Here’s the latest on the upcoming multiplayer shooter: Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 is coming in 2022. Here are all of the details.

Set in a new, desolate wasteland, the objective of Splatoon 3 remains the same: ink everything in sight. But what else is new in this threequel to one of the greatest multiplayer games on the Switch? Here's everything we know about Splatoon 3 so far.

What is Splatoon 3?

Splatoon 3 is the threequel to one of the best multiplayer games on the Switch and is a shooter, as well as the third entry in the Splatoon series. Debuting on the Wii U in 2015, Splatoon is a unique team-based shooter where the objective isn't to defeat your opponents but to cover the playing field in your team's ink. The team with the most area covered in their team's goop wins.

Players take control of an Inkling, who is part squid and part kid and can transform on the fly. Players can use various paint-based attacks and weapons to cover the surface area and use their squid abilities to swim through their ink at high speeds.

What is an Inkling? What is an Octoling? Who is your Little Buddy?

Inklings are part-squid, part-human, and overall, pretty cool. They can easily alternate between squid and human form and don't really seem to have bones. They also have their own culture and language, and their sworn enemies are the Octarians.

Octolings were introduced in Splatoon 2. Sporting suckers just like an octopus, the Octolings were once brainwashed fighters for the Octarian military but have since been freed. Many of them joined Inkling society, hoping to start anew.

Your Little Buddy, introduced in Spaltoon 3, is a juvenile Salmonid called a Smallfry. While the species is normally dangerous, this one seems to have developed a bond with its Inkling owner.

How many players can play Splatoon 3?

Just like the previous games in the series, Splatoon 3 will feature fast-paced team battles with up to eight players. In Splatoon 2, a co-op mode called Salmon Run was introduced and in Splatoon 3 there will be an updated version of that called Salmon Run Next Wave.

Can I customize my character?

Yes, Splatoon and Splatoon 2 are both known for their sense of style, and both of them were full of customization options, so we can expect Splatoon 3 to follow suit. The teaser trailer shows the player customizing their Inkling with various hairstyles, outfits, and skin tones. You can even customize your Little Buddy's haircut.

There are also many different weapons to suit all kinds of playstyles. In the teaser, we got a look at a new bow and arrow weapon called a Stringer. We're sure to get a closer look at all the customization options at a later date.

In the single-player campaign, players can don the Hero Suit. It seems that the Hero Suit has two different forms, potentially hinting at different locales with different fashion needs.

Where does Splatoon 3 take place?

In the reveal trailer, the player starts in the sun-scorched Splatlands. While dry and arid, the world is not abandoned. A short train ride brings the player to Splatsville, a brand-new city inhabited by battled hardened Inklings and Octolings. While we don't see much else of the city, previous Splatoon games used the city as their hub world, and there were many different stores for players to shop at.

Where are the idols?

Each Splatoon game had a group of hosts that welcomed players to the game, detailing the levels on rotation and updating players on any Splatfest. Pearl and Marina were the stars of Splatoon 2 while Callie and Marie hosted Splatoon 1, but what about Splatoon 3? We're sure a new duo of stylish squids will make their debut in Splatoon 3.

For now, the September 2021 Nintendo Direct showed Callie and Marie playing a part in the game's single-player campaign as part of the new Squidbeak Splatoon, who are on a mission to defeat the Octarian army. The Octarian army is still going strong, but this time, they have a strange brown fur, Fuzzy Ink, covering their body. Callie and Marie's code names are Agents 1 and 2 respectively, and they seem to have a new captain who looks eerily like Agent 3 from the first Splatoon game.

Captain Cuttlefish is also making a comeback as part of the Squidbeak Splatoon, though we're not sure in what capacity. It's great to see him as spritely as ever, and we can't wait to see what sage advice he can offer the player.

Is Splatoon 3 single player?

This time around, the single-player campaign will take place in neither the Splatlands nor Splatsville, but in a new mysterious area called Alterna. The previous Agent 3 from Splatoon 1 has retired, and you are to take her place as the new Agent 3.

