Summary
- Splatoon fans are excited about the rumor of a 4th installment in development, supposedly codenamed 'spiral' and set to debut for Nintendo's next console.
- Hopefully, Splatoon 4 will bring more major content additions like Splatoon 2 did, not just small additions like in Splatoon 3.
- Nintendo seems to be basing the next game's theme on the previous final splatfest, suggesting that it is listening to fan feedback.
Splatoon fans have been abuzz lately due to a recent rumor that the series’ 4th installment is in development. The rumors about Splatoon 4 being developed started with a known game leaker, Midori, who has a good track record of being correct. Midori stated on her Twitter that the game is currently being developed under the codename ‘spiral’ and will release early in the life of Nintendo’s next console, currently being referred to as the ‘Switch 2.’
With this rumor in mind, fans will surely end up looking to the future, but also to the past in trying to predict what the next game might bring. Whenever Splatoon 4 comes out, it needs to add more to the franchise than Splatoon 3 did, acting more like Splatoon 2, which added loads of content after the original game.
Splatoon 3 - Official Grand Festival Trailer
Splatoon 3 gears up for its biggest Splatfest ever in the summer 2024 Grand Festival ins a Past vs. Present vs. Future showdown for the ages.
Is Splatoon 4 Coming Out Soon?
While the news about Splatoon 4 is just a rumor, there is some evidence that suggests it may be true. In the latest update to Splatoon 3, players found data related to a large splatfest, which was assumed to be the game’s last. Their theories were recently confirmed as Nintendo released a video teasing Splatoon 3’s ‘Grand Festival’, which will be its final splatfest. With that milestone marking the end of further development on Splatoon 3, it would only make sense that Nintendo is looking into the future of the series. To say that the next installment will be released soon, though, wouldn’t be quite right. Rumors suggest that the next Splatoon game will release shortly after Nintendo’s next console, which has been confirmed, but has yet to be officially unveiled, leaving a bit of a time gap until fans can expect the game.
How Splatoon 4 can improve on Splatoon 3
Splatoon 3 is an excellent installment in one of Nintendo’s newest franchises, but some fans were a bit disappointed with the jump to a new game. Splatoon 2 was notable for taking the original game and adding new weapons, maps, and most importantly, introducing the Salmon Run mode, which returned in Splatoon 3. The second game in the series took the foundation of the first and drastically improved on it, creating an experience that went above and beyond what fans expected. Unfortunately, Splatoon 3 didn’t do the same, leaving some fans wondering why another entry was needed with such little new content.
That isn’t to say that Splatoon 3 didn’t bring players new experiences. The addition of a single player card game, decorative lockers, and new weapons and maps gave players more to do than in the previous game, but all of these were small additions. What Splatoon 3 did add were new features to familiar modes, such as giving Salmon Run its own limited time mode similar to splatfests and introducing Tournament Manager to improve the multiplayer experience. These small additions did enough to set Splatoon 3 apart, but fans would much rather see larger additions to Splatoon 4 like they did in Splatoon 2.
Given how popular the Splatoon games have become, it can be difficult to remember that they are a pretty new IP for Nintendo. Despite being one of the best shooters on a Nintendo console, the series isn’t that old yet, so Nintendo is likely still figuring out how to up the ante in new installments. It does listen to its fans though, seeming to base the next game’s theme off of the result of the previous game’s final splatfest. While Splatoon’s future isn’t yet set in stone, one certainty is that players will be awaiting any news about the next entry.
The Splatoon series is a highly colorful and vibrant third-person shooter experience exclusive to Nintendo. The games feature anthropomorphic marine creatures who battle for control of various maps via paint. Splatoon offers both multiplayer and single-player modes with the former being where the bulk of the action comes from.
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