Splatoon Raiders release times by time zone confirmed ahead of Switch 2 launch

Splatoon Raiders, the first spinoff in Nintendo's ink-shooter series, is nearly here. The game drops on Switch 2 and sends players to Salmonid-infested islands on a treasure-hunting mission — a clear departure from the competitive multiplayer the mainline games are known for.

The source article is a release-time guide covering launch times by time zone, along with preload availability on Switch 2. Specific hour-by-hour times were cut off in the provided text, so exact EDT/PDT figures aren't confirmed here — check Nintendo's eShop or the full Polygon guide for your local unlock time.

Splatoon Raiders marks the franchise's first proper spinoff after three mainline entries — Splatoon, Splatoon 2, and Splatoon 3 — all on Nintendo hardware. The shift toward a co-op, exploration-focused structure on Salmonid islands suggests Nintendo is expanding the universe beyond the Turf War formula, similar to how Salmon Run grew from a side mode into a fan favorite.

If preloading is available on Switch 2, grabbing it early means you're ready to drop in the moment servers go live. Keep an eye on the Nintendo eShop for the final confirmation.