During today's Splatoon 3-themed Nintendo Direct, we found out when Splatfests are making their grand return.
On 27th August at 9am PDT, you'll be able to take part in the Splatoon 3: Splatfest World Premiere demo and join the game's first official Splatfest! You'll need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to participate. The demo will be available to download on the eShop on 18th August, with certain parts playable from 25th, so you can get a little bit of practice in before the big match.
These themed contests involve picking a side and taking on the opposing teams to try and cover as much of the stage in your colour as possible. They're pretty much the same as Splatoon 2's, except with three colours and three teams.
The first round is a standard 4v4 match-up. In the second round, which is a 4-v-2-v-2 face-off, the team that's in the lead will have four players, while the two trailing teams will have two each and try and make the leader's lives difficult. So it's basically even more chaotic.
This first Splatfest will make you pick between teams Rock, Paper, or Scissors — so choose wisely! The event starts at 9am PDT and goes on until 9pm PDT on 27th August, but you'll be able to pick your side before then.
Let us know what team you'll be going for in our poll!
Are you excited for the pre-release Splatfest? Let us know in the comments!
Comments 53
Yesssss! I can’t wait to give this game a shot!
I'm always excited for these demos. Tricolor turf wars are such a great idea. I can't wait for the chaos.
I generally don't bother with demos, and I need no convincing to buy the game, but I can't say no to a good ol' Splatfest.
I'm really trying to get hype, but it still feels like S2 w expansion DLC. The 3 color Turf War looks cool though. Hopefully that isn't just for Splatfests. I hope they add more new battle modes that outshine the same old. The locker is kinda cool, but would love to have an apartment/base. Salmon Run just makes me want to play Turf as a Salmonoid now.
Splatfests have always been a highlight of the Splatoon experience for me, so I'll definitely jump in for a few rounds!
Will be my first Splatoon game, I am so hyped for the release.
See, it's clever because it not only opens up wide possibilities for new Splat Fest themes, but you can do stuff like a competition between Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly for the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Violet release.
Were there any new modes? My stream broke a lot of times.
I can’t wait to fight and win for the one true option, Team Paper!
Tricolor is 4-v-2-v-2? That's... extremely strange. Or a typo.
Demo is cool, but I just love how the Direct spent a whole ten seconds on the game’s story mode. Not!
WHERE ARE MY GIRLS??
Don't get me wrong, the new group looks fantastic, but it's super odd to me that they would confirm that Rina Itou and Alice Peralt are still under contract and making music, then show not only a new set of hosts but be completely open about The Squid Sisters returning, while avoiding any mention of Pearl and Marina.
Nintendo has also confirmed that TWO groups from Splatoon are doing a live concert at Nintendo Live in October, so it's going to be really interesting to see who is actually going to be there. Here's hoping I win the lottery and can go (that's not hyperbole ... you have to win a lotto to get tickets). Generally they use these live concerts to move the "plot" forward, so regardless of who is actually on stage I'm sure we'll find out what's going on.
@HeadPirate It looked like Pearl and Marina will be part of the paid DLC at the very least.
Would help if I added the poll when I say "Vote in the poll"!
@Bret Just double-checked and it is 4v2v2 - The team that's ahead in the first round will have four players in the second round, and the other two teams will just have two. I'll make that clearer in the post!
I’m calling it now. The last Splatfest will be Squid Sisters v Off the Hook v Deep Cut. I love all of them though!
@HeadPirate
Not a direct mention, per se, but the silhouettes pitching the large scale paid DLC looked like Pearl and Marina.
Excited for the Splatfest and its theme kind of made me chuckle a bit.
To answer the question that was asked again at the end of the live chat about whether or not this game should exist as its own game or as additional content to Splatoon 2, I think it really comes down to your own opinion. After watching that Direct, I think enough time has passed, and content is being added to justify a new game. I mean, I personally don't know enough about game design and how easy it is to change the complexion of a game in a way some of these changes will do.
So some with far more experience in that could probably answer whether or not it would have been easier and worth it to add these features to Splatoon 2 or if a new game had to be made.
By the way, I love Deep Cut already. Seems like they'll carry on the tradition created and refined by Squid Sisters and Off the Hook, respectively.
This game really wasn’t necessary 💀 especially when more than 80% of the direct just covers what’s already in splatoon 2
@TrixieSparkle @BenAV
Yeah, true dat. I know someone who is working on this and while they can't and haven't told me a damn thing, just the way the hiring went and the type of people they moved over from other projects made me think their was going to be a much larger, perhaps even "open world" story mode with RPG elements (basically they added a lot of people with that type of experience and skill set, while the initially hiring focused heavily on esport). So maybe they highlighted the "huge" paid DLC because it's going to be a solo mode focused on them?
Nothing but baseless speculation, but hey, a guy can hope.
If they made this a 5 team event and added Lizard and Spock, I would've picked either one of those two. 🦎✋
I choose paper. I think it’s more unexpected than the other two signs because whenever I play it I get the impression many people are tempted to go for scissors or rock.
