Nintendo announces that its unique shooter Splatoon for Wii U has sold through over one million units* across Europe to date, bringing its total worldwide sales to over 3.5 million units* and firmly establishing this innovative new IP as one of the most popular games on Wii U.
The rules of Splatoon are simple: two teams of four players battle to claim turf by covering it with ink in their colour. This fresh take on the online shooter genre has earned multiple high-profile awards, including Best Shooter at The Game Awards 2015 and Best Game at last year’s British Academy Children’s Awards, plus dozens more nominations and inclusions in journalists’ Game of the Year lists. Fans are every bit as enthusiastic, with hundreds of thousands of followers keeping up to date via Nintendo’s social media accounts: the official Splatoon Facebook page, Japanese Twitter account, and Nintendo of America’s Splatoon Tumblr.
In the world of Splatoon, regular events called “Splatfests” see players vote on important debates, like whether they prefer cats or dogs, or whether pineapple on pizza is delicious or disgusting. Once players pick a side, they then form a team with like-minded players and battle the opposing side for supremacy over the course of 24 hours. These Splatfests are hosted by the in-game pop act known as the “Squid Sisters”, who recently headlined their own live concert in Japan in January 2016, and the Squid Sisters concert video is available to watch on YouTube.
Splatoon also exemplifies Nintendo’s commitment to supporting its key titles after launch. In keeping with the game’s catchphrase – “stay fresh!” – new weapons, multiplayer maps, game modes and much more have all been added to the game since launch – and all for free**. The game now boasts a total of 16 diverse maps and 74*** main weapons to wield, from the satisfying splat of the giant Rollers to the Charger type’s pinpoint precision, meaning each battle can play out completely differently to the next. For a comprehensive overview of the weapons on offer, check out the videos and screenshots available on the official Splatoon website. These updates will continue in the coming months, with a new software update available today adjustments to matchmaking and Splatfests, while April will introduce new combinations of existing weapons called “Sheldon’s Picks”, encouraging players to try out new tactics to succeed.
With all this content now available, there’s never been a better time for newcomers to join the fun. To help new players make a splash in their first Turf War matches, Nintendo has released a series of Splatoon – Top Tips! videos covering the basic skills players need to master, straight from the game’s co-director, Tsubasa Sakaguchi.
“Reaching one million sales for Splatoon in Europe is testament to the universal appeal of this brand new kind of shooter, which everyone can play and enjoy,” said Nintendo of Europe president Satoru Shibata. “With varied titles like Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, and Super Mario Maker already available, and titles including Pokkén Tournament, Paper Mario: Color Splash and Star Fox Zero on the way, the diverse line-up of games exclusively available on Wii U is going from strength to strength.”
With one million sales in Europe, multiple high-profile awards to its name, and a thriving community of fans, Nintendo’s innovative shooter Splatoon is continuing to build momentum and entertain players in early 2016 and beyond.