Nintendo has just announced a significant update for Splatoon 3, which adds a ton of new content and also brings some changes to their ranking system.
New Ranking Systems
Making a return from older Splatoon games, Splatoon 3 will receive the “X Battle” mode. This will enable players of S+0 rank or higher to compete for the “X Power”. Players participating will be automatically slotted into one of the two new leagues, depending on where they live. People from Japan, S. Korea, Australia, New Zealand, or Hong Kong will automatically join Takoroka Division. Tentatek Division is for people from the Americas and Europe.
After they’re assigned to their divisions, players will be able to take part in X Battles. All the usual game modes like Splat Zone, Rainmaker, and Tower Control will be available, with the bonus of gaining X Power dependent on their wins or losses (keep in mind that X Power is separately tracked per game mode). Like in older Splatoon games, X Power and X Battle are catered to top-tier players, allowing them to compete amongst opponents of equal skill.
Alongside X Battles, Version 2.0 will change things up in Ranked Mode and Salmon Run. Any player can now reset their rank once per season, and the game will assign you the lowest ranked tier, depending on your online statistics. Making your way up the ranks is also a bit harder due to some tweaks to how much experience you need to advance.
Other Changes
Version 2.0, or Chill Season as it’s also being called, will add Big Run events. While these events are taking place, all Salmon Run battles will give players special rewards and a bunch of exclusive items. We will know more when the first Big Run event starts in early December. Some of the Salmon Run bosses and weapons will also see some tweaks. A new map called Marooner’s Bay will also be added, bringing some needed variety to the Salmon Run mode.
New Items
If you like to customize your playable character, you will be happy to know that more than 50 items will be added, including titles, gear, Splashtags, sticks, decorations, and emotes. Normal game modes will also receive two new maps, Brinewater Springs and Flounder Heights. You’ll be able to splat your way to victory with three new weapons and ten alternate loadout weapons.
If you want to know more about the Chill Season update, check out the complete list of patch notes on the official Nintendo site. Splatoon 3 can be purchased on Nintendo Switch, with the Chill Season update launching on November 30.
