Nintendo has shared details about the next version update coming to Splatoon 3.

The update release on August 29th 2024,, and will bring the game up to Version 9.0.0. It will add support for the new Splatoon amiibo that are releasing in September, as well as the typical balance updates.

You can check out the full patchnotes below:

Latest update: Ver. 9.0.0 (Releasing August 29, 2024)

Changes to amiibo

• Added support for the following amiibo.
  • Callie (Alterna)
  • Marie (Alterna)
  • Pearl (Side Order)
  • Marina (Side Order)

Changes to Connectivity

• Improved connectivity programming to shorten the time between sent data being received by recipients and the response that is then returned.
  • For general connectivity during multiplayer, an average reduction of approximately 0.4/60 second is expected.
    • The amount of reduction will vary depending on the amount of information being sent back and forth via connectivity and on the processing load.
  • In situations such as dealing damage to or defeating opponents, an average reduction of approximately 3.4/60 second is expected.

Changes to Multiplayer

• Specifications for some main weapons have changed.
  

  Weapon	Change Details
  Squeezer Foil Squeezer	Slowed the speed of the first shot fired after pressing the ZR Button by approximately 5% and shortened its flight distance. Slowed movement speed while firing by approximately 8%.
  Range Blaster Custom Range Blaster	Decreased the radius of the damaging explosion by approximately 6%. Decreased the radius of the ink splatter at the point of impact with a floor or wall or when detonated midair by approximately 9%.
  Snipewriter 5H Snipewriter 5B	Slightly decreased the width of spray droplets created by shots.
  Slosher Slosher Deco Order Slosher Replica	Increased the amount of ink consumed by approximately 9%.
  Heavy Edit Splatling Heavy Edit Splatling Nouveau	Slightly decreased the number of spray droplets created by shots. The frequency of inking occurring at the player’s feet is unchanged.
  Wellstring V Custom Wellstring V	Decreased the radius of the ink splatter that occurs upon impact by approximately 8%.

• Specifications for some special weapons have changed.
  

  Special Weapon	Change Details
  Trizooka	Increased the amount of time between activation and becoming able to fire by approximately 1/12 of a second.

• Points required for some special weapons have been changed.
  

  Weapon	Before	After
  Custom Range Blaster	200	210
  Slosher Order Slosher Replica	200	210

• In X Battles, made it less likely for players to be matched again with players they just encountered in the previous X Battle.
  • This will not completely prevent players from being matched again with players they just encountered in the previous X Battle.
• Made it so that Japan and regions near it cannot select Tentatek Division when selecting an X Battles division.

Changes to Splatfests

• Made it possible for players who achieve a Splatfest Title of Ruler or higher to board the Splatfest Float and take pictures with the allies they last won a Splatfest Battle (Open) or Splatfest Battle (Pro) with.
• Made it so that players can choose additional poses from atop the Splatfest Float after achieving a Splatfest Title of Ruler +1 or higher.
• Made it possible to select a Deep Cut pose atop the Splatfest Float.
• Made it possible for players who have downloaded the Expansion Pass to select Squid Sisters and Off the Hook poses atop the Splatfest Float.

Changes to Salmon Run

• Added data for a special Big Run.
• Added an item that can be exchanged for fish scales.
• Made it so that you can get capsules containing fish scales from the reward meter.
• The gear you can get from the reward meter will now change each shift rather than each month.

Other Changes

• Reduced the XP required for a weapon’s Freshness to reach 1 ★ from 10,000 to 5,000 to make it easier to get Sheldon Licenses.
  • The total XP required to reach 2 ★ or higher will not change.
  • Weapons that had 5,000 XP or more but less than 10,000 XP before applying the update data will reach 1 ★ after applying the update data and using that weapon once in battle.
• Changed the design of some Splashtag banner designs.

This update focuses on adding data for a special Big Run that will be held in the near future, improving connectivity, and making adjustments to battles.

In regards to connectivity, we have reduced the time it takes to convey the things that happen in-game to the other players by optimizing the game’s internal processing and adjusting the communication control processing.

For multiplayer balance, we made the changes that we previously notified you about to lower the performance of some select weapons.

The Squeezer and Foil Squeezer were intended as weapons that are difficult to master but can produce high performance when mastered. However, because their shots could reach from a long distance and because they had high movement speed while firing, it was easy to make a lot of attempts, which made it easier to make up for the control difficulty. For that reason, their performance has been reduced.

For the Range Blaster and the Custom Range Blaster, by reducing the area of the attack and inking due to the explosion, we maintained the property of dealing damage to opponents you aim for carefully while reducing the property that deals damage to opponents whose positions are not precisely known.

Our intention with both weapons is to make it so that players who specialize in other weapons are not forced to switch to these weapons, while also maintaining a level of performance sufficient enough for players who already specialized in these weapons to continue to fight using them.

For the Snipewriter 5H and the Snipewriter 5B, we slightly reduced their ability to maintain inking status from a distance.

With the Slosher, Slosher Deco, and Order Slosher Replica, we have adjusted performance and points required for specials to make them like many other sloshers in that they have high instantaneous fighting and inking power, but when fighting with them continuously over time, it is easy to run out of ink.

Regarding the Heavy Edit Splatling and the Heavy Edit Splatling Nouveau, we changed the aspect of them where, in comparison to other splatlings with shorter flying distances, they were very effective at maintaining ink coverage when exchanging fire across areas such as Splat Zones.

For the Wellstring V and the Custom Wellstring V, we made changes to slightly lower performance when maintaining inking status from a distance.

With the Trizooka, we made changes to increase the opening when used on an opponent at close range, and also slightly increased the time to find a safe place to take cover after hearing an opponent’s Trizooka’s activation noise.

Additionally, we have changed it so that Japan and regions nearby it cannot participate in the Tentatek Division for X Battles.

Of the total number of players in Japan and nearby regions, an extremely small percent select Tentatek Division (the division for the Americas and Europe) despite living in Japan or nearby regions. However, we have made this change because it has reached a percentage that has a negative effect on rankings among players participating in the Tentatek Division.

The next update will focus on adding data for the Grand Festival.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.