Nintendo's brand new Switch 2 exclusive Splatoon Raiders is receiving rave reviews — but where's Splatoon 4? Speaking in a behind-the-scenes interview, the series' developers have explained why they wanted to launch a co-operative spinoff first.
Launched in 2015 for the ill-fated Wii U, the very first Splatoon survived the turmoil of that console generation to become one of Nintendo's most successful new franchises in recent years. Switch sequels Splatoon 2 and 3 quickly followed... until Nintendo surprised fans by confirming that Splatoon Raiders would be next.
Primarily single-player, Raiders is an action RPG that eschews the franchise's typically hectic ink-based multiplayer brawls for an experience that focuses on its shooter mechanics, boss battles and story. And this was all a deliberate consideration, producer Seita Inoue has said, to bring in new players to the franchise at a key point.
"We've been going full speed ahead for over 11 years since the series' launch, developing and updating three titles along the way," Inoue explained, via a Nintendo Ask the Developer interview. "We thought it might be interesting to create something with a slightly different approach to gameplay, where you can really savor the action on your own. Splatoon isn't just about competitive play; it also includes cooperative modes like Salmon Run and a single-player Story Mode.
"So, one of our motivations for developing this game was our desire to create a new entry point into the series by releasing these non-competitive elements not just as a secondary feature, but as a standalone spinoff. That said, we will continue to develop competitive gameplay going forward. That's why we developed this game as a spin-off and not as 'Splatoon 4'."
It's hard not to hear of the Splatoon team developing more competitive gameplay possibilities and not think Splatoon 4 will be on the way eventually — though Nintendo has not said where the series will head next. For now, there's plenty of adventure to be had in the Spirhalite Islands with the Deep Cut gang, as Raiders tasks players to once again go into battle against the dreaded Salmonids.
"Splatoon Raiders is an incredibly well-designed action RPG with an expertly executed loop," we wrote, rating the game as a 9/10 in IGN's Splatoon Raiders review. "Its deep customization, challenging battles, and sheer variety make it the best Splatoon campaign yet and one of the top games on Switch 2."
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
