Nintendo has revealed that the Switch Online app will end its Splatoon 2 Online Lounge support in the coming weeks. Nintendo Switch’s Splatoon 2 released for the console in 2017, and its bright aesthetic and dynamic gameplay has cemented it as one of the Switch’s best titles. The game is a family-friendly take on the shooter genre, replacing traditional weapons with paintball guns, making it suitable for almost any age.
Splatoon 2‘s semi-regular events (known as “Splatfests”) make it a game that players continue to dive into. Because of the game’s continued support, it came as something of a shock when Splatoon 3 was announced by Nintendo earlier this year. The reveal led many Splatoon fans to wonder just when Nintendo would begin to slow down its support of the second game in the series. Sadly, Splatoon 2‘s sunsetting might be happening sooner than players first thought.
As spotted by Twitter’s NintendoVS [via NintendoLife], the company has issued an official statement through the Nintendo of America Customer Support page, confirming it will soon be ending support for the Splatoon 2’s Online Lounge. The Online Lounge is a useful tool available through the Nintendo Switch mobile app, that allows players to easily arrange online matches.
Players have been able to use the Online Lounge feature of the Nintendo Switch Online app to arrange Splatoon 2 online battles using their smart device, such as by sending a URL link that allows social media friends to join a room.
As of July 28, 2021, the Nintendo Switch Online app will no longer support the Online Lounge feature.
While the news is definitely disappointing, it’s worth noting that Nintendo has confirmed players will still be able to use the game’s voice chat function, and will still be able to arrange online Splatoon 2 battles through the game itself. The support will only end for the Nintendo Switch mobile app itself, and not for the in-game features. However, the move is possibly indicative of the company’s plans to sunset Splatoon 2‘s support to focus on the upcoming Splatoon 3.
It’s common for game developers to wind down support for older titles as franchises see new iterations and releases. The process, often called “sunsetting,” can be upsetting for avid fans of the games. Despite being one of the Switch’s oldest games, Splatoon 2 still has a thriving community of Inklings who regularly enjoy online matches and battles. The game’s most recent Splatfest (a community event in which players take one of two sides of a debate, such as “Ketchup vs. Mayo”, and battle to a worldwide victory with players across the globe) took place in January this year, just a few weeks before the reveal of Splatoon 3. While no other Splatfests have yet been announced for 2021, Nintendo and PlayVS recently revealed a partnership, with plans to bring competitive games like Splatoon 2 to high schools as varsity athletics. Hopefully this means players will still be able to enjoy support for Splatoon 2 in the years to come.
Splatoon 3 will be a Nintendo Switch exclusive, releasing at an unspecified date in 2022. Splatoon 2 is available now on Nintendo Switch.
Sources: NintendoVS (via NintendoLife), Nintendo of America
