Splatoon 3: Side Order, the single-player campaign expansion headlining the second wave of the game’s Expansion Pass, has been dated for release on 22 February 2024. Announced way back in early 2023, Side Order is set to expand the lore of Splatoon 3 as players explore a strange new version of Inkopolis Square.
Teasers have so far been vague, but we know this chapter will star Agent 8, who wakes up in a world with no colour, and must work towards solving the mysteries of why. Here’s the official expansion description, courtesy of Nintendo:
“Challenge yourself to a new single-player campaign, Side Order! As Agent 8, you wake up to discover Inkopolis Square has been drained of colour and its residents have gone missing. Looming over the city is the ominous Spire of Order. Alongside a drone who claims to be Off the Hook member Pearl, Agent 8 must fight off waves of enemies in floor after floor of challenges on their way to the top of the Spire and learn its secrets. Use colour chips to boost your abilities in this experience that’s designed to be replayed over and over.”
Read: Splatoon 3 review – a fresh coat of paint on a beloved franchise
Based on the description, it appears Side Order will contain roguelike elements, with players attempting to conquer a tower, floor by floor, and building skills along the way. They’ll be aided in this quest by characters from the Splatoon universe – including Pearl and Acht – although their roles are yet to be detailed.
Those who prefer solo gameplay should certainly keep an eye on Side Order, as it appears to be a fully-fledged standalone game mode with its own unique style of gameplay, separate from the standard multiplayer splat-shooter gameplay of Splatoon 3.
With a spookier aesthetic, and hints at a deeper, darker plot than the main game, there’s certainly plenty of reasons to revisit Splatoon 3 when the Side Order expansion launches on 22 February 2024.
