The Splatoon community has been abuzz for the past couple of months on account of Nintendo's surprise announcement of Splatoon 3 during the company's last direct. A storm of speculation ensued, with hopeful predictions and wishlists assembling, chronicling the innumerable different design elements that fans want to see included in Splatoon 3.

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That speculation has been even more intense now that E3 is around the corner, with Nintendo promising a range of gameplay reveals that will come with their annual E3 direct. Is it possible that Splatoon 3 might be among them? It's certainly too early to tell,  but that hasn't stopped fans from being fairly vocal about what they want to see removed and brought back in the next game.

Better Special Balance

An Ultra Stamp is deployed in Splatoon 2.

It's true that Splatoon 2's weapon balance has come a long way since the earlier days of the game, and it's even more true that there aren't as many weapons as dominant in Splatoon 2 as tools like the E-Liter was in the first game, which definitely suggests improvement.

Less progress has been made in the world of special weapons, however. Although the range of options when it comes to specials is diverse, certain tools dominate the metagame at the highest levels of play. In competitive Splatoon it's essentially mandatory to have Ink Armor on a team, and tools like the Sting Ray can kill a push instantly. Other choices simply can't stack up, so it would be nice to have a more even playing field for specials in Splatoon 3.

Apartments

Splatoon 1 loading screen featuring an inkling's apartment.

Ever since that tantalizing loading screen pictured above flashed across WiiU screens in the first Splatoon, players have dreamed of having their own personal spaces, perhaps apartments, to customize with items, decor, and furniture. It makes a good amount of sense, too: Splatoon is a game where looking fresh is paramount, so it follows that the inklings would want to freshify their rooms as well.

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It might seem like a minor addition, but customizable apartments would add a lot of depth to the game's customization (and maybe make cash a little more useful), while also introducing some nice downtime for the player at the same time.

Changes To The Map/Mode Rotation System

Splatoon 2, Kelp Dome introduction screen, a.k.a. the worst map in the game.

Debates can be had over whether or not it's a good idea to have fixed rotations for modes or stages, but it's generally accepted that having both at the same time is a little bit too restrictive for the Splatoon multiplayer experience. Most players can relate to the feeling of being excited to turn on Splatoon, only to realize that the Ranked Battle mode is Clam Blitz on Kelp Dome.

This one becomes a no-brainer for Splatoon 3 because there are a number of solutions to this issue. Simply increasing the number of maps available, or choosing to fix the rotations of either maps or game modes would introduce a lot of variety to the gameplay loop.

New Ranked Modes

Splatoon 1 splat zones screencap.

Back in the early days of the original Splatoon, there was only one mode available to play in ranked: Splat Zones. The game was certainly a little bit bare-bones back then, with only Turf War and Splat Zones to choose from, but luckily Nintendo kept a steady drip of content coming along in the form of new ranked modes, namely Rainmaker and Tower Control.

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Along came Splatoon 2 and Clam Blitz has joined the assortment as well, which seems to bode pretty well for some exciting new game modes to appear in Splatoon 3. Even more exciting is the possibility that Nintendo gives Splatoon 3 the same treatment the original game received, and fans might get to see new modes introduced throughout the game's lifespan.

Skippable News

The Splatfest results are read out on the news.

Everyone loves the Squid Sisters and Off The Hook, but is it really absolutely necessary to listen to them read out essentially the same information every time the game is done loading? The information provided in these mandatory news briefings is so trivial that, unless there's an update or a Splatfest down the line, almost every player will button mash through every announcement.

Making this sequence skippable would be a big help but, another option for Splatoon 3 is to simply make the news more interesting. What if the news highlighted exceptionally impressive player achievements, or promoted upcoming Splatoon 3 tournaments? The options are endless.

A Single-Player Campaign That's At Least As Good As Octo Expansion

Posed renders of octolings in the Octo Expansion.

The single-player adventures included in both Splatoon and its sequel are considered to be pretty good. They're diverting adventures that don't stress the player too much, while at the same time doing a great job of familiarizing a new player with Splatoon's controls and gameplay concepts. The meat of the game might be in the multiplayer, but the single-player is a nice distraction as well.

That is, unless we're talking about Octo Expansion, which is indisputably the best Splatoon single-player experience by orders of magnitude. Here's a single-player campaign that truly tests the player and challenges their skills and knowledge of Splatoon. Octo Expansion set a new bar for what story mode in Splatoon could look like, so returning to the comparatively bland base campaigns of the earlier games simply isn't going to cut it for Splatoon 3.

A Brand New Multiplayer Mode

A Salmon Run crew ready to go to work in Splatoon.

Splatoon 2's horde survival mode, Salmon Run, was a big addition to the sequel and a hit among players. In addition to being a ton of fun on its own, it also introduced a lot of variety into the multiplayer experience. Players who weren't having much luck in ranked, or weren't feeling the map rotation for whatever reason, could hop on Salmon Run and test their mettle against raving Salmonid hordes.

Despite its popularity, it seems somewhat unlikely that Salmon Run will return in Splatoon 3 due to the new setting, and what appears to be a changing attitude towards Salmonids in the game's lore. Instead, Nintendo should opt to include one or more brand new multiplayer modes to keep Splatoon 3 feeling fresh.

New Idols

Splatoon 2 Off The Hook Idols: Pearl and Marina.

Yes, yes, Splatoon 3 promises stuff like "new weapons" and "new movement mechanics", but what everyone is really excited about is what the game's new pair of musically-inclined cephalopods will look and act like. What will their backstory be? Is there any guarantee that they'll actually be cephalopods, or is an idol from a new species in the works?

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Of additional interest is what will become of the idols from the previous games. In Splatoon 2 Callie and Marie from the previous game played a pivotal role in the story of the single-player adventure, with Pearl and Marina getting more fleshed out in Octo Expansion. Will we see these familiar faces again in Splatoon 3?

A Better Online Experience

Splatoon 2 communication error screen, disconnect imminent.

One of the most universally agreed-upon takes in Splatoon communities is that the next game in the series absolutely must have a better solution for online connectivity issues. It's happened to every player out there: a match is going well, it's time for the final push, and specials are just about to come out when the dreaded phrase: "THE CONNECTION IS UNSTABLE" flashes across the screen.

It's frankly unacceptable that a multiplayer shooter would have such issues in this day and age, and adding insult to injury is the fact that Nintendo has monetized their online experience via Nintendo Switch Online, meaning that players have to pay a subscription fee for a frustratingly sub-par multiplayer experience.

More Communication Options

A player mashes "booyah" in Splatoon 2.

A surefire way to hear a deluge of hot takes is to press a Splatoon fan on whether or not they think voice chat should be added to the game. The debate is spirited, with some contending that a game that demands as much quick decision making and teamwork as Splatoon in turn demands real-time communications, with others raising concerns that voice chat will only toxify the online Splatoon experience.

Regardless, it is almost universally agreed that "This Way!" and "Booyah!" are vague at best, and woefully insufficient for team communications at worst. The simple inclusion of a button to warn teammates of enemies present or to signal that a special is charged would go a long way towards making Splatoon lobbies more coordinated.

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