Summary
- Nintendo revokes Splatoon 3 World Championship win for controversial behavior by Jackpot team members.
- Updates to Splatoon 3 will alter the in-game banner of the winning team.
- Fans support Nintendo's decision to revoke the win, as racist behavior has no place in the inclusive game.
Nintendo has revealed that the winners of the Splatoon 3 World Championship are having their win revoked and the in-game banner bearing their likeness altered. This follows after controversy came to light surrounding the winning team's behavior inside and outside Splatoon 3.
Nintendo's titles might not be the first thing fans think of when considering eSports, but the company does have a history of participating with certain titles. Splatoon 3's World Championship was held in April after initially being delayed from January due to bomb threats made against Nintendo and its employees. Teams from six different regions battled it out, but the winning team isn't celebrating anymore.
Splatoon 3 Teases Final Splatfest
Nintendo releases a teaser trailer for the last Splatfest of Splatoon 3, which includes the themes and when it will take place.
Nintendo made an official announcement that Jackpot, the winning team, would have its win vacated. It will not be receiving the trophies associated with the win, either. This comes following information that came to light about a month ago regarding the actions of the team. Numerous images and videos surfaced of Jackpot team members mocking Splatoon 3 players with racist comments and sharing similarly offensive memes and images. Game developers frequently take action against racist behavior in games, but considering Nintendo's family-friendly image, the actions of these competitors are particularly egregious.
Upcoming Changes in Splatoon 3
In addition to announcing that the team would have its win revoked, an upcoming update to Splatoon 3 will be making a change to the team's winning banner. As world champions, Splatoon 3 released an in-game banner that any fans could use to celebrate the victory. The banner featured the winners' in-game likenesses and the World Championship logo. It's not clear how Nintendo will alter the banner, but at the very least, players can probably expect the four team members to be removed from it. It's also possible that it may be completely replaced with an entirely different and unrelated banner to completely separate the game from these actions.
At the moment, the majority of the Splatoon community members responding to Nintendo's actions seem to be positive. Many fans consider Splatoon to be an inclusive game, and this kind of behavior has no place in any games, let alone coming from champions representing it. While a member of the team did respond to the accusations and apologize back in June, it doesn't make up for the behavior, and Nintendo couldn't turn a blind eye to it, especially after the evidence blew up on social media.
In the meantime, the runners-up in the World Championship have not been awarded the win following Jackpot's removal. It seems the Splatoon 3 World Championships of 2024 will remain without a winner.
Splatoon 3
- Released
- September 9, 2022
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.
