• Nintendo has announced a new Splatoon spin-off game called Splatoon Raiders
• The game is launching exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 but doesn't have a release date yet
• Splatoon 3 is also getting a free update for Switch and Switch 2, with the latter getting some visual improvements

Nintendo has announced Splatoon Raiders, the first-ever spin-off game in the Splatoon series, and it's releasing exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2.

The surprise game reveal didn't come from a new Nintendo Direct showcase, but rather a 'Research Report from Squid Research Lab' YouTube video.

Not much was shown in the announcement aside from a brief teaser trailer and a glimpse of gameplay that shows the player's Inkling exploring a new setting called the Spirhalite Islands.

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Nintendo has also offered a brief description of the game via its official website, which reads, "in the role of a mechanic, players will go on an adventure in the mysterious Spirhalite Islands alongside the splat-tacular Deep Cut trio."

Splatoon Raiders is still in development, and there's no release date yet. Hopefully, we'll hear more about the game during the next Nintendo Direct, whenever that might be.

In addition the reveal of the new game, Nintendo has confirmed that a free update for Splatoon 3 is coming to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 this week on June 12.

The update will feature the Splatlands collection, consisting of 30 new weapon kits from the Barazushi and Emberz brands. These new additions, which are based on previous weapons, offer fresh looks with different sub and special weapons.

The Urchin Underpass stage from the original Splatoon game on Wii U is also returning and will be added to the stage rotation.

All weapon Freshness caps will be raised with the update, too, and players can earn new in-game Badges.

A new stat will also be added for Anarchy Battle (Series) called Series Weapon Power, which tracks players' effectiveness per weapon based on their win/loss ratio in battles, and then matches them with players of a similar power.

"This makes it possible for players to try new weapons without being disadvantaged and push the limits their favorite weapons," Nintendo explained.

While all these features will be added across both Switch and Switch 2, Switch 2 players can also expect a performance update that will offer detailed visuals and a smoother appearance in locations like Splatsville and the Grand Festival Grounds.

With Splatoon 3's Switch 2 update, Nintendo has also confirmed that players can play together across Switch and the new console.

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