It looks like Splatoon 3 will be following the example of its predecessors by offering DLC content for players to enjoy. Nintendo recently revealed that the game will be getting two waves of DLC via the aptly named Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass. While players do not know the exact specifics of each wave, the DLC will likely give players a reason to jump back into Splatoon 3, as long as they are willing to spend $24.99.
It seems like the only way that players can get the Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass is by buying it outright. It will not be included in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack like the Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion is, and that seems like a strange choice. It feels like Nintendo wants to pack the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack with loads of DLC content for players to get, but it has chosen to keep this one out for some reason. The pass seems like the perfect addition to the service, and not including it at launch may have been a mistake.
Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass Explained
The Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass will include two waves of DLC for players to tackle. The first wave is set to launch this spring, and it will be reintroducing Inkopolis from the first Splatoon. Players will be able to use Inkopolis as their new stomping ground. It has all the amenities of Splatsville, and it has gone through some changes since players were there last. The trailer makes it seem like this will just be another hub that players can use if they want to, but there could be more going on that Nintendo has not revealed just yet.
The second wave of DLC is mostly shrouded in mystery, and Nintendo has not provided a release window. It will be called Side Order, and it will apparently feature a brand-new single-player campaign set within Inkopolis Square from Splatoon 2. The brief trailer shows a barren Inkopolis Square that seems to be void of color, and it will likely be up to the player to figure out what is going on. If it is anything like Nintendo Switch Online's Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion then it will be well worth a playthrough. Nintendo will likely share more about these two waves as the release dates near, but anyone who wants to grab the pack ahead of time can get it right now for $24.99.
Splatoon 3's Expansion Pass Should Have Been Part of Nintendo Switch Online
These two waves of DLC for Splatoon 3 could be a lot of fun, but it seems strange that the expansion pass is not included in Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo has been trying to entice Nintendo Switch owners to subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack since it was released. The studio put Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise and the Mario Kart 8 DeluxeBooster Course Pass on the service day one, but it has left the Splatoon 3 DLC off it for some reason.
Most Splatoon 3 players likely already have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription as the game is primarily an online shooter. Adding the Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass to the service may have given players the extra push they needed to upgrade to the more expensive tier. This would not be the first Splatoon game to offer DLC through the service either as Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion was recently added, and adding the Splatoon 3 DLC would have made the tier even more enticing for fans. It feels like it would have been an easy win for Nintendo, too.
The Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass looks like it will be chock-full of new exciting content for players to play, but it should have been a part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on day one. Not only would it have made the service more enticing, but it would have also been in line with how Nintendo has been treating some of its other major DLC packs. Keeping it out of the pack just seems like a strange choice, and also a big missed opportunity for easy growth.
Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass Wave 1 launches Spring 2023 on Nintendo Switch.
