The Splatoon Raiders release time is just over the horizon, as Nintendo gears up to launch the series’ first spinoff. Raiders sends you out to Salmonid-infested islands to search for heaps of treasure, and while you can complete the entire game solo thanks to some help from in-game characters like Big Man and Shiver, you can invite friends to join you as well.
Below, we break down what time Splatoon Raiders releases for Switch 2 around the world.
Splatoon Raiders release time in your time zone
Splatoon Raiders will be released for Switch 2 on Thursday, July 23, 2026, though Nintendo hasn’t announced a specific release time. However, unless stated otherwise, eShop releases always launch at midnight in the easternmost time zone of your region — 12 a.m. EDT on July 23 for the east coast of North America, for example, but 9 p.m. PDT for the west coast of North America.
- 9 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 22 for the west coast of North America
- 12 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 23 for the east coast of North America
- 12 a.m. BRT on Thursday, July 23 for Brazil
- 12 a.m. BST on Thursday, July 23 for the U.K.
- 12 a.m. CEST on Thursday, July 23 for western Europe
- 12 a.m. JST on Thursday, July 23 for Japan
- 12 a.m. AEST on Thursday, July 23 for the east coast of Australia
You can play Splatoon Raiders early if you purchase it from another region’s eShop. For example, if you live on the east coast of the U.S. and purchase from the Australian eShop, you’d have access 14 hours early. However, if you do go that route, we recommend creating a new Nintendo account for that region. Unlinking your existing Nintendo ID is a tedious and potentially problematic process, so it’s best just to use a fresh one. Other accounts on your Switch 2 can still access the virtual game cards, despite being linked to a different region.
Can you preload Splatoon Raiders on Switch 2?
Yes, once you pre-order Splatoon Raiders, you can start downloading it on your Switch 2. The download file is roughly 20GB, so it may take a bit to download depending on your internet speeds. Unlike with some previous first-party games, Nintendo and other retailers aren’t offering any Splatoon Raiders pre-order bonuses in the U.S.