Splatoon 3 is getting "large-scale paid DLC" alongside two years of free updates

Splatoon 3 is getting "large-scale paid DLC" at some point after launch alongside a helping of free updates every three months for two years at least. 

Revealed in a special Nintendo Direct earlier today, the "large-scale paid DLC" for Splatoon 3 will be arriving at some point after the game launches on September 9. Right now, details regarding what it entails are thin on the ground, so aside from new Splatoon 3 weapons and Splatoon 3 maps being likely, we don't know when exactly it'll be arriving or what it'll even boast for players.

However, this big paid DLC expansion for a Splatoon game is nothing new. Splatoon 2 received the Octo Expansion DLC well after launch in 2017, and that DLC pack offered a brand new playable campaign for Inklings to tackle, with various puzzle elements to wrap their heads around.

From the looks of things during today's Nintendo Direct presentation, it seems as though the Octo Expansion DLC has had a big impact on Splatoon 3. Namely, we saw various instances of Inklings puzzling their way around courses at various points during the campaign footage, which smacks of Octo Expansion's level design.

That's not all Splatoon 3 will be seeing post-launch, though. As Nintendo revealed elsewhere in the new presentation, there'll be a brand new clothing catalogue for players to peruse and unlock items every three months. There'll also be brand new weapons arriving in the game around the same time.

Right now, Nintendo hasn't shown us anything contained within the planned post-launch content for Splatoon 3. Additionally, the wording is a little vague on when the post-launch weapons could be arriving in the game, so don't always expect them around the same time as the new clothing catalogues arrive. 

Head over to our Splatoon 3 weapons guide for a full look at every new and returning weapon revealed for the sequel so far.