Nintendo’s Ask the Developer: Splatoon Raiders Instead of Splatoon 4

Nintendo has explained why the next step for the long-running Splatoon series isn’t “Splatoon 4,” but instead a spin-off currently referred to as Splatoon Raiders. In a recent Ask the Developer feature, the development team said the project began during the tail end of Splatoon 3’s updates, when they were experimenting with how to adapt Salmon Run-style action into a standalone single-player experience—while still planning to keep competitive Splatoon gameplay moving forward.

Announcement: Why a spin-off instead of Splatoon 4

Developers noted that after more than 11 years since the series launched, the team has produced and supported three Splatoon titles. Rather than move directly to a numbered sequel, they wanted to try a “slightly different approach” focused on letting players experience the action on their own. The team also said Splatoon isn’t only competitive—it includes cooperative modes such as Salmon Run and a separate Story Mode—so the goal was to make those non-competitive elements feel like a primary offering by releasing them as their own spin-off, not a side mode.

Practical impact: A single-player take on Salmon Run chaos

The team’s key idea was to explore a single-player format using Salmon Run’s core loop. Salmon Run is described as a “part-time gig” where four players coordinate to fight Salmonids and collect Golden Eggs. Nintendo’s developers said they considered adapting that gameplay for solo play, aiming for something “hectic yet exhilarating.” They also described experimenting with scaling factors—such as increasing the number of Salmonids—so a single player could handle more targets for a more hectic, multitasking-style experience.

Platform scope: Built with the next Switch in mind

Nintendo’s developers said they were also discussing the possibility of the next Splatoon game landing on Nintendo Switch 2. With that in mind, they believed they could take advantage of the system’s performance to support their experiments, including a more demanding single-player approach to Salmon Run-like encounters.

What comes next: Competitive Splatoon continues

While Splatoon Raiders is positioned as a spin-off centered on non-competitive gameplay, the team emphasized that competitive play remains part of the future. In their explanation, that’s a major reason the project was treated as a spin-off rather than a full “Splatoon 4” release.

What changed

Instead of moving directly to a numbered sequel, the next release is being treated as a spin-off built around non-competitive gameplay.
The project started during the wind-down of Splatoon 3 updates, with experiments focused on adapting Salmon Run for single-player.
Development included ideas for higher intensity solo encounters, such as increasing Salmonids for a “multitasker” experience.
The team said it was planning around Nintendo Switch 2 performance potential while exploring the concept.
Developers reiterated that competitive Splatoon development will continue even with this spin-off.