01What happened
The story, straight
Nintendo revealed five new details about Splatoon Raiders, the franchise's first dedicated single-player spin-off, during a recent Nintendo Direct. Players control a mechanic who fends off salmonids, with returning characters Big Man, Shiver, and Frye — one of whom pilots a stubby mech. The game moves beyond the series' traditionally tutorial-like or DLC-length single-player offerings into what Kotaku describes as the 'full-length, fleshed-out mission' fans have wanted.
Nintendo finally showed real gameplay details for Splatoon Raiders — the series' first standalone single-player game. You play as a mechanic fighting salmonids with Big Man, Shiver, and Frye back in supporting roles, one of them in a mech that looks way too small for Big Man's stingray arms. No word yet on whether it's a roguelite like Side Order or something else entirely.
02Spread timeline
Where it actually started
04What's solid, what isn't
Claims by status
- Splatoon Raiders is the franchise's first dedicated single-player spin-off.
- The player controls a mechanic who fends off salmonids.
- Big Man, Shiver, and Frye return as supporting characters.
- The specific gameplay structure (roguelite, wave-based, or something else) has not been officially confirmed.
- Release date and platform details are not yet public.
05Why it matters
The editorial take
Splatoon's single-player modes have historically felt like tutorials or brief paid DLCs. A full standalone spin-off signals Nintendo is willing to invest in the franchise beyond multiplayer — a meaningful shift for a series that's sold over 25 million copies across its entries.
Splatoon single-player has always been the tutorial you play once and forget. A whole standalone game is Nintendo finally taking the PvE side seriously, which matters for a franchise this big.