Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC has an official release date

Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Nintendo has finally announced the release date for Splatoon 3's Side Order expansion.

After receiving a 'spring 2024' launch window last year, it's been revealed that Wave 2 of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass - Side Order - will officially launch on February 22 for Nintendo Switch.

The news was shared on social media this afternoon (January 24) with the official Splatoon Twitter account noting in a post that players will be able to "Join up with new faces and old friends to escape the world of order!"

The release date arrived alongside a brand-new trailer - which you can check out below - that teases the player falling asleep on a train before awakening in a strange city.

The single-player campaign has previously been said to be designed to "be replayed over and over," which suggests the downloadable content (DLC) will have roguelike elements. 

The Splatoon team also unveiled some beautiful new artwork showcasing several characters including Agent 8 and her robot companion who are "trying to navigate the strange new sector" called the Spire of Order.

"Climb a spire crawling with creepy creatures, and unlock the truth behind this colorless world," the post reads.

Splatoon 3 launched in September 2022 and later received the Expansion Pass in February 2023. The pass costs an additional $24.99 (£20 / AU $37.87) on the Nintendo eShop and gives players access to Wave One - which brought players back to Inkopolis Plaza from the first Splatoon game - and the upcoming Wave Two: Side Order.

TechRadar Gaming's hardware editor Rhys Wood gave the four out of five stars in his review, calling it the "finest" entry in the series yet that offers "an excellent multiplayer suite, a vastly improved campaign and some much-needed quality-of-life upgrades."

For more, why not check out our top picks for the best Nintendo Switch games you can play right now, as well as the best co-op games to play with friends?