Nintendo’s Splatoon spin-off is heading to Switch 2 this July with 3 new amiibo
Nintendo has answered one of the bigger questions hanging over its Switch 2 lineup, and Switch 2 owners who have been watching the second half of 2026 fill in slowly finally have a date to circle. Splatoon Raiders, the single-player spin-off of one of the company’s most beloved multiplayer franchises, now has a confirmed release date, a price, and three new collectible figures coming alongside it.
A new kind of Splatoon adventure
Nintendo revealed through its Nintendo Today app on April 21 that Splatoon Raiders will arrive exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026, carrying a retail price of $49.99. The announcement came with more than three minutes of new gameplay footage, giving fans the clearest picture yet of what the game has in store.
The title marks a meaningful departure from what longtime players have come to expect. Every mainline Splatoon entry, spanning three games across the Wii U and Nintendo Switch with more than 30 million copies sold worldwide, has been built around competitive multiplayer. Splatoon Raiders flips that entirely, focusing on solo exploration and combat. Nintendo makes the point clearly, confirming the game with a label that designates it as a single-player focused experience.
Players take on the role of a mechanic who teams up with Deep Cut, the three-member musical crew introduced in Splatoon 3. The group leads the adventure across the Spirhalite Islands, a mysterious new setting unlike anything seen in the core series, with a mission centered on treasure hunting and battling hordes of aggressive sea creatures called Salmonids.
[Nintendo Today!] 🤖
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What players can expect
The familiar feel of Splatoon remains fully intact despite the genre shift. Weapons and brushes carried over from the mainline games appear throughout the footage, alongside the franchise’s signature ink mechanics. Players can customize their character’s appearance, equip mechanical gadgets, and work through what appears to be a largely new collection of enemies in addition to the returning Salmonid threats.
3 new amiibo coming with the game
Nintendo also confirmed three new collectible amiibo figures tied to the release. The three figures announced are: 1. Shiver in a Splatoon Raiders design, 2. Big Man in a Splatoon Raiders design, and 3. Frye in a Splatoon Raiders design. All three characters previously received amiibo for Splatoon 3, making these their second round of figures. In-game functionality for the new figures has not yet been detailed.
The connection between Splatoon releases and amiibo announcements goes back to the very first game on Wii U, making this pairing consistent with the franchise’s long-running tradition.
Nintendo’s growing Switch 2 calendar
Splatoon Raiders slots in as Nintendo’s major first-party release for July, a month that also includes Rhythm Heaven Groove. The broader 2026 lineup is coming into focus, with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream covering April and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book set for May. June remains unannounced.
Leaks and rumors point to additional titles still in the pipeline, including what is widely believed to be a new Star Fox game and a potential remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Neither has been officially confirmed by Nintendo. For now, Splatoon Raiders stands as the clearest destination on the Switch 2 calendar this summer.