Splatoon Raiders is out today — July 23, 2026 — exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. It is the first Splatoon spin-off built around single-player raids instead of ranked Turf War ladders: you are a mechanic crash-landed on the Spirhalite Islands with Deep Cut, flinging ink at waves of Salmonids while hunting loot.
bunpav's take: this is Nintendo answering the decade-old "I love Splatoon but hate ranked" complaint without killing the competitive brand. Same day Avatar Legends hits multiplatform fighters and Halo: Campaign Evolved opens premium early access — July 23 is a stacked console day, and Raiders is the Switch 2 exclusive that actually sells the hardware.
TL;DR — what people are actually asking
| Question | Direct answer |
|---|---|
| Out today? | Yes — July 23, 2026, Switch 2 exclusive. |
| Single-player? | Yes — first Splatoon game built around SP raids. |
| Co-op? | Up to 4 players online or local wireless. |
| Price? | ~$49.99 digital / ~$59.99 physical (US). |
| Deep Cut? | One member rides a bot — Showstoppers + traversal. |
| NSO required? | Only for online multiplayer. |
What is Splatoon Raiders?
From Nintendo's official store copy:
"In this single-player-focused game, play as a mechanic working with Deep Cut—a trio of swashbuckling musicians—and venture out into the mysterious Spirhalite Islands!"
The pitch is treasure-hunt action-shooter, not arena PvP:
- Customize appearance and loadout with mechanical gadgets and ink weapons
- Raid islands for spoils while fighting Salmonid hordes
- Partner with Shiver, Frye, or Big Man in a bot construct
- Scale difficulty between Tourist, Raider, and Survivalist anytime
- Call friends for 2–4 player stages when a raid gets sticky
Nintendo's AU launch post frames it as an ink-flinging treasure hunt that works for veterans and newcomers — a deliberate soft entry compared to Splatoon 3's ranked grind.
The story setup
A storm forces Deep Cut's helicopter into an emergency landing on the Spirhalite Islands. You — the Mechanic — team up with the trio to recover loot, solve the island mystery, and get home. Official prequel comics (Deep Cut's Island Misadventures) live on the Nintendo Today! app if you want lore before boot.
How does Deep Cut combat actually work?
The headline mechanical twist: one Deep Cut member raids beside you in a bot.
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bot partner | AI-controlled Deep Cut member fights alongside you |
| Jump-off traversal | Leap from the bot to reach higher routes |
| Showstopper attacks | Charge unique ultimate attacks tied to that member |
| Loadout weapons | Classic Splatoon ink weapons plus Raiders gadgets |
Showstoppers are the spectacle beat — Nintendo's marketing language ("unleash absolute heck") is the tone. Expect co-op callouts when a friend is charging theirs while you hold a Salmonid choke point.
Difficulty modes are unusually honest for a Nintendo action title:
"Find your sweet spot with Tourist, Raider, and Survivalist difficulty levels. Change it anytime! Just know that this only affects combat, not the loot you can get."
That last sentence matters. Casual players can drop to Tourist without soft-locking loot progression — a design choice aimed at households sharing one Switch 2 cartridge.
Co-op, local wireless, and power scaling
Raiders supports:
| Mode | Players | NSO needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Single-player | 1 | No |
| Local wireless | 2–4 | No |
| Online | 2–4 | Yes |
| Single-system | 1–4 | No (local) |
Nintendo says the game automatically scales player power so mismatched skill groups still clear stages. That is the difference between "co-op optional" and "co-op designed for sleepovers." Compare that philosophy to friendslop Steam hits — Raiders wants the same social energy with Nintendo polish and amiibo merch.
Caveat: online play needs Nintendo Switch Online. If your only goal is solo raids, skip the subscription.
Price, editions, and amiibo
| Product | Approx. US price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Digital (eShop) | $49.99 | Instant download |
| Physical | $59.99 | Cartridge + box |
| Deep Cut amiibo triple-pack | Separate | Frye, Shiver, Big Man Raiders looks |
Amiibo unlock character-themed cosmetics. Exact function lists may expand post-launch — Nintendo historically drips amiibo features after day one.
Physical buyers: July 23 lands well before Sony's January 2028 disc manufacturing cutoff anxiety — and Nintendo remains the platform still treating cartridges as first-class citizens while rivals lean digital-only.
Why does July 23 matter for Switch 2?