The aforementioned Fuzzy Ink has plagued the landscape. Should a player come into contact with it, brown fur will sprout all over their body, and they'll be rendered incapable of movement. Funnily enough, your Little Buddy seems to be unfazed by the new type of ink, even eating it! It looks like you're going to need your Little Buddy to help you escape some hairy situations.

What multiplayer stages are there?

It wouldn't be a new Splatoon game without fresh new content. Nintendo has unveiled some new stages in their Squid Research labs. Here are the ones we know about so far:

Eeltail Alley

One of the older neighborhoods found in Splatsville, Eeltail Alley became a popular location for Turf Wars after younger Inklings and Octolings began to hang out there more.

Museum d'Alfonsino

The Museum d'Alfonisno has the advantage of being a central point in the public transport system that makes it easy for Inklings and Octolings to meet up for a good ol' Turf War. The museum features many artifacts from indigenous artifacts to modern art. Who knows what we'll see there?

Scorch Gorge

This was the stage we got to see in the initial game reveal, sporting a desolate, desert-like landscape. There are towering stone pillars to be seen among dilapidated buildings, and the area has been turned into a national park.

Are there any new weapons?

We already know about the Stringer and Gatling Gun weapons featured in the announcement trailer among other new variants of the Roller, Splattershot, and Bucket. However, there are a few brand-new special weapons. Special weapons become available after your Special Gauge is filled through inking turf, and can turn the tides of a battle.

Here are the special weapons we've seen thus far:

Crab Tank

Mech lovers, rejoice! The Crab Tank allows players to pilot an adorable crab-like robot. It features a powerful cannon as well as a rapid-fire gun, and players can move around by curling up in a ball — similar to the Bubbler special weapon in Splatoon 2.

Big Bubbler

The Big Bubbler looks very similar to the Ink Storm from Splatoon 2, and can be deployed to a fixed position. A hovering device launches into the air and forms a big bubble of the team's own ink, offering refuge to players trying not to get splatted by the enemy.

Zipcaster

This ninja-inspired getup is called the Zipcaster, which is a special weapon that allows players to move forward quickly and stick to walls. It's great for getting around quickly and has the added benefit of making you indiscernible to other players. You'll even be warped back to where you started using the special weapon, so the enemy team will find it harder to identify you!

Trizooka

The Trizooka is a modified version of the Inkstrike from Splatoon, and fires three missiles instead of one. It can be fired a total of three times, giving you a chance to fire off nine powerful missiles to thwart the enemy team.

Killer Wail 5.1

A modification of the weapon of the same name in Splatoon, the Killer Wail 5.1 unleashes six megaphones that move on their own, attacking any enemies in sight with a powerful blast.

Salmon Run Next Wave

During the February 2022 Nintendo Direct, we got to see gameplay for Salmon Run Next Wave multiplayer co-op mode. Salmon of every shape and size breach the shores and attempt to overtake your territory. You'll need to fight off everything from grunts to bosses in order to keep your turf safe. As part of this, players must gather eggs and place them in baskets. Additionally, weapons change each time there's a new wave of enemies, giving you more of a challenge. It looks like complete and utter Salmon chaos.

How much will Splatoon 3 cost?

If the preorders on various websites are anything to judge by, it's safe to say that Splatoon 3 will launch at $60.

When does Splatoon 3 release?

Nintendo showcased a release date trailer in April of 2022, confirming that Splatoon 3 will release on the Nintendo Switch on September 9, 2022.

More ink, soon

Nintendo gave us a glimpse of the Nintendo Switch's future with the surprise reveal of Splatoon 3 during its February and September 2021 Nintendo Direct presentations. It's so exciting that this fun multiplayer title will have a third installment soon. We'll be sure to keep this page updated with the latest information.

Updated April 2022: With new information about the Hero Suit, multiplayer stages, special weapons, and the game's release date.

Get inked

Splatoon 3

$60 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy $60 at Walmart

The kids, the squids, and the... Mammalians?

Fans of Nintendo's thrilling take on the third-person shooter can preorder the game today. It's everything you love about Splatoon — inking turf to win Turf Wars, customizing your Inkling in fresh gear, and tons of diverse weapons — now with all-new content.