The first post-launch Nintendo Switch 2 game announcement has just happened and it’s a spin-off for Splatoon, with a major new update for Splatoon 3 out this week.

Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is out, the big question is when other new games will be announced for it… and how. There are rumours of a Nintendo Direct this month, but so far no confirmation, and yet Nintendo has just unveiled a new game, via its Nintendo Today! mobile app.

That’s probably going to become a regular occurrence, with the reveal including a five minute trailer that announces a spin-off called Splatoon Raiders and the Ver. 10.0.0 update for Splatoon 3.

It’s not really clear what Splatoon Raiders is, but it may be another attempt to make a successful single-player mode for the game, even though the franchise is fundamentally multiplayer at heart.

We’re only guessing that Raiders might be singe-player, as it’s really not clear from the brief trailer, which only confirms that you play as a mechanic helping out the Deep Cut trio investigate a mysterious island.

Nintendo has tried multiple times to make single-player content for Splatoon, including via two DLC expansions, but while the Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2 was the best attempt it was super hard and will have done little to expand the franchise’s appeal.

Splatoon is hugely popular in Japan, so it was a surprise not to see it mentioned during the Switch 2 reveal and subsequent Direct. Raiders is emphatically not Splatoon 4 though, with Nintendo continuing to support Splatoon 3, which allows for cross-play with the Switch 1 and is getting improved visuals and performance for the Switch 2.

As well as giving a glow-up to the game on the new console, the update will also add new weapons and badges, with 30 new weapon kits and the return of the Urchin Underpass map from the first game.

The weapon freshness limits will also be increased and there’s a new stat tracking option for keeping an eye on each weapon’s power level.

Ver. 10.0.0 will be available on Thursday, June 12 but there’s no indication of when Splatoon Raiders will be released. All first party Switch 2 games so far have been scheduled for this year, even if some of them don’t have a specific date yet, so it’s tempting to assume Raiders is 2026 or later.

The only major first party title currently confirmed for 2026 is The Duskbloods, although that’s being made by Elden Ring developer FromSoftware and not Nintendo.

Given the Switch 2’s surprisingly lacklustre winter line-up, some fans have speculated that Nintendo is holding back the reveal of a secret big name title for Christmas. Even though it’s not as popular in the West as it is Japan, that could be Raiders but there’s nothing to confirm that yet.

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