Nintendo confirmed during a Splatoon Raiders Direct presentation that Splatoon Raiders will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026.
The new single-player-focused action shooter expands the Splatoon universe with a treasure-hunting premise that pairs sandbox-style raids with a variety of weapons, gadgets and customization options.
Premise and playable role
Nintendo described the player character as a mechanic who teams up with Deep Cut — the Splatoon trio Shiver, Frye and Big Man — to explore the Spirhalite Islands in search of treasure.
The presentation explained players will kit out their mechanic with ink-spraying weapons and mechanical gadgets, operate an Exploration Bot with a Deep Cut member aboard, and return to a hideout ship to upgrade gear between excursions.
Core gameplay systems
- Treasure hunting: The Spirhalite Islands contain varied biomes, Spirhalite crystals to mine, enemy dens and underground dungeons.
Some areas restrict equipment, adding tactical variety.
- Enemies: Salmonids are the primary foes.
Nintendo outlined three tiers: Lesser Salmonids that attack in swarms, Boss Salmonids that drop Mega Power Eggs when defeated, and Seasoned Salmonids — tougher variants with enhanced capabilities.
- Weapons: Weapons use refillable ink tanks.
Nintendo said there are more than 100 weapon variations to discover, including rare weapons with special powers; Salmonids can drop weapons as loot.
- Tanks and gadgets: Players equip one of three tank types — Speed, Power and Tactical — each with unique gadget loadouts.
Examples shown include the Blast Boot, Booyarang and Dash Bomb for Speed; Splatchet, Splatellites and Spinwheel for Power; and deployables like Shot Pot, Bombloons and the Tether Wail for Tactical play.
Customization and progression
Players collect gadget parts during raids to upgrade and modify gadgets for damage, duration and special effects.
Shiver, Frye and Big Man each support different upgrade systems in the hideout (Gadget Workshop, Weapon Stash and cataloging respectively).
Tanks gain persistent upgrades and can increase gadget capacity the more they are used.
Nintendo confirmed that weapons and salvage found during raids are kept even if a player is defeated.
Additional features and launch tie-ins
Splatoon Raiders supports solo play and co-op for up to four players online or via local wireless.
Difficulty options include Tourist, Raider and Survivalist.
The game includes outfit rewards, amiibo compatibility for unique costumes (amiibo sold separately), and new Splatoon Raiders-themed Joy-Con colors launching the same day as the game.
Nintendo also noted a related Splatfest event in Splatoon 3 running July 10–12, 2026, and promoted Deep Cut’s Island Misadventures comics on the Nintendo Today app.
For official details and updates, Nintendo directs players to the Splatoon site and the original Splatoon Raiders Direct presentation.
The new single-player-focused action shooter expands the Splatoon universe with a treasure-hunting premise that pairs sandbox-style raids with a variety of weapons, gadgets and customization options.
Premise and playable role
Nintendo described the player character as a mechanic who teams up with Deep Cut — the Splatoon trio Shiver, Frye and Big Man — to explore the Spirhalite Islands in search of treasure.
The presentation explained players will kit out their mechanic with ink-spraying weapons and mechanical gadgets, operate an Exploration Bot with a Deep Cut member aboard, and return to a hideout ship to upgrade gear between excursions.
Core gameplay systems
- Treasure hunting: The Spirhalite Islands contain varied biomes, Spirhalite crystals to mine, enemy dens and underground dungeons.
Some areas restrict equipment, adding tactical variety.
- Enemies: Salmonids are the primary foes.
Nintendo outlined three tiers: Lesser Salmonids that attack in swarms, Boss Salmonids that drop Mega Power Eggs when defeated, and Seasoned Salmonids — tougher variants with enhanced capabilities.
- Weapons: Weapons use refillable ink tanks.
Nintendo said there are more than 100 weapon variations to discover, including rare weapons with special powers; Salmonids can drop weapons as loot.
- Tanks and gadgets: Players equip one of three tank types — Speed, Power and Tactical — each with unique gadget loadouts.
Examples shown include the Blast Boot, Booyarang and Dash Bomb for Speed; Splatchet, Splatellites and Spinwheel for Power; and deployables like Shot Pot, Bombloons and the Tether Wail for Tactical play.
Customization and progression
Players collect gadget parts during raids to upgrade and modify gadgets for damage, duration and special effects.
Shiver, Frye and Big Man each support different upgrade systems in the hideout (Gadget Workshop, Weapon Stash and cataloging respectively).
Tanks gain persistent upgrades and can increase gadget capacity the more they are used.
Nintendo confirmed that weapons and salvage found during raids are kept even if a player is defeated.
Additional features and launch tie-ins
Splatoon Raiders supports solo play and co-op for up to four players online or via local wireless.
Difficulty options include Tourist, Raider and Survivalist.
The game includes outfit rewards, amiibo compatibility for unique costumes (amiibo sold separately), and new Splatoon Raiders-themed Joy-Con colors launching the same day as the game.
Nintendo also noted a related Splatfest event in Splatoon 3 running July 10–12, 2026, and promoted Deep Cut’s Island Misadventures comics on the Nintendo Today app.
For official details and updates, Nintendo directs players to the Splatoon site and the original Splatoon Raiders Direct presentation.
