Splatoon 3’s Expansion Pass Wave 1 Arrives Later This Month [IGN]

Nintendo has announced that Wave 1 of Splatoon 3’s Expansion Pass will arrive on February 28, letting players return to the original Splatoon’s Inkopolis.

Announced in a tweet from Nintendo UK (below), the release date was shared just one week after Nintendo revealed the contents of the first DLC pack during a Nintendo Direct but neglected to specify anything beyond a spring 2023 release window.

Inkopolis, which was the hub area in the original Splatoon, will return in all its glory. Players can go shopping at all the classic stores, walk down their favourite streets, and see performances from Squid Sisters Callie and Marie during Splatoon 3’s Splatfest events.

🚨 Attention Inklings and Octolings!

Head over to Inkopolis when the first wave of DLC from the #Splatoon3: Expansion Pass releases on 28/02!

Buy the Expansion Pass now: https://t.co/k7IbIVScrx pic.twitter.com/JR66QDOnem— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) February 15, 2023

While Inkopolis as Wave 1 can’t be purchase by itself, players can obtain it alongside the rest of the Expansion Pass content for $24.99.

Though the remaining DLC is yet to be revealed fully, Nintendo did announce that Wave 2 will include a new mode called Side Order, in which players are seemingly tasked with painting a colourless word.

In our 8/10 review of the base game, IGN said: “Splatoon 3 takes everything that Splatoon 2 built and makes it greater with an abundance of smart changes and satisfying new weapons and bosses.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.