Nintendo held its Splatoon Raiders Direct, sharing news for the upcoming solo adventure game set in the Splatoon franchise.
The Splatoon Raiders Direct kicked off with an introduction to the story of the game, which centers around The Mechanic (the player), Shiver, Frye, and Big Man. Together, the group hunts for treasure.
Treasure hunting includes lots of combat, which is against creatures known as Salmonids. Salmonids come in multiple forms: Lesser Salmonids, Boss Salmonids, and Seasoned Salmonids
Lesser Salmonids have a variety of forms, and they come in hordes that can be a bit harder to take on.
Boss Salmonids have more unique traits and pose a bigger challenge that players have to figure out how to take down. When they’re defeated, they give Mega Power Eggs, which can be used to charge the Exploration Bot quite a bit.
Seasoned Salmonids are much harder enemies and serve as the main bosses in the game. They also have unique combat styles and will test players’ abilities to beat.
When it comes to weapons, the same mechanics apply from past Splatoon games. Players will use ink-based weapons and can refuel their ink by diving into it as a squid. There are over 100 weapons that players can find by slaying Salmonids.
There are also Gadgets that help during combat. Players can equip two of them, and they’re determined by the type of Tank players are using.
Speaking of, there are three types of Tanks: Speed Tank, Power Tank, and Tactical Tank. Players can choose which one they like best depending on their playstyle.
Gadgets can also be customized. After finding Gadget Parts, players can equip a variety of buffs to their Gadgets. Defeating Salmonids can drop these parts.
There are several islands, or Stages, that players can explore and hunt for treasure. These have their own biomes and tactics to them, including things like ancient ruins and wide-open fields.
The Hideout Ship is like the home base for The Mechanic and their crew. Different areas can be added and upgraded to the Hideout Ship, which helps players get stronger and continue upgrading their gear. Weapons and Gadgets can be crafted and upgraded here, too.
Other features that will be included in Splatoon Raiders include the following:
- Character Customization (including outfits and amiibo connections)
- Difficulty Options
- Multiplayer Raids (including a help feature to join with random players or call for help)
Last but not least, the Splatoon Raiders Direct showed a brand-new trailer. Players can watch the entire Splatoon Raiders Direct below and see the new gameplay and features themselves:
Players can also see more gameplay in the Splatoon Raiders Nintendo Treehouse: Live event.
Splatoon Raiders is set to release on July 23, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2. As previously announced, there will be a comic series released through the Nintendo Today app with a never-before-seen story leading up to the release of Splatoon Raiders.
