Nintendo has revealed that Splatoon 3 will be released this Fall on September 9. This means that Splatoon 3 is no longer a Summer 2022 game and it likely needed a bit more time in development before it was ready.
The first two Splatoon games were set in bustling and stylish metropolises, where groups on Inklings battled in skate parks and malls. Splatoon 3 is going in a new direction, as it's set in the barren wastelands of the Splatlands, where Inklings and Octolings battle within the walls of Splatsville, one of the only cities for miles. The aesthetic of Splatoon 3 merges the neon-colored fashions of the earlier games with a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic edge.
Splatoon 3 was originally given a loose Summer 2022 release window, but there was speculation that it was going to be delayed. A new trailer on the official Nintendo YouTube channel has announced that Splatoon 3 will launch on September 9, 2022. This is a very minor delay, as it now technically resides in the Fall season. Luckily, Nintendo's 2022 line-up is packed, so there's no rush to release Splatoon 3 to the marketplace.
The trailer for Splatoon 3 also showed off a new look at a Turf War battle, with players using the new bow and arrow weapon to fire ink at their opponents. Splatoon 3 also introduces the Zipcaster special weapon, which is a grappling hook that can be used to quickly traverse the battlefield. The Zipcaster is a great choice for players using short-range weapons, such as the Splat Roller, as it lets them quickly close the gap on enemies. There is also a new type of Spawn Point, where the player is launched to the field in their squid/octopus form, rather than appearing on the stage in their humanoid form. Splatoon 3 has a number of gameplay tweaks, many of which are shown off in the new trailer.
The new release date for Splatoon 3 also seemingly answers a question that recently came up about Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Nintendo recently announced that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is actually launching in July when it had previously been slated for a September release. The new Splatoon 3 release date suggests that the dates were switched, as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is closer to completion, while Splatoon 3 needs more development time to get it ready for launch. Nintendo likely doesn't want too big exclusives launching so close together, even though there are no other exclusives (even third-party ones) currently listed for September. Xenoblade Chronicles 3's new release date means that JRPG fans are set for the Summer, while the squids and kids of the world won't return to the world of Splatoon until the Fall.
Splatoon 3 will launch on Nintendo Switch on September 9, 2022.
Source: Nintendo/YouTube
