Nintendo has made waves by unexpectedly announcing Splatoon Raiders, a brand-new spin-off of the popular franchise coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement was made outside of the usual Nintendo Direct presentations, causing quite a stir among fans of the series.

In Splatoon Raiders, players will take on the role of a mechanic who, after a helicopter crash, finds themselves stranded alongside the members of the Deep Cut trio on the mysterious Spirhalite Islands. This new title moves away from the classic competitive multiplayer formula, offering a solo adventure focused on exploration, action, and investigation within a never-before-seen setting in the Splatoon universe.

The reveal trailer shows the protagonist traversing unknown landscapes accompanied by a quadruped robot, while Deep Cut adapts to the new situation with alternate outfits and survival mechanics. Although Nintendo has not yet revealed the release date or specific gameplay details, it has confirmed that Splatoon Raiders is a full exclusive for Switch 2, with more information to be shared in the coming months.

The announcement of Splatoon Raiders was accompanied by the rollout of version 10.0.0 for Splatoon 3, which adds new weapons, graphical and technical improvements for the Switch 2 version, as well as new matchmaking features and additional content for players on both consoles.

With Splatoon Raiders, Nintendo expands the universe of its successful franchise by offering a different experience, with narrative and exploration at its core, further strengthening the exclusive lineup for Nintendo Switch 2 in the months ahead.