Polygon and GameRant both flagged July 23 as one of summer's busiest release days. Switch 2 owners specifically get a pile-up:
| Title | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Splatoon Raiders | Switch 2 exclusive spin-off |
| Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game | Delayed from July 2 — full roster coverage |
| Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster | Native Switch 2 port |
| Disgaea Mayhem | Action RPG spin on Disgaea |
| Cultic | Indie horror port |
Raiders is the first-party flagship in that stack. Ports sell convenience; exclusives sell consoles. If you bought Switch 2 for Mario Kart / Zelda and needed a second "why this hardware" answer, today is that day.
Indie Steam launches the same week — Dinoblade's viral Spinosaurus soulslike and Hard Edge: War Zone — are competing for PC attention, not Switch shelf space. Different audiences, same stacked Thursday.
How does Raiders compare to mainline Splatoon?
| Splatoon 3 | Splatoon Raiders | |
|---|---|---|
| Core loop | Ranked / casual PvP ink battles | Raid stages for loot |
| Focus | Competitive multiplayer | Single-player + optional co-op |
| Deep Cut role | Idols / story support | Active combat partners |
| Difficulty | Matchmaking skill | Tourist → Survivalist sliders |
| Platform | Switch / Switch 2 | Switch 2 exclusive |
Raiders will not replace Splatoon 3's ranked scene — it fills the gap Nintendo left open for years. Salmon Run fans get the closest tonal bridge: horde defense, gadget loadouts, and Deep Cut vibes without needing a full squad of sweaty ranked teammates.
Weapons, gadgets, and what veterans should expect
Mainline Splatoon veterans will recognize ink physics and weapon silhouettes — rollers, shooters, chargers, and the usual kit fantasy — but Raiders layers mechanical gadgets on top for traversal and raid puzzles. Nintendo's store materials emphasize kit customization as much as raw aim skill: the Mechanic fantasy is half plumber, half splat-assassin.
Practical expectations for day one:
| If you mainly play… | Expect Raiders to feel… |
|---|---|
| Ranked Turf War | Slower, more exploratory, less clutch |
| Salmon Run | Closest match — horde pressure + loadouts |
| Story Mode (Octo Expansion / Side Order) | More open raid structure, less linear campaign |
| Nothing Splatoon | Tourist difficulty + co-op scaling is the on-ramp |
Showstopper timing will separate competent raiders from highlight-reel players. Treat the bot partner like a temporary power weapon cooldown — burn it on trash packs and you will hate the next Alpha-adjacent encounter.
Physical vs digital — which should you buy?
Digital wins if you want to play tonight and do not care about the box. Physical wins if you collect Switch 2 spines, share a cartridge across a household, or prefer a shelf copy while digital storefronts keep consolidating. The $10 US premium on physical is the usual Nintendo tax — not a special Raiders markup.
Collectors chasing the Deep Cut amiibo triple-pack should buy the figures for the display first and cosmetics second. Nintendo's history with amiibo is "cosmetics day one, maybe more later" — do not expect a locked raid behind an NFC scan. If the eShop is busy at launch, the physical edition is also the reliable backup when digital download queues stall.
What should you do on launch day?
- Buy digital if you want to play tonight — $49.99 eShop, no shipping wait.
- Start on Raider difficulty — Tourist if new to ink shooters; Survivalist if Salmon Run Extreme is your comfort zone.
- Invite one friend for local wireless first — test power scaling before online lobbies.
- Grab Deep Cut amiibo only if you collect — cosmetics are nice, not required for completion.
- Read Deep Cut's Island Misadventures on Nintendo Today! if you want story context before the storm hits.
- If you also play fighters today, Avatar Legends launches the same date — budget your weekend.
Caveats
- Switch 2 only — no Switch 1 version announced.
- Online needs NSO — budget the subscription if co-op is the pitch.
- Day-one patches — large Nintendo launches often ship a day-one update; install before long sessions.
- Not a ranked replacement — if you only want competitive Turf War, stay on Splatoon 3.
- Day-one online queues — expect matchmaking hiccups in the first 24 hours on popular stages; solo raids still work offline.
Related reading
- Dinoblade — viral Spinosaurus soulslike launches on Steam
- Halo: Campaign Evolved early access — Premium unlocks July 23
- Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game — July 23 roster and price
- Mario Kart Wiicompiled — Wii preservation on PC
- Top 10 friendslop games in 2026
- The PlayStation disc ban — why Nintendo cartridges still matter
- Nintendo AU: Splatoon Raiders launches today
- Nintendo US store — Splatoon Raiders
Pricing, modes, and amiibo details are accurate as of publication (July 23, 2026). Check your regional Nintendo eShop for local prices, download sizes, and day-one patch notes before a long raid session.