Read the full patch notes here

a massive Splatoon 3 The patch has just been released and has implications for multiplayer as well as the Tricolor Battle system (which will affect future Splatfests). Let’s dig deeper, because there’s a lot to unpack.

On a technical level, a few bugs were fixed, including a Squid Roll exploit, as well as bugs like water interactions and general multiplayer connection issues. Matchmaking has been a contentious thing for some, and ideally this patch should smooth things over. Also fixed a small bug in story mode, as well as technical and connection issues with Salmon Run.

But the big focus here is “Tricolor Battle,” the new mode that features three teams competing at once. As many people experimented with Splatfest’s free demo (rock, paper, scissors) before launch, the sheer chaos of the mode didn’t really work in its favor. For now, the “tricolor battle occurrence rate” (which is randomly assigned as the winning team) has been “tweaked” and “will trigger somewhat less frequently than before”.

Interestingly, Nintendo provided an additional explanation at the end of the patch notes, which is not a normal thing. They mention that this patch was “prioritized” because it addresses multiplayer connection issues, which can have a “significant effect on game progress.” Additionally, the changes to Tricolor Battle “should be considered temporary,” the team says, which is in line with their recent commitment to rebalancing the mode for the long term.

nintendo joked a major new patch in decemberalong with the start of the new season, as well as a minor “mid-season” update, between now and the end of the year.

You can read the full patch notes here, or below.

Splatoon 3 patch Version 1.1.1 (released September 15, 2022)

Holiday Festival Changes

• Tricolor Battle occurrence rate has been adjusted. From the perspective of the defending team, they will fire less often than before.

Changes to player controls

• Fixed an issue where it was possible to jump further than usual with a Squid Roll when making a certain input while charging a Squid Surge.
• Fixed issues that occurred when playing for a long time without closing the software, such as shots from the player’s primary weapon not firing correctly.
• Fixed an issue where the player could move across the surface of the water or stand on top of the water when moving quickly. For example, when performing a Dodge Roll with Splat Dualies.

Multiplayer changes

• Fixed an issue where connection errors occurred with high frequency at the end of battles due to the connection environment.
• Fixed an issue with Bloblobber where the collision detection of the third and fourth drops of a single blast became extremely small.
• Fixed an issue where cash and experience would not be awarded under certain circumstances when a battle ended early due to lack of players.
• Fixed an issue where in certain modes a player would not be able to cancel matchmaking when not enough players were gathered. Matchmaking will now automatically cancel after a certain amount of time has passed.
• Fixed an issue in Sturgeon Shipyard where it was possible to enter from the back of certain drawbridges.

Salmon Run Changes

• Fixed an issue where connection errors occur with high frequency at the end of jobs due to the connection environment.
• Fixed an issue with Mudmouth eruption events where Mudmouths would move in an unintended manner.
• Fixed an issue that caused some players with identical titles to be considered “Rank Supporters” and not earn Rank Points.
• Fixed an issue where submerging Maw’s continuous damage from certain special weapons would cause the game to crash.
• Fixed an issue where players would get stuck inside the stage terrain.
• Fixed an issue where, at the end of the battle, the amount of Grizzco Points earned would be displayed smaller than the amount actually added to save data, causing cases where the player was unable to collect rewards.
• Fixed an issue where messages at the start of Wave 3 could change based on whether or not King Salmonid spawned.

Story Mode Changes

• Fixed an issue where after completing the final stage, a communication error would occur in the middle of a certain cutscene and return the player to the square.
  • The scenes after the erasure can be seen by erasing the final stage again.
  • In cases where this error occurred, the final stage is treated as deleted and the stage can be skipped from the pause menu when retrying.

other changes

• Fixed an issue when launching the game for the first time where the game could get stuck and not advance from the black screen after the screen where the yellow and blue inks mix.
• Fixed an issue downloading a battle replay that would occasionally cause the game to not advance.
• Fixed an issue where the game would crash when updating the schedule when trying to join a friend.
• Fixed a rare issue where the game would crash while the player was visiting a store.
• Fixed an issue where a communication error could occur while a player was trading gear in a store.
• Fixed an issue where a connection error could occur when purchasing a weapon. It would appear that a player has the weapon equipped despite not being able to purchase it, which would cause a connection error if the player attempted to join a battle.

Because this update patch focuses on Splatfest-related changes and bug fixes that can have a significant effect on game progress, we’ve prioritized its release.

Please note that changes to the Tricolor Battle frequency should be considered temporary. For now, there will be a few more instances of players selecting Tricolor Battle but being placed in a Turf War battle instead. Going forward, Splatfest matchmaking specs will continue to be adjusted and this issue will be fixed. We are planning to implement these adjustments with the new season starting in December.

The next patch will mainly focus on balance adjustments and other issues that were outside the scope of the current patch.

We continue to monitor and analyze battle data and plan to make adjustments at the midpoint of the current season.