Splatoonis one of Nintendo’s most recent IPs, but it quickly made a name for itself. Following the original game’s launch on Wii U in 2015,Splatoon 2released on Switch in July 2017, and theInklings make appearances in crossover titles likeSuper Smash Bros. UltimateandMario Kart 8 Deluxe. While many were surprised to seeSplatoon 3announced given Nintendo could have kept producing content for its predecessor, moreSplatoonwas inevitable based on the franchise’s success.
There doesn’t appear to be a lot of unique new content coming inSplatoon 3, despite being an enumerated sequel rather thanDLC likeSplatoon 2’s Octo Expansion.Splatoon 3features a new setting called the Splatlands, story content, multiplayer maps, and abilities, as one would expect from this kind of multiplayer shooter. However, there doesn’t appear to be a new game mode akin toSplatoon 2’s Salmon Run. Hopefully this lean focus on improving the existing formula meansSplatoon 3will avoid the stigma of incomplete content that has plagued other Nintendo outings in recent years.
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Post-Launch Content in Nintendo’s Multiplayer Games
The shooter genre was something of a predecessor to the modern live-service format. Activision’sCall of Dutyfranchise is just one example in which developers supplied ongoing support through weekly map and mode rotations, but titles likeEpic Games’Fortnitehave taken it a step further by evolvingtheir contents to ensure fans can play forever. BothSplatoongames have fit the prior formula well, but other Nintendo releases struggle to strike the right balance.
Many sports games in particular have gotten flak.Super Mariotitles includingMario Tennis Aces,Mario Golf: Super Rush, andMario Strikers: Battle Leaguereceived less-than stellar reviewsfor their post-launch support models. All three were undoubtedly polished at a mechanical level, some would even argue they’re among the best of their respective series. However, a dearth of content meant there was hardly a reason to keep playing, which dropped off player numbers in games where there was little beyond competing online.
Part of the issue is that new additions often feel like content from the base game that got pushed to hit a release deadline, or so Nintendo can create hype for the introduction of characters likeDaisy inMario Strikers. Mario’s sports games aren’t the only offenders, asNintendo Switch Sportssimilarly announced post-launch additions such as golf before the title hit shelves. One could argue this mentality even hit popular games likeAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, which received criticism for re-implementing content from older entries and little more for months after release.
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Splatoon 3 Should Seek the Right Balance
As a multiplayer-focused shooter,Splatoon 3needs to avoid the woes of its contemporaries. Its rotating selection of Turf War maps, Salmon Run content, and narrative that hopefully takes cues from the Octo Expansion rather than the standard Octo Canyon should give it a head-start with diversity. But Nintendo should avoid putting out huge new modes and other features so close to launch that they feel like delays rather than fresh additions.
PastSplatoongames featured a lot of post-launch content, from new weapon types and gear with different skills to unique stages and game modes - such asSplatoon 2’s Clam Blitz mode released in December 2017. However, these additions were small and doled out consistently, so they typically felt like reasons to keep playing and adapting one’s strategies rather than a static sports game trying to keep itself relevant after drying out.Splatoon 3is bringing back all basic weapons, so it has a good baseline to build upon.
Ultimately there’s nothing wrong with post-launch content; everyone wants a reason to keep playing something they enjoy, and the modern era of updates and patches can facilitate that.DLC content like Octo Expansionis among the best-regarded stuff inSplatoon 2, and it released nearly a year after the base game. Yet Nintendo titles - particularly with brand names likeSuper MarioorSplatoon- are a serious $60 investment, so they should be content complete at launch to ensure early investors get as much value as those coming in for the sixth or seventh Splatfest.
