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Splatoon Raiders launches on Switch 2 to split critics
Nintendo released Splatoon Raiders exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 on 23 July 2026. The spin‑off abandons the series’ traditional Turf War multiplayer mode and focuses on a single‑player‑or‑co‑op PvE loop where players battle waves of Salmonids on the Spirhalite Islands. Aggregate scores are 80 on OpenCritic and 81 on Metacritic, but individual reviews are highly polarized. Nintendo Life and IGN gave the title 9/10, praising its variety and replay value, while The Guardian rated it two stars out of five, calling the experience “pedestrian” and lamenting the loss of competitive play. Critics also note that mission design can become repetitive despite strong visuals and smooth framerates enabled by the Switch 2 hardware. Nintendo producer Yoshihiko Ito explained that the game was intended as a stand‑alone experiment to explore non‑competitive gameplay, and that a main‑series sequel (Splatoon 4) remains planned for the future. The mixed reception has sparked fan discussion about the franchise’s direction and the absence of a traditional multiplayer component.
Entities
Nintendo Life · Nintendo Switch 2 · Splatoon Raiders · The Guardian · Yoshihiko Ito
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Splatoon Raiders received aggregate scores of 80 on OpenCritic and 81 on Metacritic. time.news · www.gadgetgear.nl · meeco.kr
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Final Fantasy XIV Online requires 117.2 GB of storage on Nintendo Switch 2.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Nintendo Switch 2 sold 19.86 million units worldwide by 31 March 2026.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Nintendo Switch 2 launched on 5 June 2025.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Nintendo raised the Nintendo Switch 2 MSRP to $499.99 on 1 September 2026.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition released on 30 July 2026 and is about 37.5 GB in size.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] First‑party Switch 2 titles such as Donkey Kong Bananza and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment demonstrate smooth high‑frame‑rate performance with many on‑screen objects.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Splatoon Raiders released exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on 23 July 2026. time.news · www.gadgetgear.nl
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster was discounted to €29.99 on Amazon.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 version size is about 37.5 GB, up from 13.2 GB on the original Switch.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition released on July 30, 2026.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Critics' scores for Splatoon Raiders ranged from 10/10 to 2/5. time.news · www.gadgetgear.nl