Splatoon is a popular multiplayer shooter game, well loved by Nintendo fans for its creative combat, fun team building, and large events. The franchise received much praise with “Splatoon 3”, even winning the best multiplayer game award at the Game of The Year awards in 2022, according to IMDB. Most new players begin with the story mode of each Splatoon game, which is a unique storyline provided in each game which shows the player becoming an agent of a random code number, and prevent the world from a world ending danger. The story mode is considered a good method of mastering certain weapon skills so the player will be ready for online chaos.
On June 10, 2025, Nintendo had released a teaser trailer promoting the new spinoff series Splatoon Raiders which followed a different story Path. The game showed Splatoon 3’s in-game idols, who are each game’s music group. Splatoon 3’s idols Deep Cut, Shiver, Frye, and Big Man crash landing on the lands of Spirhalite Island, after a large hurricane. The rest of the trailer showed the three idols with a major change in design in what looked like a wooden base in the middle of the ocean. The player design was revealed with jagged tied up hair holding a plastic handmade version of the splattershot, a main weapon in the regular series. The player had been seen walking with a strange robotic figure most had been confused about.
Stated in Wccftech, the protagonist was revealed to be a mechanic found by Deep Cut after the crash landing. Since then, no further information on the spinoff was revealed in directs, trailers, or post, causing fans to eagerly await for its potential arrival. No information had been shared at the time whether it would release on the Nintendo Switch, or Nintendo Switch 2 system. However on April 21, 2026, a second trailer was released by Nintendo, catching many fans off guard. The trailer showcased the protagonist fixing something on the base while Deep Cut was talking to them, referring to the protagonist as a mechanic. The scene quickly transitioned to the player’s customization showing off hairstyles for the Inklings (squids) and Octolings (Octopuses) with most being tied with nets while some have plastic or other materials in their hair.
The rest of the trailer gives clips of The player running around the islands with a closer version of the robotic design which showed Big man inside, hinting that the idols will help you battle. The enemy species is salmanoids, commonly known for their appearance in Salmon Run mode from Splatoon 2 and 3. Salmanoids are shown to be more aggressive in raiders as well as new and old variants of them shown. It was revealed that the player can call over the idols to help them by pressing the down arrow, making the player say “Over Here” which allows the idols to go to the player’s location. Major island locations such as Tumetto rocks, were shown hinting how the player will move areas.
The player can also receive treasure chests with large amounts of currency or gear. A brand new feature, mechanics workshop, was featured showcasing the player building unique gadgets like an ax to help them on their difficult journey. Obviously it won’t be cheap as the player will need to obtain certain materials to craft these upgrades such as Spirhalite Shards, stated by Nintendo Reporters. Like the classic trilogy, Raiders will continue to support an online multiplayer mode According to the SplatoonNA X account. By talking to a radio station at the base, it will connect with friends to team up in the action.
Fans were quick to check Nintendo’s website for further details about when it would release or the pricing of the game which was quickly found. On the Nintendo of America website, Splatoon Raiders only support the Nintendo Switch 2 system and will cost $50 for the digital version and $59 for the physical version. The official box art for raiders was featured with a simple design of The Mechanic, Shiver, Frye, and Big Man next to each other with the title of the game under them.
Splatoon Raiders is a well awaited game with fun action, well directed team work, and great chaos. Raiders is sure to have a major impact on the future of the series and later on lore, or even bring techniques from raiders into a possible Splatoon 4. Raiders is sure to influence the community with its new features and if done well, could bring in more for the series.
