One In Two Japanese Switch Owners Have A Copy Of Splatoon 2

Free updates, an improved campaign and a stellar marketing push from Nintendo has certainly paid off. Still adore this game <3

I don't believe it. I'd believe BOTW more than it!

That's a crazy attach ratio.

@BenAV Pretty subjective opinion there But it IS a great first party game. Just short of being a masterpiece, an issue which could've been remedied by removing timegates, letting you play with your friends in turf war (on the same team without rng) and taking the competitive scene seriously by adding anticheat.

Without these things, it's just a great game riddled by issues. Which certainly means it is NOT the greatest first party game on Switch, objectively speaking

INKredible! Splatoon 2 was the first console game to hit two million physical sales in Japan for a long time... I believe it will hit 3 million. It's literally just a matter of time.

Well deserved.

I definitely think it's the best Switch-exclusive game on the system. Mechanically ingenious, aesthetically intoxicating, stuffed with variety and still growing. Everything is outstanding, even down to the ridiculous in-game bands and their punky-ass music.

To me it's an absolute masterpiece.

@GameOtaku

What? It's a fact, not opinion.

Best game I have on my Switch so far, so Im not surprised in the least. The game has everything I could possibly want - can't really see any way for it to improve at all. Though I wouldn't be adverse to them buffing Inkrain's special.

@BenAV But... They ARE issues. Timegating prevents you from playing the way YOU want to, doing content which YOU enjoy. Not being able to play with your friends is just ludicrous in 2018. Why would I want to party up with a friend if I was gonna play AGAINST them? I mean that defeats the entire point really. The only positive thing about that would be that we'd be guaranteed to be in the same match but potentially having one of us on a losing streak while the other goes on a winning streak, defeating any notion of mutual fun.

You simply cannot have gone 815 hours (unless barely any of those were in multiplayer ranked, or you're really low ranked) without facing a hacker. You might not have noticed, but they're pretty common, especially around S-X ranks, and they often try to cheat as humanely as possible, like taking extra hits to die instead of being invincible, so the average player thinks they might just be lagging, or auto-aiming with a sniper where most people would just write it off as player-skill. Then there are the show-offs who blatantly go immortal or oneshot everyone, change the map or models, modify weapons and such. A lot of cheaters basically.

That's 50 : 50.
50% = Loves Splatoon 2
Another 50% = Likes other Switch games.
I am in Another 50% Category (Not interested with Splatoon).

@BenAV Design choices can be good... And they can be bad.

These are bad design choices. I'm guessing you don't prefer to play on the same team as your friends if they aren't issues for you. Well, many people prefer exactly that. It's an issue. There's no reason why they can't do it. They could even just make it a toggle. Randomized or play WITH your friend and not AGAINST them. Heck, even one to constantly make you pop on opposite teams would be neat.

Now THAT would be great design. This... is bad design. You're forced into a situation that is unheard of in current shooters.

And yeah, running into a hacker doesn't necessarily ruin the game or make you think "wait, this was unfair". But from time to time, they do ruin the game pretty hard. As long as we get anticheat, that's solved I guess

Heha, nice to see how Splatoon 2 is very popular. Great game. ^^

@BenAV I believe you said it pretty well BenAV. Those are design choices that work well for Splatoon 2. Not everyone is going to agree with them, but it doesn't hinder the gameplay in the slightest.

Also, I haven't really notice much in the hacking/cheater department. Either they aren't really noticeable or they were just really bad at it.

@Blizzia 1st: to the hacking/cheating, you seem to be VERY unlucky with that. I have yet to encounter anyone like that while playing online.

2nd: The way turf war mix and matches the players every match works rather well. Since most of the time you playing with the same group of friends/randoms anyway, allowing the game to mix and match the players works very well. Makes it so the same team comp. isn't seen all the time. If you want that, you play league mode, where that is actually a thing. Or if your that set on a friend's only game, you play private mode. Where you can easily set the rules to how you like.

@Shade_Koopa Guess I need a recharging session with Lady Luck then xD

You can say what you want about the turf war mixing, but it depends entirely on the player. We are MANY who take great issue with this, because it forces people into private matches which are a pure waste of time due to them not yielding anything like XP and currency. It's a design choice... But it's a bad one.

As you said, league mode is a choice... IF you want to play ranked. Out the door that goes.

So we're still left with no way for friends to enjoy playing WITH each other and not AGAINST each other without removing any incentive from playing the game (aka ALL rewards).

Private mode? Well that means playing only with and against friends, AND forgoing rewards. Not suitable either.

See where I'm going with this? Bad. Design. See, this wouldn't even be an issue if you implemented something as simple as what I suggested: A setting.

