Splatoon teased in short trailer, likely to headline Nintendo's imminent Direct
- Nintendo this week expanded its Splatoon spinoff reveal, posting a new trailer and confirming Splatoon Raiders will launch July 23, 2026 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive starring Deep Cut. - Nintendo’s store listing pegs Splatoon Raiders at $49.99 digitally, with up to four-player online or local wireless play, even as Nintendo still describes the game as single-player-focused. - The update ended a roughly 10-month gap since Raiders was first announced in June 2025, as Nintendo fills out its Switch 2 lineup ahead of future showcases. (nintendo.com)
Nintendo has moved Splatoon Raiders from teaser to schedule: the Splatoon spinoff is set for July 23, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. (nintendo.com) The new trailer went live in Nintendo’s April 21, 2026 news post and showed character creation, gadgets, Salmonid fights, and the Spirhalite Islands setting. Nintendo says players control a mechanic traveling with Deep Cut, the trio introduced in Splatoon 3. (nintendo.com) (polygon.com) Nintendo’s U.S. store page lists a July 23 release date and a $49.99 digital price. The same listing says players can join with up to three other people online or through local wireless. (nintendo.com 1) (nintendo.com 2) That matters because Nintendo originally framed Raiders as the first Splatoon spinoff when it announced the game in June 2025, then went quiet for months. This week’s trailer is the first substantial update since that reveal. (nintendo.com 1) (nintendo.com 2) It also gives Nintendo another dated first-party release on the Switch 2 calendar. Nintendo’s current Direct archive shows its most recent broadcast entry as a Partner Showcase on February 5, 2026, not a new full Direct centered on first-party games. (nintendo.com 1) (nintendo.com 2) The trailer’s wording has created some confusion over format. Nintendo’s news post calls Raiders a “single-player-focused adventure,” while the store page adds optional multiplayer support for up to four players. (nintendo.com) (nintendo.com) Nintendo has kept Splatoon 3 active in parallel. The company opened registration for the Splatoon 3 North American League 2026 season in March, showing the series still has a live competitive track while the spinoff approaches. (nintendo.com) For now, the clearest takeaway is simpler than the teaser cycle around it: Splatoon Raiders is no longer just a short trailer and a name. It has a date, a price, a platform, and a defined spot in Nintendo’s summer 2026 lineup. (nintendo.com) (nintendo.com)
