Nintendo first teased the release of Splatoon 3 during its February 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation, and with the release of a trailer in April 2022, the company confirmed it would be released exclusively for the Switch on Sept. 9, 2022.

This is the third installment in the Splatoon franchise, which was first introduced to Nintendo players in 2015 when it was released for Wii U. The second Splatoon title hit the Nintendo Switch in 2017, solidifying it as a console staple. The Inkling characters were even added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018, memorializing the characters alongside Nintendo classics like the Mario brothers, Ganondorf, and Samus.