Nintendo Mentions Splatoon 4 While Explaining Why Splatoon Raiders Is a Spin-Off

Nintendo has addressed one of the biggest questions from Splatoon fans: why is the next game Splatoon Raiders instead of Splatoon 4?

In a new Ask the Developer interview, Splatoon producer Seita Inoue explained that Nintendo chose to make Splatoon Raiders as a spin-off because the team wanted to explore a different style of gameplay. However, he also confirmed that competitive gameplay will continue to be an important part of the Splatoon series.

Nintendo Wanted to Create Something Different

During the interview, Nintendo was asked directly why Splatoon Raiders was created as a spin-off instead of a new mainline entry.

Inoue explained that the team wanted to create "something with a slightly different approach to gameplay" and provide a new way for players to experience the Splatoon universe.

Rather than replacing the main series, Splatoon Raiders gives Nintendo a chance to explore new ideas while keeping the world and characters that fans already know.

Nintendo has also shared more details about how Splatoon Raiders was created and what makes this spin-off different from previous games.

Competitive Splatoon Gameplay Will Continue

While Splatoon Raiders takes the series in a different direction, Nintendo confirmed that competitive gameplay is not going away.

Inoue said the team will continue developing competitive gameplay in the future, reassuring fans who enjoy the online battles that made Splatoon popular.

Nintendo did not officially announce Splatoon 4, but mentioning the game during the interview shows that the idea of a future mainline sequel remains part of the conversation.

Splatoon Has Always Had More Than Multiplayer

Nintendo also pointed out that Splatoon has never been only about competitive battles.

Previous games included story campaigns and cooperative modes like Salmon Run, giving players different ways to enjoy the series.

According to the development team, Splatoon Raiders follows this idea by focusing on a different type of experience instead of traditional multiplayer matches.

What Fans Can Expect Next

At the moment, Nintendo has not revealed a release date, trailer, or official details for Splatoon 4.

The latest comments are not a confirmation that the game is currently in development, but they do show that Nintendo still sees competitive Splatoon gameplay as an important part of the franchise's future.

For now, fans can look forward to Splatoon Raiders as a new adventure while waiting for more information about where the series goes next.