Splatoon 4 Speculation Heats Up as Nintendo Confirms End of Splatoon 3 Support

The Grand Festival Splatfest is the last major event for Splatoon 3.

By Marc Deschamps

Two years after its release, Nintendo has confirmed that regular updates will come to an end for Splatoon 3. Over the weekend, the Grand Festival event took place in the game, offering an extended Splatfest that featured all seven of the idols from the series, and a theme of Past, Present, and Future. Going into the event, there was heavy speculation about whether this would be the last big Splatfest in Splatoon 3, and that has now been confirmed by Nintendo in a post on X/Twitter. However, fans can still expect to see returning themes, and occasional updates for weapons "as needed." 

"After 2 INK-credible years of Splatoon 3, regular updates will come to a close. Don't worry! Splatoween, Frosty Fest, Spring Fest, and Summer Nights will continue with some returning themes," the post from Nintendo reads.

Nintendo has yet to confirm plans for a fourth Splatoon game, but the post from Nintendo has generated all kinds of speculation among fans. It's likely that Nintendo is now shifting resources to begin work on Splatoon 4, and many are looking for clues connected to the Grand Festival event. The final major Splatfest usually has some kind of impact on the following Splatoon game, and fans are determined to find out what it might be this time! 

2025 will mark the 10th anniversary of the original Splatoon, and the series has performed well for Nintendo over the last decade. The first game launched on Wii U, a system that sold quite poorly around the world. Despite this, the game managed to sell 4.95 million copies, spawning two sequels on Nintendo Switch. Splatoon 2 did not launch alongside the current Switch, but it did come out just a few months after. That proved to be a smart decision on Nintendo's part, as the game went on to sell more than 13.6 million copies. 

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With a Switch successor seemingly launching in 2025, Splatoon 4 might be one of the safest bets for the new system. There are many things we don't know yet about the so-called "Switch 2" but rumors have suggested an announcement for the system could happen as early as this month. 

Do you think Splatoon 4 will happen next year? Are you excited for Nintendo's next console? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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