Nintendo has announced that regular Splatoon 3 updates are coming to a close, but if you're a regular player, don't worry; this isn't quite the end for the game.
In a message on X (formerly Twitter), Nintendo says that while regular updates are ending, seasonal events like Splatoween, Spring Fest, and Summer Nights will continue "with some returning themes", so you'll still have plenty to do in Splatoon 3.
Additionally, regular balance updates adjusting weapons "will be released as needed", and Big Run, Eggstra Work, and Monthly Challenges will all "continue for the time being", Nintendo says. Of course, that wording also implies that these events could end at any time, so stay sharp.
Naturally, this also means the servers won't be shut down anytime soon, so you'll still be able to head into Splatoon 3 and find a game; you just won't be getting any more major content drops.
Splatoon 3 updates ending at this point makes sense; Nintendo supported Splatoon 2 for around two years, with the game's final major update landing in July 2019.
Whether or not this signals that Nintendo is gearing up to make Splatoon 4 remains to be seen, of course. Splatoon 3 was originally announced in early 2021 as part of a Nintendo Direct, which would mean it was revealed about a year and a half after Splatoon 2 updates ended.
If this timeline is indicative of Nintendo's current plans, we can probably expect a Splatoon 4 announcement sometime in early 2026, and that means it'll probably be arriving on whatever the Switch's successor turns out to be called.
That's all speculation, though, and right now, Splatoon 3 is still very much a going concern. Updates might have ended, but the servers aren't going anywhere, so if you want some Splatoon action, your best bet is still Splatoon 3.
You can pick the game up exclusively on Nintendo Switch right now. Stay tuned for more.