I already love Deep Cut. Frye looks like a cute Arabian Dancer, Shiver has cool geisha vibes similar to Marie, and Big Man is just a big manta ray, but I like that anthropomorphic fish have more visible roles in this game than just shopkeepers and out-of-sight bands.
The customization options are through the roof in 3. Way more than just adding new gear as per usual. But 3 months is a really long time between new drops (or should I say, drip?). I’m bummed we got repeating 2 stages as I never thought they were as strong as 1’s designs. But bringing Hammerhead Bridge, Museum d’Alfonsino, and what looks like a tease for Flounder Heights makes me happy as they’re some of my favorite maps from 1. I can’t wait to try out the Stringer and Splatana, even though I’m a Slosher main, but I really need to see the kits. No doubt there’s a Splatana paired with Zipcaster kit, that should go without saying. And I’m glad people can finally get into battles with their friends, on the same team, online. It’s been asked for way too long.
"You'll need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to participate."
Not exactly a free demo then is it? =P
Rock: So uncivilized.
Paper: You underestimate my power!
Scissors: A more elegant weapon for a more civilized age.
Not playing this one...
The three team battle looks super fun, I'm happy they changed it so it's not just turf battles over and over again. Team rock all the way though.
Good old rock, nothing beats that!
Great idea. I'm into it!.
I may pick Paper for splatfest, because neon yellow looks awesome.
Everyone has a right to picking which team they want unless it's anything but scissors in which case I'm sorry but you're just objectively wrong
Thanks for clarifying that it's a demo by the way! The way they announced it made it seem like you had to have the game in order to access it so this puts me greatly at ease. Bring on August 27th baby!
@AlanaHagues Whoa, weird. I'll have to watch the direct to get a clearer picture of how that works!
im very happy with what ive seen. tho the new modes we got are pretty mild (1v1 card battle and seasonal tri-color turf war) this game is looking as packed as ever. new weapon kits and customization sets alone keep the game as fresh as ever for me
also team scissor cause big man is a good boy
@ninoishi It's bigger, has more modes, weapons and bigger areas. If that is the case then the new GOW is glorified DLC. No, that isn't the case.
@michellelynn0976 with all due respect, Splatoon 2 added new modes, weapons and stages in free updates and DLC…
Very curious about the "certain parts playable as of the 25th" part of that disclaimer
Tough crowd to please! Looking like Splatoon 2 had more of a negative effect on the series? I guess ppl are looking for a completely new game at this point
@ninoishi So? That is what sequels do. With all due respect, that is shockingly how sequels work.
@Rainz No, some people are just here to be negative.
I don't like the look of the splat lands at all, it loses that weird Tony hawk+marine biology aesthetic I love. However some of the new maps look so great and definitely do match it, it looks like I'm gonna be back into splatoon
I dunno. maybe scissors because it colored red...
I have no opinion on which is better in Rock Paper Scissors.
It has been so long since the last Splatfest. I can't wait!
Nice for those who are still into this series. As for me I'm just not interested in Splatfests anymore and Idk they always seemed rigged to me anyway plus getting matched up against people on your own side was dumb too.
@Rainz Pretty much. I'm glad people are looking forward to this though. I've been playing since the first game and honestly so far Splatoon 3 doesn't offer anything new and I still know absolutely nothing about the story either. Not a good look tbh.
@michellelynn0976
Yea it definitely seems that way, lots of unnecessary Splatoon hate I’ve noticed! You just can’t please em all!
@RubyCarbuncle
I’m a Splatoon 1 vet as well, I get why some are slightly upset with how Splatoon 2 turned out but Splatoon 3 does appear to offer a ton of new features and options. Not sure why some are treating this like it’s some annualized FIFA, Madden or COD rehash with a new cover ? Splatoon 3 seems like it’s shaping up to be what ppl expected from Splatoon 2. Splatoon formula works perfectly fine there’s no need to reinvent the wheel here
Team Shiver! Definitely trying out the demo, and as someone who's never played a Splatoon game before, I'm excited to try out a Splatfest!
I'm in for the demo, but leave the Jankenpon to Alex Kidd.
stop calling this a sequel it's not a sequel when it's the third installment of the series lol
I like that they've gone to three-way splatfests now. Should more evenly distribute players, versus older games where one of the options was usually significantly more popular.
@Rainz I know. Believe me, I know where most of them come from.
Well I may be skipping this game regardless I might as well give it a try since its free.
Finally, a Splatoon demo. I can give this game a go at last.
@RushDawg poor predictable Bart, always chooses Rock...
From 1121 votes, 41% went to Rock, 22% went to Paper and 34% went to Scissors (only 3% went to nothing). If this result is realistic then I think I'm going to choose Paper in the event. I want the team with least amount of players so it'll be more likely to find an opponent, right? In other Splatfests I've too often had to play against my own team because there wasn't enough players available for matchmaking in the opposing team.
EDIT: According to my calculations, if Paper is evenly matchmade against both opposing teams, the Paper will never have to play against itself. The the surplus of Rock and Scissors are matched against each other, and Scissors will always have a Rock team to fight against. Then in the end there will still be 17% of team Rock left to play against each other.
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