Nintendo just dropped a new Direct detailing Splatoon Raiders, and it looks like a total blast. If you missed the broadcast, you can watch the full Nintendo Direct presentation right now.
Instead of the usual turf wars, this time we are getting a single-player-focused, action-packed shooter where you play as a mechanic teaming up with everyone’s favorite swashbuckling musicians, Deep Cut (Shiver, Frye, and Big Man!). Together, you’ll be raiding the mysterious Spirhalite Islands in search of epic loot.
Between full character customization, a massive arsenal of ink-splattering weapons, and waves of angry Salmonids, there is a lot to unpack. Here is my breakdown of today’s biggest announcements:
Treasure Hunting on the Spirhalite Islands
The new setting looks incredibly varied. You’ll be exploring everything from minable Spirhalite crystal fields and dangerous Salmonid dens to gear-restricted facilities and deep underground dungeons.
To help you sniff out the best loot, a member of Deep Cut will actually accompany you in a powerful Exploration Bot. When you aren’t planet-side raiding, you’ll be gearing up aboard your very own hideout ship.
The Salmonid Menace is Back (and Salty)
To get to the treasure, you have to get through the locals. The Salmonids are lurking everywhere, and they’ve brought some new variations:
- Lesser Salmonids: Individually weak, but they will swarming-horde you if you let your guard down.
- Boss Salmonids: The heavy hitters. Defeating them rewards you with a Mega Power Egg, which powers up your Exploration Bot.
- Seasoned Salmonids: The peak of Salmonid evolution. They’re essentially Boss Salmonids but covered in literal salt—and apparently, the saltier they are, the tougher they fight!
Deep Progression & Customization
The loop here looks incredibly satisfying. You will collect gadget parts during your excursions to upgrade things like damage, fire rate, or add status effects like knockback gas.
Even better, the Deep Cut crew acts as your base-building team: Shiver runs the Gadget Workshop, Frye handles weapon upgrades and salvaging, and Big Man catalogs your info. You’ll level up by defeating enemies, and you keep your loot and salvage even if you run out of health during a raid. You can then use those spoils at the Mechanic’s Shack to upgrade base stats like HP and unlock a third gadget slot for your tanks.
Multiplayer, Difficulty, and Extras
- Co-op & Calls for Help: While it’s built to be an amazing solo experience, you can team up with up to three friends online or via local wireless. If you’re playing solo and hit a wall, you can even cast a “Call for Help” to summon an online player for temporary assistance.
- Difficulty Tiers: You can swap between three difficulties anytime from your ship: Tourist (casual), Raider (normal), and Survivalist (hardcore). The loot stays the same, but the enemies get way meaner.
- Fresh Fits & amiibo: Dressing up is half the fun. You can unlock outfits via island challenges, standard Splatoon amiibo, or the brand-new Splatoon Raiders amiibo line.
- Salmonid Relics: Hidden collectibles scattered across the islands that harbor strange, unexplained powers.
Splatoon Raiders officially launches on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23.
To hold us over, Nintendo has a ton of tie-in content lined up:
- July 10–12: A massive crossover Splatfest is hitting Splatoon 3 starting at 5 p.m. PT.
- Daily Comics: You can read Deep Cut’s Island Misadventures exclusively on the Nintendo Today! mobile app to see the prequel story.
- New Hardware: Custom Deep Cut-inspired Joy-Con 2 controllers will drop on launch day alongside the game.
What tank type are you guys planning to main first? Personally, I’m eyeing that Tactical Tank setup. Let me know in the comments!