Splatoon Raiders launches in July, but the single-player Switch 2 exclusive leaves a mysterious gap in Nintendo's 2026 line-up

Nintendo has released a new trailer for Splatoon Raiders, confirming the single-player spin-off game is launching on July 23, 2026.

Almost a year ago, in June 2025, Nintendo used its Nintendo Today app to announce a new game for the first time – a mysterious Splatoon deserted island game exclusive for Switch 2, titled Splatoon Raiders. And since then, Nintendo has dropped tons of info about the game, like… well, nothing actually. But despite missing the last Nintendo Direct and not even having an app update to go on, the game recently got a fresh age rating, suggesting something was on the horizon.

And today, Nintendo continued its trend of dropping random bits of news out of nowhere – like it did earlier this month by announcing Rhythm Heaven Groove's release date – and a new Splatoon Raiders trailer arrived, confirming the release date alongside a new gameplay trailer.

Splatoon Raiders launches July 23rd! (Nintendo Switch 2) - YouTube

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The trailer shows your created character hanging out on the mysterious Spirhalite Islands with Splatoon 3's Deep Cut – consisting of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man – as they try to survive and scour the island for treasure. The trailer description calls it a "single-player focused Splatoon game," while the trailer itself shows the character crafting weapons and items, seemingly implying that we're looking at some survival elements.

The trailer also shows your enemies on this adventure will be the Salmonoids from the series' Salmon Run mode, and that you'll be able to team up with the members of Deep Cut in battle as they pilot a mech tank.

Interestingly, however, that's a second game Nintendo has confirmed for July this month, and with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book releasing in May, it leaves the Switch 2's June line-up suspiciously empty. With rumors of a brand new Star Fox apparently being announced and released this summer, as well as Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave set to release this year, maybe there's a chance we see one of those in June.

Maybe some N64 games are better left forgotten, but don't tell that to the reconstituted Star Fox studio seemingly teasing a Buck Bumble revival.