Splatoon 3 remains an active live game heading into the end of 2026, with seasonal Splatfests, new weapons, and merchandise lines still rolling out. The most recent story is a community tournament stream, not a Nintendo announcement: Niji Spla DREAM MATCH, a spinoff of Niji Ika Matsuri 2026, aired on November 4.
Splatoon 3 in 2026 is a game kept moving by events and merchandise rather than by new modes. Twitch viewership rose sharply in June, placing the game near long-running PC titles like League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2, and the surge was linked to community tournaments and in-game events running toward the July 23 release of Splatoon Raiders on Nintendo Switch 2. The game was approaching its fourth anniversary at that point.
The two titles are now connected in both directions. A PET Shooter Replica weapon came to Splatoon 3, reproducing the weapon from Splatoon Raiders, with performance matching the Splattershot Collab, Splat Bomb as sub and Triple Tornado as special. Obtaining it requires save data from a cleared Splatoon Raiders main story, plus a future update. Separately, Coro Coro Comics announced a Splatoon Raiders manga for its July 15 issue, drawn by Sankichi Hinodeya, who also wrote and drew the Splatoon and Splatoon 3: Splatlands manga.
In-game, Nintendo scheduled Splatoween for 48 hours from 9:00 a.m. on October 31 to 9:00 a.m. on November 2, with the theme "Which would you choose for a fantasy world? Wizard vs. Knight vs. Ninja." The Summer Nights festival ran August 22 to August 24. Merchandise ran on a parallel track: Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Volume 3 launched August 22 at 750 yen per draw, with a Splattershot light as the A prize and a 50 cm Squid Bunker plush as the B prize. Community play continued into November, when Niji Spla DREAM MATCH streamed on November 4 ahead of the Niji Ika Matsuri 2026 main tournament on November 7 and 8.
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Kei Nagao hosts Niji Spla DREAM MATCH, a Splatoon 3 spinoff of Niji Ika Matsuri 2026, on November 4 at 20:00 with Fuwa Minato, Harusaki Air, Sasaki Saku, Igarashi Rika, Sakura Ritsuki, Hanabatake Chaika and Mikoto Koto. Chaika substitutes for Kohaku Todo, who Nagao said is sitting out due to poor health. The main tournament runs November 7 and 8 with 96 livers on 24 teams.
Nintendo announced on September 25 that Splatoon 3 will hold its Halloween Splatfest, Splatoween, for 48 hours from 9:00 a.m. on October 31 to 9:00 a.m. on November 2. The theme is "Which would you choose for a fantasy world? Wizard vs. Knight vs. Ninja." Players pick one of the three sides for Splatfest battles, and the city takes on a Halloween atmosphere. Splatoween is one of the game's seasonal Splatfests.
BANDAI SPIRITS revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Volume 3, launching August 22 at Seven-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, and Nintendo TOKYO/OSAKA/KYOTO/FUKUOKA. The A prize is a Splattershot Light that shines ink-shaped beams in the dark, with a 50 cm Squid Bunker plush as B prize and an 80 cm version in the Double Chance Campaign. Draws cost 750 yen.
Bandai Spirits will release Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Volume 3 from August 22, 2026, at Seven-Eleven, Ito Yokado, Nintendo TOKYO/OSAKA/KYOTO/FUKUOKA, and other stores. The lottery's A-Prize is a Splat Shooter light that projects an ink-shaped beam, while the B-Prize is a 50cm Squid Bunker plush. The Last One Prize is a Smallfry donburi bowl, and a Double Chance Campaign offers an 80cm Big Squid Bunker.
Bandai Spirits revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Third Wave, a no-loser prize lottery themed on the Nintendo shooter. Prizes include an ink-shooting Splattershot light, a 50cm Inkling cushion, a Gachi Hoko tote bag, a Salmon Run gold egg laundry net, and more. The lottery launches August 22, 2026, at 750 yen per draw.
Nintendo announced on August 14 that a new weapon, the PET Shooter Replica, will be added to Splatoon 3 for the Nintendo Switch. The weapon reproduces the PET Shooter that appears in the spin-off title Splatoon Raiders. Its performance matches the Splattershot Collab, with the Splat Bomb as the sub weapon and Triple Tornado as the special weapon. The PET Shooter Replica is scheduled to be implemented ahead of the Summer Nights festival, which runs from August 22 to August 24. To obtain it, players must apply a future update and have save data that has cleared the main story of Splatoon Raiders. The weapon is not tied to the festival, so players who meet the save data condition can receive it from the lobby terminal at any time after implementation. The announcement also noted that gear distributed during past Summer Nights events remains available through the in-game news feature, the Squid Research Lab, by launching Splatoon 3 from the relevant news articles.
Nintendo's Splatoon 3, approaching its fourth anniversary, has seen a sharp rise in Twitch viewership, placing it alongside long-running hits like League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2. The surge is linked to upcoming community tournaments and in-game events leading to the July release of Splatoon Raiders on Nintendo Switch 2.