Summary
- Nintendo has announced the end of regular updates for Splatoon 3.
- Seasonal events like Splatoween and weapon adjustments will continue.
- The end of updates may pave the way for a potential Splatoon 4 on the next Nintendo console.
It's the end of an era for Splatoon 3, as the game is ending its regular updates. Splatoon 3 first hit the scene in 2022, a whopping five years after Splatoon 2. With more weapons, maps, game modes, and various other improvements at its disposal, Splatoon 3 is considered by many fans of Nintendo's family-friendly shooter franchise to be the best the series has had to offer to date.
Splatoon 3 is one of the closest things that Nintendo has to a proper live-service on the Switch. Plenty of free updates have been released for Splatoon 3 over the last two years, adding fresh content for players to check out alongside paid DLC like the Side Order expansion. Now Nintendo has confirmed that regular updates for Splatoon 3 have wrapped, marking the end of an era for the hit game.
Splatoon 3 Fans Can Revisit Grand Festival, But There's a Catch
Splatoon 3 players can actually go back to the Grand Festival Splatfest following the event's end, but there's a catch.
Splatoon 3 ending regular updates certainly marks the end of an era for the shooter game, but Nintendo has promised that more content is still on the horizon. Splatoon 3 will continue hosting its seasonal events, which includes Splatoween, Frosty Fest, Spring Fest, and Summer Nights. And while regular updates for Splatoon 3 are done, that doesn't mean that the game is totally done getting new updates.
Splatoon 3 Regular Updates Are Coming to a Close
In fact, Nintendo has left the door wide open for more Splatoon 3 updates. It concluded its confirmation that regular updates are coming to an end by saying that weapon balance changes could still make their way to the game. Additionally, Big Run, Eggstra Work, and Monthly Challenges will continue to be featured in Splatoon 3 "for the time being."
What Does the Future Hold for the Splatoon Franchise?
With Nintendo shifting focus away from Splatoon 3, fans may be wondering what the next step is for the franchise. Splatoon 3 was a huge sales success, and has remained popular years after its release, so chances are good that Nintendo has already started work on the eventual Splatoon 4. In fact, it wouldn't be all that surprising if Nintendo has decided to end its regular updates for Splatoon 3 so it can double down on Splatoon 4 and ensure the game is available for its next console.
The next Nintendo console is expected to be announced in the relatively near future and released at some point in 2025. Getting Splatoon 4 on the next Nintendo console as soon as possible would be huge for both the system and the franchise, and so hopefully fans don't have to wait too much longer to learn what's next for Splatoon.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- September 9, 2022
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Cartoon Violence
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- phive
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Splatoon
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter 4-on-4* ink-slinging battles in this colorful action shooter packed with style and attitude. As a squid-like Inkling, quickly cover your surroundings (and opponents) in ink with wild weaponry and swim through your own color to sneak and splat. Dive into the fresh fun with family and friends and make waves as a team. Get splatted by an opponent? No sweat! The goal in Turf War is to cover the most ground, so respawn and jump back into the inky action.
Keep it current with rotating items, seasonal catalogs, and special events: Variety is the spice of an Inkling’s life, so check out shops daily for a changing array of gear that is as fashionable as it is functional. Timed events like Splatfests bring different types of chaotic competition and content updates add even more weapons and stages. Earn points to get in-game items from season-specific catalogs to dress up your own personal locker and show your style.
Use inky new abilities and weapons to compete, cooperate, or clear up the mystery of the Fuzzy Ooze: Dynamic new moves like the Squid Surge and Squid Roll will help you and your fellow Inklings cover more ground and avoid enemy ink. Take aim with the bow-like Stringer and get slash happy with sword-like Splatanas—these new weapon types join an arsenal of fresh special weapons and sub weapons, too. Work together to collect Golden Eggs and fend off brand-new swarms of invading Salmonids in the co-op Salmon Run mode. Tackle a solo adventure alongside a Smallfry companion to solve the mystery of the Fuzzy Ooze in the offline story mode.
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
