TheNintendo Switch 2is finally arriving after years of rampant speculation. Officially revealed this past month, theNintendo Switch 2looks to build on the massive success that the previous Nintendo Switch achieved.
Among several talking points regarding the Switch 2, one major discussion has come in the form of the console’s updated hardware. Naturally, theSwitch 2 is going to be more powerfulthan its predecessor. If it’s true that Nintendo’s new platform will be substantially more powerful, this will be a huge benefit to one of Nintendo’s newest—and most popular—franchises:Splatoon.
Splatoon Could Really Excel On The Switch 2
Bigger Multiplayer Modes Would Aid Splatoon 4
Between Nintendo’s manyfranchises that will surely grace the Switch 2,Splatoonappears to be a title that has a lot of room to grow on the new platform. One of the most notable ways it can grow is in the form of its multiplayer gameplay, arguably the franchise’s biggest hallmark. Most especially,Splatooncould grow on the Switch 2 in a literal sense by upping the number of simultaneous players in its multiplayer modes.
Currently,Splatoon’s online multiplayer gameplay caps off at eight players, offering four-versus-four matches for players. If theSwitch 2 is as powerful as reports suggest, the nextSplatoontitle could go bigger than that, offering anywhere from 16 to 24-player matches. The potential for eight-versus-eight or even 10-versus-10 matches in an upcomingSplatoongame would represent fantastic growth for Nintendo’s premiere online multiplayer franchise.
Nintendo’s Already Growing Their Multiplayer Games On Switch 2
The idea that a newSplatoongame on the Switch 2 could see a growth in its player count is not entirely farfetched, as another Nintendo franchise is already setting such a standard. During the Switch 2’s official unveiling, Nintendo revealedthe next title in theMario Kartfranchise, and the gameplay footage showed 24 characters racing simultaneously. This is a big jump from the standard 12 players that can race in a game in the franchise’s most recent entry,Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
If Nintendo’s aim with the Switch 2 is to grow the gameplay of its many multiplayer-centric games to offer more fun for large groups, the publisher will surely think heavily aboutSplatoonin this initiative. Perhaps the next entry on the Switch 2 could even add some kind of battle royale mode, offering even bigger matches and creating even more paint-based chaos. The possibilitiesfor what a fourth majorSplatoongame could look like on Switch 2 are endless.
The Switch 2’s New Features Will Help Splatoon, Multiplayer Or Not
Even beyond the benefits to multiplayer gameplay, the nextSplatoonentry will definitely take advantage of the other new features that come with the Switch 2. Early reports and a short portion of the Switch 2 reveal trailer suggest that the newJoy-Con controller can be used as a mouse, adding a PC twist to the pre-existing mix of console and handheld gameplay. As a keyboard and mouse set-up is popular in shooter games,Splatoonwill have some extra benefits on the Switch 2 even if the next game doesn’t radically shift multiplayer gameplay.
As it’s been three years since the release ofSplatoon 3,Nintendo is surely planning outSplatoon 4’s releaseas it gets set to release the Switch 2. With this new console offering more powerful hardware, this next entry could be a major step forward for the franchise’s multiplayer gameplay.
