Splatoon 4 is coming, Nintendo producer basically confirms

Nintendo producer Seita Inoue has all but confirmed that Splatoon 4 is in the future — while explaining why the next release, Splatoon Raiders, is a spin-off rather than a numbered sequel.

In Nintendo's Ask the Developer series, Inoue was asked directly why Raiders is a spin-off instead of Splatoon 4. His answer: Nintendo wanted to create "something with a slightly different approach to gameplay" and "a new entry point into the series." He also confirmed that Nintendo will "continue to develop competitive gameplay going forward" — the clearest signal yet that a proper Splatoon 4 is planned. Inoue pointed to the PvE Salmon Run mode from Splatoon 2 and 3, plus the single-player story modes across all three mainline games, to argue the franchise "isn't just about competitive play." He also noted the series has been "going full speed ahead for over 11 years," with three titles developed and updated along the way.

Splatoon 3 launched in 2022 and was a major sales hit on Switch, so a fourth mainline entry on Switch 2 was already an easy prediction. Inoue's comments make it feel less like speculation and more like a matter of when. Raiders itself is shaping up well — GameSpot's review calls it "loads of fun" with a single-player campaign "much more satisfying than its past attempts to inject a story campaign into the main games."

Splatoon Raiders launches on Switch 2 on July 23. With a well-reviewed spin-off arriving now and a competitive sequel effectively teased, the franchise looks healthier heading into the Switch 2 era than it has at any point since launch.