Updated
Updated · Nintendo Everything · Jul 21
Nintendo Explains Splatoon Raiders Spin-Off After 11 Years, Not Splatoon 4
Updated
Updated · Nintendo Everything · Jul 21

Nintendo Explains Splatoon Raiders Spin-Off After 11 Years, Not Splatoon 4

3 articles · Updated · Nintendo Everything · Jul 21

Summary

  • Nintendo said Splatoon Raiders was built as a spin-off rather than Splatoon 4 to create a standalone single-player entry point for the series.
  • Producer Seita Inoue said 11 years of work across three main titles pushed the team to try a different gameplay approach centered on non-competitive action players can enjoy alone.
  • Director Yoshihiko Ito said the project grew from late Splatoon 3 experiments adapting Salmon Run for one player and using Switch 2 power to increase enemy counts for an "ultimate multitasker" feel.
  • Splatoon Raiders launches July 23 on Switch 2, and Nintendo said it still plans to keep developing the series' competitive gameplay—signaling Splatoon 4 remains ahead.

Insights

Is Splatoon's new direction a brilliant evolution or a betrayal of its competitive multiplayer roots?
Can a looter shooter that respects your time still offer the endless replayability that genre fans crave?
Why doesn't a premier Switch 2 launch title fully utilize the new console's most advanced features?