Nintendo has announced two major updates for
Splatoon 2 on Nintendo Switch. The first update will arrive on November 23, while the second update, which includes the frantic new Ranked Battle mode Clam Blitz, will launch in mid-December.
The November 23 update will add four new battle stages, a new Salmon Run stage, new gear and hairstyles, and increase the max level cap from 50 to 99.
Like previous
Splatoon 2 updates, the battle stages will roll out over the subsequent weeks. The first stage, MakoMart, will be available to play on November 24, with Shellendorf Institute, Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall "coming soon." The new MakoMart stage is a giant superstore-style stage, making Black Friday the perfect day for release. Shellendorf Institute is new to the series, while Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall are popular stages returning from the original
Splatoon game.
The update will also add a new Salmon Run stage, called Salmonid Smokeyward, into the rotation. In Salmonid Smokeyard, "a wide gap on the beach divides two upper platforms, with fan lifts being the quickest way to traverse the two platforms. Teamwork is required to use the fan lifts effectively."
Approximately 140 new pieces of gear will be added, including shoes, headgear and clothes like a motocross mask, and additional winter clothing. Items from the original
Splatoon game will also return. Speaking of gear, the update makes it easier to swap gear in between battles. You'll no longer have to exit the lobby match room anymore to swap gear. Additionally, music two new bands, the Bottom Feeders and Ink Theory, will be added.
And lastly, we're getting new amiibo functionality that will allow you to take and share in-game photos in preset locations in Battle Stages by simply tapping a compatible amiibo figure to the system.
The second update, due to arrive in mid-December, will introduce the new Ranked Battle mode Clam Blitz. The main goal in Clam Blitz is to collect special clams that are scattered around the stage and throw them into your opponent's basket. The baskets are protected by a barrier, which must be destroyed first by using a Power Clam, a super-powered clam earned after collecting 10 clams. The first team to score 100 points wins.