Let people queue up for Turf war with a setting letting them always get teamed with their friend (could limit it to two people for all I care, it's turf war, not ranked)... Or a setting that always puts them on the opposite teams. Or maybe the third option, which is what we have now, the randomizer.

See? That would be GREAT game design. You give the players a choice so that they can play the way they want to. You can still place restrictions like this, while making the user experience that much better.

@Syrek24 Thank, another point well put. And Splatoon 2 is doing well outside of Japan.

@Blizzia heha, you appear to be in the minority that see this as a bad design flaw. Whether on the same team or not, you ARE playing with friends. The fact that your not on the same team all the time is irrelevant. Splatoon may not be the game for you if your going nitpick over something so minor. Unless an update changes this (which is unlikely), you need to adapt and accept this how the Turf War Matchmaking works. Either that or move on to another game. Simple as that.

Japan loves shooters confirmed.

Splatoon 2 is my favourite game on Switch. I have lost over 450 hours of my life to it.

@Blizzia
I don't mind the going up against friends part but the trouble I have to go through to play with friends is ridiculous. I prefer to play alone because of it.

@BenAV What bout botw?

Well, that's 2.5 million people who destroy me in Splatoon 2. Booyah! I mean, ouch.

@Bliquid I just said he was in the minority on this. I don't believe I said or even implied he was wrong. It be relevant otherwise. There are plenty of choices on ways to play with your friends in Splatoon 2. That fact that he's doesn't like how it works is his own problem.

@Shade_Koopa But there aren't. There are no choices to play with your friends if you A) Don't want it to be ranked and serious or B) Don't want to play against AI, but actual players or C) Don't want to lose rewards just because the people who designed the game are too stupid to see how detrimental that is to a player's motivation towards playing.

There are no choices. Also, another issue is that of League battle actually being gated behind solorank. Not good at soloranking? You can't play with your friends in League. How's that for game design.

You keep saying that there are these options, and that no matter which team you're on, you're playing WITH your friends. But you aren't. If you're on opposite teams, you're against each other. Whether you like it or not, this is fact. If you're on opposite teams, you're not winning or losing together. One is losing and the other is winning. Sure, half the time you might both be losing or winning, but that's half the time you're having fun. People like to say they don't have enough time in the world. Well, I don't have time to spend 50% of my Splatoon 2 time not having fun. Which is why it is extremely relevant whether you're on the same team. If being against each other isn't fun, then it has relevance. And as someone else said, I'm not necessarily in the minority.

Splatoon is most definitely the game for me, we just need these flaws fixed and it'll be a 10/10 in my book, compared to 8.5/10 now. I like how you call it minor when it's baseline in every other online team shooter in the world. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

Lastly, I do not need to adapt or accept that this is how Turf War Matchmaking works. I need to continuously voice my opinion, as loud and clear as possible, ensuring that my voice is heard, that other people with the same opinion know they aren't alone, that more people might become vocal about this and eventually ensuring Nintendo hears about it and thinks it over again.

Simple as that.

@Obitokamui64 Same, it is a gigantic turn-off.

@Blizzia Each player motivation is different. Just cause you find this stupid doesn't mean everyone else believes it is.

Many games require you to level up or reach a certain point to unlock ranked mode or league play. It is a design in the game, whether you like it or not.

You can only have fun when you on the same team with your friends? That, I find rather dumb. Fun is subjective. The game is still being played by many. Someone must be having fun. It just happens to not be you.

I call it minor because that's how I see. The game is fun to play and that is enough for me. Not every game made is going to be a 10/10 for everyone. That's impractical. Also, I don't really see many team shooter that are like Splatoon. Least not any that are worth mentioning.

IF, and if, Splatoon 2 or later in Splatoon 3 they update the game and change how the matchmaking works, fine. I will gladly eat my own words.
Until then, I will accept the reality that the current matchmaking isn't going to change. We all know how stubborn Nintendo can be when it comes to their first party titles. Just cause you voice something, doesn't mean it will be heard. You don't always get the what you want. That's life. Sad, but true.

@Shade_Koopa Guessing we can go on for all eternity with this:

Yes, each player motivation is different. Just because you don't find this stupid, doesn't mean everyone else agrees with you.

Many games require you to reach a certain point to unlock something. Good design would be unlocking ranked AND league modes at the same point in the game (That being level 10 for Splatoon 2). Bad design would be unlocking soloranked at level 10 but hiding league (essentially what constitutes as playing ranked in a team) behind a much higher bar... When soloranked is actually a much poorer representation of real ranked and teamwork than league is.

