Splatoon Raiders developers reveal it originally was “like a base defence game” before evolving into a faster spin-off “with a strong sense of action”

Splatoon Raiders, launching July 23rd as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, began development as a tower defense game before evolving into the fast-paced looter-shooter spin-off players experience today.

In a detailed developer interview (Ask the Developer Vol. 22), producer Seita Inoue, director Yoshihiko Ito, and the development team revealed that the initial prototype concept failed to capture the essence of Splatoon. The team conceived the project while wrapping up updates to Splatoon 3, aiming to create a single-player experience that would leverage gameplay from Salmon Run, Splatoon’s signature four-player cooperative mode. However, adapting the co-op-focused Salmon Run into a solo experience proved challenging.

“We couldn’t recreate that feeling,” Inoue explained, noting that the tower defense direction “lost its Splatoon-ness.” This led the team to pivot toward a more action-oriented roguelite adventure with exploration elements and optional multiplayer co-op.

The decision to create Splatoon Raiders as a spin-off rather than develop Splatoon 4 reflects strategic thinking. With over 11 years of continuous development across three main titles, Nintendo wanted to provide a fresh entry point to the franchise while allowing the main development team breathing room. Splatoon Raiders expands the series’ universe and audience beyond the competitive multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise since 2015.

Splatoon Raiders developers reveal it originally was “like a base defence game” before evolving into a faster spin-off “with a strong sense of action”

Sources