Splatoon is back - and it is doing something the series has never really done before. Splatoon Raiders, the single-player-focused spin-off exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, launches on July 23, 2026, and on June 30 Nintendo devoted an entire 15-minute Direct (plus a follow-up Treehouse livestream) to showing exactly how it plays.
Crash-landed on the Spirhalite Islands
You play as an Inkling or Octoling cast in the role of a mechanic, marooned on the mysterious chain of Spirhalite Islands after a crash-landing alongside Deep Cut - Frye, Shiver and Big Man. Rather than the frantic 4v4 Turf War that defines the mainline games, Raiders is built around exploration and combat across the islands, with Salmonid enemies lurking throughout. It can be tackled solo or with up to four players together, online or over local wireless.
Over 100 weapon variations and a mechanic's touch
The June 30 Direct dug into the systems: Raiders leans on a weapon upgrade system and boasts over 100 weapon variations, plus player customization options that fit the game's tinkering, scavenging fantasy. Nintendo also detailed the islands, your home base, the returning Deep Cut trio and amiibo functionality.
Speaking of which, three new amiibo - Frye, Shiver and Big Man in their Splatoon Raiders outfits - launch alongside the game on July 23. Priced at $50 digitally and $60 physically, Raiders is a lower-cost, experimental detour for the series while fans wait on a numbered follow-up, and it is one of the more intriguing first-party Switch 2 exclusives of the summer.