So here we are, another point of bad design that could have been better.

You said yourself fun is subjective, so whether you find it dumb that I only want to play WITH my friends when I'm not playing solo and not wasting time playing AGAINST them... Doesn't really matter. Tons of people are having fun... And tons of people aren't having fun. Your problem is you are stuck in your archaic belief that what Nintendo does is the infallible, unchangable law. Yes, they made design choices. Some good, others horribly horribly bad. Bad design choices can be amended because this is 2018 and not 1998.

So how do we keep your archaic belief intact while making the game better for everyone else? We include the options for everybody to enjoy themselves. Whether those are the ones I suggested or something else, it's something so simple that it cannot hurt - and that it still allows you to play your randomized mode if you so wish. It just makes the game better for everyone else, and keeps it just as good as it has always been for you! Win/Win right?

And I agree with you, there are no team shooters like Splatoon. They are all trash compared to this franchise. That's why it's so sad that Splatoon isn't nailing the simplest thing that even all the garbage has managed to get right: Playing with friends.

It's not rocket science that you want to play on the same team when you pair up, that's what people normally want. A randomized mode is a great idea... As long as the normal option is possible too.

And I know all too well how stubborn Nintendo is, but they're not beyond making community-requested changes. And I've had success with my tenacity before when it came to Nintendo, so I'm hopeful for the future. I still send them weekly mails with suggestions, as I have for the past 10 years. Some I've seen implemented, others not. Whether that is my fault or not, I don't really care. I just know that they're not gonna listen if people who want changes don't speak up. That's all.

@Blizzia Pretty much just arguing for the sake of it at this point. Not like I have a life to get back to. Plus, I love seeing prescious snowflakes get triggered. : P

I don't believe I said Nintendo was infallible. They aren't perfect by any means. I just don't see the point of wasting effort into trying to change something when it won't happen. There are plenty of people, such as yourself, that already do that. I rather be in a fight I can win, not a fight I have no chance of winning.

Yes, it's 2018. Your point being...what? We can just snap our fingers and things magically change? It doesn't work that way. Current year argurement doesn't seem to apply.

Also, pretty sure that if you and your friend are in the same lobby, your playing with a friend. Regardless of what team you guys are on, your playing a game together. Your playing with a friend.

@Syrek24

I'm quite positive you've encountered multiple if most of those 300 hours have been spent mainly in multiplayer. You probably just didn't notice, or thought they were really good. That's how it seems most of the time as well.

And I'm quite sure the problem is blown massively out of proportion, don't worry. I just have had some of the worst luck, and not the kind where you go "well that's a funny cheat, haha", but where you kill someone a few times after a few skirmish exchanges and they get mad and become immune to damage, even going so far as taunting you by standing still and taking the hits.

You're entitled to your opinion on the design choices, and I agree, design choices were made. But some of them were extremely bad. Not many, but some. The problem isn't that certain features are present, but that there are no options. Time-gating and map rotations are 100% matters of subjective opinion, but... You can't team up with a friend... And expect to be able to... Actually team up and play... Together?

That's a design choice. And it's horrendous. The randomized mode is great. For people who enjoy that. But there's probably equally as many people who would like to boot up the game, call their friend on Discord (coz almost nobody uses the Splatoon voice chat, lets be honest), team up for some turf matches and have a blast.

Some others might say heck yeah, half our matches we're together, the other half we're blasting paint in each other's faces! And there are probably many who love that. But why can't we just have the OPTION to choose? It's not a ranked mode or anything. It's just "for fun". And with fun as the objective, does it not merit the choice of "same team only / opposite teams only / randomized"?

My main annoyance with Salmon run is that whenever I want to play it, it's down for 24 hours or so xD It pisses me off. Map rotations are a bit of a sour apple for me, since I hate tower control and clam blitz... Leaving often leaving me with 4-hour gaps where I can't enjoy ranked. But I do realize the merit of focusing the modes within specific hours so that everyone who plays ranked has to play them. It shortens queue times to almost nothing, which is great.

I don't know about you, but I always yell "Don't get cooked... Stay off the hook!" during the little intro skit. Needless to say, I enjoy it. A lot. Too much.

@Shade_Koopa

Apparently you don't have a life to get back to It's funny how you now decide to use the term "snowflake". Tells me I hit a nerve. Say whatever you want, it seems you're the one who got triggered

You didn't say Nintendo was infallible, but you argued as if they were. You can't know that something won't change, and therefore effort cannot be deemed "wasteful". Seeing as we've won before, I don't see why we cannot win again. But if you don't want to support positive change, then, you know, don't.

