Splatoon 3 inks itself a September release

Nintendo has lifted the lid on Splatoon 3’s release date, and we’ll be waiting perhaps a little longer than some expected.

Nintendo, outside of an event and just randomly on twitter, announced that Splatoon 3 will be releasing on the 9th of September this year, a little over 4 months away from the time of writing (and frankly, stretching Nintendo Australia’s usage of “winter” a liiiittle much). The announcement also came alongside a trailer showcasing a full Turf War match, and the gameplay is looking crisp as heck, with a few new weapons, abilities, and an all-new stage on display. The music, predictably, slaps too.

In another interesting point worth mentioning, subscribers to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack can download Splatoon 2’s Octo Expansion at no extra charge to promote the upcoming game. Something that, if you’ll allow me to toot my own horn, I predicted when Animal Crossing’s DLC was announced to be on the service back in October last year. You can download the DLC from your browser by clicking here.

You can read the press release straight from Nintendo themselves below. Keep an eye out in the future for out bargain guides when preorder information becomes available.

Splatoon 3 will launch on Friday 9^th September for Nintendo Switch. Across Splatsville and the sun-scorched Splatlands, players can engage in ink-soaked battles with other Inklings and Octolings, and discover features, weapons and the trendiest gear of the season.

In Splatoon 3, Turf War mode can create some heated online 4-v-4 battles across a mix of new and familiar stages, where teams of four face off to cover the most ground in their ink. Newly uncovered footage provides insight on one of those new stages, Eeltail Alley, along with a look at the stringer – a new bow-shaped weapon type that enables players to sling ink sideways and vertically. The new trailer, Splatoon 3 – Extended Turf War gameplay (Nintendo Switch), shows all of this, plus a glimpse into some new gear and information.

In addition to frantic 4-v-4 multiplayer matches, Splatoon 3 also features a fresh single-player campaign and the next iteration of the co-op Salmon Run mode. In the single-player story mode, players will join Agent 3 in a fight against the unruly Octarians and discover the secrets of Alterna and the Fuzzy Ooze.

When diving into Salmon Run, players can ink up with others to fend off waves of dangerous Salmonid bosses, some of which are colossal in size!

To start training for Splatoon 3, starting today, active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members who own a copy of Splatoon 2 can enjoy the Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion DLC on Nintendo Switch at no additional cost. Players can now dive into the large-scale, single-player expansion for Splatoon 2 with a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.

To play the Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion DLC as part of a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, players can download the DLC for no extra charge from its product information page on Nintendo eShop. After finding the Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion DLC on Nintendo eShop on their Nintendo Switch, they can select “Download” in the “Content for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Members” section at the top of the page.

In the Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion DLC players take on the role of Agent 8, an Octoling who awakens without their memories on a dark subway platform. Agent 8 navigates through a mysterious underground test facility in this adventure that spans 80 missions packed with challenges. Anyone who escapes from these twisted depths will be able to join multiplayer matches as their very own Octoling.