Why the Switch 2's Rumored Specs Could Be a Good Omen for…

The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally arriving after years of rampant speculation. Officially revealed this past month, the Nintendo Switch 2 looks to build on the massive success that the previous Nintendo Switch achieved.

Among several talking points regarding the Switch 2, one major discussion has come in the form of the console’s updated hardware. Naturally, the Switch 2 is going to be more powerful than its predecessor. If it’s true that Nintendo’s new platform will be substantially more powerful, this will be a huge benefit to one of Nintendo’s newest—and most popular—franchises: Splatoon.

Screenshot from Splatoon 3's Side Order DLC, featuring Pearl and Marina from Off the Hook (Splatoon 2), as well as the player character

Splatoon 4 Needs to Break a Pattern of the Franchise's Post-Launch Life

Splatoon 4 seems more and more plausible as Nintendo teases its next console, and if it appears, it needs to reassess a big part of Splatoon.

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By Amber Warnock-Estrada

Splatoon Could Really Excel On The Switch 2

Bigger Multiplayer Modes Would Aid Splatoon 4

Between Nintendo’s many franchises that will surely grace the Switch 2, Splatoon appears to be a title that has a lot of room to grow on the new platform. One of the most notable ways it can grow is in the form of its multiplayer gameplay, arguably the franchise’s biggest hallmark. Most especially, Splatoon could grow on the Switch 2 in a literal sense by upping the number of simultaneous players in its multiplayer modes.

Currently, Splatoon’s online multiplayer gameplay caps off at eight players, offering four-versus-four matches for players. If the Switch 2 is as powerful as reports suggest, the next Splatoon title could go bigger than that, offering anywhere from 16 to 24-player matches. The potential for eight-versus-eight or even 10-versus-10 matches in an upcoming Splatoon game would represent fantastic growth for Nintendo’s premiere online multiplayer franchise.

Nintendo’s Already Growing Their Multiplayer Games On Switch 2

The idea that a new Splatoon game on the Switch 2 could see a growth in its player count is not entirely farfetched, as another Nintendo franchise is already setting such a standard. During the Switch 2’s official unveiling, Nintendo revealed the next title in the Mario Kart franchise, and the gameplay footage showed 24 characters racing simultaneously. This is a big jump from the standard 12 players that can race in a game in the franchise’s most recent entry, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

If Nintendo’s aim with the Switch 2 is to grow the gameplay of its many multiplayer-centric games to offer more fun for large groups, the publisher will surely think heavily about Splatoon in this initiative. Perhaps the next entry on the Switch 2 could even add some kind of battle royale mode, offering even bigger matches and creating even more paint-based chaos. The possibilities for what a fourth major Splatoon game could look like on Switch 2 are endless.

The Switch 2’s New Features Will Help Splatoon, Multiplayer Or Not

Even beyond the benefits to multiplayer gameplay, the next Splatoon entry will definitely take advantage of the other new features that come with the Switch 2. Early reports and a short portion of the Switch 2 reveal trailer suggest that the new Joy-Con controller can be used as a mouse, adding a PC twist to the pre-existing mix of console and handheld gameplay. As a keyboard and mouse set-up is popular in shooter games, Splatoon will have some extra benefits on the Switch 2 even if the next game doesn’t radically shift multiplayer gameplay.

As it’s been three years since the release of Splatoon 3, Nintendo is surely planning out Splatoon 4’s release as it gets set to release the Switch 2. With this new console offering more powerful hardware, this next entry could be a major step forward for the franchise’s multiplayer gameplay.

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