Nintendo has officially locked in a summer launch for Splatoon Raiders, confirming the Switch 2 exclusive will hit shelves and the eShop on July 23. The spinoff title, which trades the series’ signature competitive multiplayer for a treasure-hunting adventure across the mysterious Spirhalite Islands, will be priced at $49.99 digitally — though a physical copy will run $59.99 under Nintendo’s recently introduced tiered pricing model for Switch 2 titles.
The newly released trailer offers a closer look at what players can expect from the single-player-focused experience. The game opens with a robust character creator, letting players customize their Inkling or Octoling — known here as the Mechanic — before venturing into what appears to be a sprawling open world. Splatoon 3’s beloved Deep Cut trio — Shiver, Frye, and Big Man — return as companions, with one member piloting a hulking, ink-cannon-equipped mech that accompanies you through the adventure.
While Nintendo has consistently described the game as single-player-focused, it turns out Raiders is not a solo affair after all. Up to three additional players can join online or through local wireless play, with Nintendo assuring fans that the game’s difficulty scales seamlessly regardless of party size. The gameplay draws heavy inspiration from the PvE Salmon Run mode of previous entries, with players splatting Salmonid enemies, conquering raids, and salvaging loot using an arsenal of ink weapons and new mechanical gadgets like axes and automatic turrets.
Collectors should brace their wallets, however. Nintendo is launching a set of three Deep Cut amiibo figures alongside the game, each priced at $25. That means securing the full trio of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man will cost $75 — notably more than the digital version of the game itself. The figures feature interlocking bases for a combined display, though Nintendo has yet to reveal what in-game functionality they will unlock. Pre-orders for the amiibo are expected to go live soon.
Splatoon Raiders joins a growing lineup of confirmed Switch 2 summer releases, sitting alongside Rhythm Heaven Groove on July 2 and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. These announcements align with details from a recent major leak of Nintendo’s release roadmap, which also pointed to a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake around the holiday season and a new 3D Mario game arriving in 2027.
For a franchise that built its reputation on frenetic online turf wars, the pivot to a cooperative adventure spinoff represents a bold new direction. With no PvP multiplayer in sight, Splatoon Raiders is betting that the series’ colorful world and satisfying ink-slinging mechanics can carry an entirely different kind of experience. Players can pre-order the game now on the Nintendo eShop ahead of its July 23 launch.