Splatoon Raiders
Splatoon Raiders trades the multiplayer spotlight for treasure hunting, Deep Cut, and the mysterious Spirhalite Islands.
Why This One Is on My Radar
Splatoon Raiders is on my radar because it looks like Nintendo is finally letting Splatoon stretch outside its usual competitive multiplayer comfort zone.
I love that Splatoon has always had a style and identity that feels unmistakably Nintendo, but the series has also built most of its reputation around online battles, Splatfests, ranked modes, and Salmon Run. That stuff is great, but there has always been more world hiding around the edges. The music, fashion, idols, weird sea-life lore, and post-human setting all feel like they could support more than another round of Turf War.
That is what makes Splatoon Raiders interesting. It as a single-player-focused adventure where players work with Deep Cut and explore the mysterious Spirhalite Islands while raiding for treasure, fighting Salmonids, customizing gear, and using ink-based weapons and mechanical gadgets. It still looks like Splatoon, but the structure sounds different enough to make this feel like more than a side mode wearing a new title.
The Short Version
Splatoon Raiders releases for Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026. Nintendo describes it as a single-player-focused adventure starring a mechanic who works with Deep Cut, the trio of swashbuckling musicians from Splatoon 3, while exploring the Spirhalite Islands in search of treasure.
This is exciting to me because Splatoon has always had more personality than most shooters. The world feels loud, strange, stylish, and weirdly lived-in, so a treasure-hunting adventure could give Nintendo a chance to make that setting significant in a different way.
The big question is whether Splatoon Raiders can feel like a true adventure rather than a collection of missions built around familiar mechanics. If Nintendo can make exploration, gear upgrades, co-op, and Salmonid encounters feel meaningful, this could be the kind of spinoff that broadens what Splatoon can be.
Quick Details
Game file size: Estimated 20 GB
No. of players: Local 1, local wireless 2–4, online 2–4
System: Nintendo Switch 2
Release Date: July 23, 2026
ESRB rating: E 10+
What Kind of Game Is This?
Splatoon Raiders is an action-shooter adventure built around treasure hunting, ink-splattering weapons, mechanical gadgets, and waves of Salmonid enemies. Players take on the role of a mechanic working with Deep Cut, then venture into the Spirhalite Islands to raid for treasure, upgrade gear, and head back out for more.
In other words, this is not just traditional Splatoon multiplayer with a new coat of paint. It is a single-player-focused spinoff that appears to use Splatoon’s movement, combat, enemies, and style in a more adventure-driven structure.
Splatoon has always had strong worldbuilding, even when the main appeal was competitive multiplayer. Raiders looks like Nintendo is giving that world more room to breathe by letting players spend time with Deep Cut, explore a new island setting, and chase upgrades outside the usual lobby-to-match loop.
Why It Matters
Splatoon Raiders matters because Splatoon is one of Nintendo’s rare modern franchises that already feels fully formed, but still has room to grow in unexpected directions. The core series proved Nintendo could make a shooter that felt colorful, approachable, stylish, and deeply competitive without copying what every other shooter was doing.
A spinoff like this gives Nintendo a chance to ask a different question: can Splatoon work as an adventure series, not just a multiplayer phenomenon? The world of Splatoon is arguably too interesting to stay locked inside rotating maps and online events forever.
For Switch 2, this also gives Nintendo a colorful, personality-heavy exclusive that is not simply another sequel. If Splatoon Raiders works, it could make the franchise feel bigger without replacing what fans already love about the mainline games.
My Player Notes
What I’m excited about
I’m excited that Splatoon Raiders seems interested in the world of Splatoon, not just the competitive structure around it. Deep Cut, treasure hunting, Salmonids, gadgets, and the Spirhalite Islands all sound like the kind of ingredients that could make the series feel fresh.
What I’m cautious about
Splatoon’s mechanics are already so tightly tied to multiplayer flow. Turning that into a satisfying adventure sounds promising, but it needs enough depth, variety, and progression to feel like a full game rather than an expanded side mode.
What I want to know next
How much exploration is actually here. The treasure-hunting setup sounds fun, but the big thing I’m watching is whether the islands feel like places to discover.
What would make this work
This works if the game gives players a strong loop: explore, fight, collect treasure, upgrade gear, and return with a better sense of what Deep Cut and this world are really about. If the upgrades feel meaningful and the missions stay varied, Splatoon Raiders could become a surprisingly strong Switch 2 exclusive.
What could hold it back
What could hold it back is repetition. If the raids feel too similar, or if the adventure structure does not add much beyond familiar Salmonid fights and gear upgrades, this could feel like a good idea that needed a little more ink in the tank.
Who I'd Recommend This To
Splatoon Raiders is worth keeping on your radar if you like the style, humor, and world of Splatoon, but want something different from the usual competitive multiplayer routine. It looks especially promising for players who enjoy action games with co-op options, gear upgrades, colorful combat, and a weird Nintendo setting that does not take itself too seriously.
This also looks like a good fit for players who bounced off the pressure of online Splatoon but still liked the art direction, music, characters, and movement. A single-player-focused adventure could make the series feel more approachable without losing its energy.
I would be more cautious if you only care about traditional Turf War or ranked multiplayer. Splatoon Raiders appears to be doing something different, and that is exactly why it is interesting, but it also means players should not expect this to replace a mainline Splatoon game.
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