At 4:00 PM yesterday, Nintendo broadcast a fifteen-minute Direct dedicated to Splatoon Raiders, the single-player spin-off coming to Nintendo Switch 2. This is the first attempt at this multiplayer IP to be entirely single-player, following the campaign modes of the first three Splatoon games. You play as a mechanic who teams up with the Deep Cut trio (Shiver, Frye, and Big Man) to explore the Spirhalite Islands in search of treasure, accompanied by an Exploration Bot capable of locating resources and providing support during raids.
The combat system revolves around three types of tanks (Speed, Power and Tactical) combined with ink weapons and mechanical gadgets, all of which are highly customizable and upgradeable. The main enemies are the Salmonids already known from the Salmon Run mode of Splatoon 3, even more menacing here: the Lesser Salmonids attack in hordes capable of overwhelming the careless player, and the waves shown during subsequent gameplay at the Treehouse seem to have increased the challenge level, so Nintendo has reiterated its intention to offer a greater challenge compared to the main series entries. As a corollary, a deep customization system that includes tank upgrades, gadget abilities, and further expansions of the naval headquarters.
On the cooperative front, the dedicated Direct presented the Go Help system, which essentially allows you to send a request for help, and up to three players can join together via online or local wireless with scalable difficulty. The mechanics are reminiscent of the flare of Monster Hunter (with the difference that here the call occurs from the menu rather than in-game), with two possible outcomes, losing all the loot of the session in case of failure, while there are specific rewards for the helper in case of success. Splatoon Raiders will be available from July 23, 2026, while the trio of Deep Cut amiibo in Raiders versions and the new blue and light yellow Joy-Con 2 will follow in conjunction with the launch. Below is the presentation trailer: