of its island universe. The game will not be a direct sequel to Splatoon 3, but will offer a completely new adventure on the bangs of the trilogy.
"Set out to explore the mysterious Spirhalite archipelago as a mechanic alongside the Tridenfer in Splatoon Raiders, Splatoon's very first spin-off, which will be arriving exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2."
In terms of gameplay, Splatoon Raiders invites you to embody a mechanic on an expedition to the mysterious archipelago of Spirhalite. You'll be reunited with the Tridenfer characters - Pasquale, Angie and Raimi - introduced in Splatoon 3, as well as an as-yet-unknown protagonist. Nintendo remains tight-lipped about gameplay, but it could well be that the manufacturer has chosen to take a completely different turn, moving, in all likelihood, towards exploration and narrative adventure, in contrast to the series' classic multiplayer confrontations. The mention of a "mechanic" also hints at potential repair or construction mechanics in a tropical environment.
This new episode is aimed above all at Splatoon fans, eager to plunge into a universe enriched with characters and narration. Players who enjoyed the Tridenfer in the third opus should welcome their return in this seaside spin-off. But Splatoon Raiders could also appeal to a wider audience, including fans of exotic adventures and calmer, exploration- or RPG-oriented gameplay mechanics.
The visual novelties promised by Switch 2 will undoubtedly be a strong argument. If the first images are anything to go by, Nintendo is banking on a colorful, fluid style, taking advantage of the improved graphics capabilities of its new console. Although no gameplay demonstrations have yet been shown, Splatoon Raiders could well mark a stylistic and narrative turning point for the license.
The announcement of Splatoon Raiders does not overshadow Splatoon 3, which continues to evolve. On June 12, a major update in version 10.0.0 enriched the game with 30 new weapon sets, additional badges and a new statistic called"Arsenal Power", which now influences matchmaking. Also noteworthy is the return of the Passage Turbot stage from the very first game.
This update also marks Splatoon 3 's extended compatibility with Switch 2, offering improved visual performance and a cross-play mode between the two console generations. Even if Splatoon 4 isn't on the horizon just yet, the franchise is showing that it still has plenty of territory to explore.
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