Nintendo dropped the Splatoon Raiders release date on the Nintendo Today mobile app, revealing a release date of July 23 for the Switch 2 exclusive spin-off. And though it appears to be a single-player-only game, that isn’t the case.
Footage shows the game’s protagonist, the Mechanic, a customized Inkling or Octoling stranded on the Spirhalite Islands with Splatoon 3’s Deep Cut. The trailer also shows off gameplay similar to the PvE Salmon Run from previous titles, along with gear crafting and upgrading mechanics.
The trailer calls it a “single-player-focused” spin-off, but an official press release clarifies that Splatoon Raiders “supports the ability to join with up to three other players online or via local wireless,” which hammers home the idea that this is an expanded take on Salmon Run. The official Splatoon X account also confirmed that difficulty “evens out” depending on how many players are involved.
Players will customize loadouts and use different gadgets to “conquer raids and salvage loot,” with one of the Deep Cut members aiding you in a quadrupedal tank-like robot. Looking at the trailer, some new gadgets include an axe-like weapon and an automatic turret, while the Mechanic can also use an offensive shoulder charge.
Also releasing on July 23 are three new Splatoon Amiibos, based on the Deep Cut members Shiver, Frye, and Big Man. The trailer didn’t detail what these Amiibo figures provide in-game. Splatoon Raiders is available for pre-order, costing a lower-than-expected $50 digitally–expect a different price for its physical release, per Nintendo’s new policy on first-party games.
It may not be the PvP experience that Splatoon fans have been used to in the past decade and change, but the franchise getting its own spin-off is a sign that it’s a valuable and high-tier property for Nintendo. Splatoon Raiders is one of the only first-party Switch 2 games with a set release date, the other being Yoshi and the Mysterious Book.
