Splatoon 3 Splatoween 2026 Splatfest asks players to choose wizard, knight, or ninja

Nintendo has announced the return of Splatoween, the annual Halloween-themed Splatfest event for Splatoon 3. This year's festivities will ask players what they would be in a fantasy world, with three options to choose from: wizard, knight, and ninja.

Splatoween has been one of the game's major seasonal events, with voting themes changing year to year. The event aligns with Halloween and gives players a chance to compete in Splatfest matches based on their chosen role.

The announcement comes as Splatoon 3 continues to see sustained player engagement. According to Splatoon 3 director Seita Inoue in an interview with Famitsu, the game has attracted more players in 2026 compared to 2025. Inoue attributed this growth partly to the positive effect between Splatoon 3 and Splatoon Raiders, the recently released spinoff title. He stated: "There are more people playing in 2026 than there were in 2025, so we think they have had a positive effect on each other." The director also noted that Nintendo Switch 2 enhancements, including higher resolution, contributed to the renewed interest in the shooter.

Splatoon 3 launched in 2022 and has remained an exception to the typical player decline seen in aging games, continuing to draw both veteran and new players to the franchise.