Nintendo sets July 23, 2026 release for Splatoon Raiders on Switch 2

Nintendo is betting that Splatoon can do more than competitive multiplayer. Splatoon Raiders will land on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026, and Nintendo is framing it as a single-player-focused adventure built around a mechanic who travels with Deep Cut across the Spirhalite Islands, hunting treasure and fighting Salmonids.

The new trailer and store details make the pivot clear. Instead of another turf-war variant, Raiders sends players into a story-driven run through a mysterious island chain, where the mechanic can customize appearance and loadout, use mechanical gadgets and ink-splattering weapons, and take on waves of enemies alongside Shiver, Frye and Big Man. Nintendo is also supporting the game with online play for up to four players total, plus local wireless play, although Nintendo Switch Online is required for online features. That keeps the game connected to the series’ social DNA even as it reaches for a broader adventure format.

The move matters because Nintendo is treating Raiders as more than a side project. It is the first-ever Splatoon spin-off and the franchise’s fourth title, a sign that Nintendo sees room to widen one of its most recognizable modern properties beyond its core multiplayer audience. The 20 new screenshots and fresh trailer lean hard into that ambition, selling a richer world, a defined protagonist and a mission structure closer to a treasure-hunting action game than a bonus mode. For a series that has long been identified with turf battles, that is a notable expansion of what Splatoon can be.

Nintendo is backing the launch with more than software alone. Three new amiibo, Shiver, Frye and Big Man, will also release on July 23, 2026, each reflecting Deep Cut’s updated looks in Raiders. Nintendo Japan has listed the game at 6,480 yen for the download version and 7,480 yen for the package version, giving the spin-off a standard first-party price point while keeping it firmly in the summer spotlight.

Nintendo also used the same wave of announcements to point back to Splatoon 3, with a free update set for June 12, 2026. Taken together, the timing suggests a broader strategy for the series on Switch 2: keep the multiplayer crowd engaged, but also test whether Splatoon’s characters, world-building and style can carry a larger franchise built around adventure as much as competition.