My point with it being 2018 is that unlike back in the olden days, we can patch things and make changes to released products now. This includes changing design choices. I would never dream of suggesting it was as simple as snapping one's fingers, but if you don't make it clear that this is what you want, how do you suppose you're ever going to get it? They made the Octo Expansion. It took time. Who says they can't make changes to the matchmaking system and how they tackle playing with friends? It'll take time. First it'll take time to make them aware. Then it'll take time for them to analyze the situation and decide on a possible solution. Finally, it will take time to decide whether or not they want to pursue this, and if they decide to do that, to develop and implement it. Still means my point stands, they are capable of making the changes if that is what they end up deciding to do (after several thousand pieces of feedback of course).

The terms "With" and "Against" are pretty simple to understand. I'd suggest you look them up if you're in doubt. Just because you're playing the same game, in the same match, while being on voice chat, it doesn't mean you're playing it together. Ultimately the end goals on opposite teams are mutually exclusive.

I know it's also probably an alien concept, but losing just isn't fun most of the time. Even more so when you're not losing with your friend and laughing about it, but they're celebrating victory and you're not. Or vice versa.

@Blizzia Heha, just cause I'm a sadist, doesn't mean I'm triggered. Hell, I wish this would hit a nerve and trigger me. Be a lot more fun. : P

You seem to be doing fine without any support from someone like me. Like I said, plenty of guys wasting the effort already.

Capable of making the change, yes. I would welcome and be very surprised if they did add what you are asking. But just because they can, doesn't mean they will. By the time it does come around, people will have moved on to the next game or thing to enjoy and argue about.

Clearly, we have different ideas of fun when it comes to friends. We love getting the chance to own each other. Just makes us want to play the game more. Sides, it's always satisfying to see or hear the dissapointment or anger when they loose. And funny, can't forget funny. ^^

I'm content with playing the game as is. As do many others. If they make a change, fine. Gladly eat my own words. If not, oh well. At least I won't be annoyed, dissapointed, or angry because I didn't get what I wanted. Cause you sound really pissed off that this "play together" feature isn't in Splatoon.

@Shade_Koopa

Seemed pretty triggered alright

And yeah, I don't need your support, we're plenty making the effort to make Splatoon 2 (or 3 or future titles) better for everyone.

By the time the change does come around (if it does), it might be time for Splatoon 3. But that's not even a bad thing though. That'd just be even more satisfactory, to actually see them making Splatoon 3 with the features I mentioned would be like a huge pat on the back.

Yeah, our definitions of fun greatly vary (with friends), I can see that

I'm not pissed off that it isn't in Splatoon. I'm disappointed. Because it's pretty much the single most common feature at this point... In all other games. Not because it's some "flavor of the month" lame feature, but because it's good. It's the standard. It's what one would expect from a quality product.

Besides, even if I don't get what I want, at least I tried to make a difference

@Blizzia yawns Like I said, I wish I was. But if say so. You CLEARLY seem to know my mental state. Takes one to know one I guess.

I wouldn't really say it's a common features. And even if it is a standard features, Nintendo loves to try and experiment and follow their own standards. Which is a thing I admire about them. They aren't afraid to take risk. The Wii U is a perfect example. It flopped, but an interesting concept.

You tried to make a difference but wasted so much effort in doing so. It's more trouble than it's worth.

Anyway, this argument has lost its touch. I'm getting bored trying to think of what else to say to ya. Plus, I'm sure anyone reading this is finding this either funny and/or stupid. Mostly stupid because I doubt anyone really cares.

If it makes ya feel better, we can say you won and I lost. Winning seem to matter more to you then it does to me. Nothing change while we were talking. shrugs oh well.

@Shade_Koopa I never said I know your mental state. That'll be your assumption.

You can't say it's not common features. They're common. It's fact. Go play any online shooter.

I agree with Nintendo's experiments. I love that they try their own things. But sometimes, they can get a little too experimental. The Wii U would, as you say, be a perfect example. Interesting concept, TERRIBLE execution. The worst part is actually how it felt like they kinda gave up on it after the initial flop. No ads, no nothing.

I haven't wasted any effort. This is all effort well spent. It's not more trouble than it's worth if it improves anything.

With how many carebears there are in the world nowadays, you'll probably find someone who cares. Either way, doesn't matter what others think

I don't know why you seem to be under the impression that this was about winning or losing. That doesn't matter at all. But if it makes you feel like the bigger man, say what you want :3

@Blizzia Don't be naive, it's always about winning and losing. I'm just being the smaller one here. Plus, boredom and lack of interest.

@Shade_Koopa Well OK then