What We Know About Splatoon 3's Chill Season 2022 Content Update

Prepare yourselves, citizens of the Splatlands — "Splatoon 3" is getting a new dose of added content, and it's shaping up to be extra fresh.

While "Splatoon 3" exceeded all expectations, supplying plenty of nifty new upgrades to the series formula at launch, the developers also promised that the Nintendo Switch game would receive ongoing support and further content additions as time goes on. Now, fresh off the heels of its second post-launch Splatfest, Nintendo has announced that the first major content expansion for the title is imminent. Titled "Chill Season 2022," the free update was set for December 1, 2022.

Early details on the expansion offer a ton of things for players to get excited about, from creative new maps to thrilling supplementary modes and intriguing weapon additions, with everything in-between imaginable. There are also more than a few welcome surprises that fans of previous "Splatoon" installments are likely to appreciate. Here's everything we know so far about the Chill Season 2022 content update.

The Chill Season 2022 update adds a couple of new maps to the game's player-versus-player modes (via Nintendo). Specifically, one returning map from the franchise's past and one completely new map are joining the rotation, bringing the game's total to 14 distinct arenas.

Veteran players will be pleased to learn that Flounder Heights, one of the maps from the original "Splatoon" on the Wii U, will be reappearing in "Splatoon 3" as part of the expansion. Surrounded by towering apartment complexes, Flounder Heights is something of a concrete jungle with a lot of verticalities to offer players some great opportunities for stealth and high-ground tactics. It may also be an especially great place to try out "Splatoon 3's" new Zipcaster ability.

Of course, the main attraction for the update map-wise is a never-before-seen stage called Brinewater Springs. Per its appearance in the trailer, the location is a small town with a traditional Japanese aesthetic. As they do battle on its sloped terrain, players will be able to catch a glimpse of some Jellyfish milling about and enjoying the area's many bubbling hot springs. For such a chilly-themed season, Brinewater Springs certainly looks to add some warmth to the update.

For those looking for new gameplay experiences in "Splatoon 3," the Chill Season 2022 expansion is introducing a couple of interesting new modes (via Nintendo). While the two additions aren't completely new experiences on the level of "Splatoon 3's" Table Turf Battle, they still offer some intriguing mechanical departures from the game's pre-existing modes.

First up on the docket is X Battle, a new elite mode that caters to competitive players. The mode is locked to players until they reach S-Rank in Anarchy Battles for the season. After that, they can compete in X Battles, which pit teams against one another across the game's four ranked game modes: Rainmaker, Tower Control, Clam Blitz, and Splat Zones. Players build up X Power by winning matches and attempting to chart on the game's leaderboard. In essence, it's a competition between the best of the best for ultimate glory.

The other special mode players will encounter in Chill Season 2022 is Big Run, a variation of the cooperative-focused Salmon Run. During Big Run, players may find themselves playing a match of Salmon Run on one of the games' regular Turf War stages, rather than the cooperative mode's usual maps. The expansion trailer teases that the first Big Run event will see the Salmonids invade Wahoo World. Notably, Big Run is not a permanent addition to "Splatoon 3," but a temporary mode that periodically activates, with its first appearance just happening to coincide with Chill Season 2022.

It wouldn't be a "Splatoon" update without a couple of new weapons, and Chill Season 2022 delivers on that front in droves. The "Splatoon 3" expansion incorporates 13 new weapon kits into the game, including three brand-new main weapons and 10 returning weapons with revised sets from previous "Splatoon" entries (via Nintendo).

Of the brand-new weapons, there's one added Roller, Charger, and Shooter each. Splatoon's official Twitter account detailed the new shooter weapon — referred to as the Splattershot Nova. While it has relatively limited accuracy and power, it boasts a very high rapid-fire rate and stellar range. As for the other two weapons, the Charger sports a thin, pencil-esque design and seems to emphasize precision while the roller has a relatively wide tip for broader ink coverage. Time will tell if any of these additions change the standings for "Splatoon 3's" best and worst weapons.

As for cosmetics, Chill Season 2022 will mark the beginning of a new catalog for players to progress through and earn exclusive gear, accessories, emotes, stickers, and so on. Nintendo has also confirmed that new items will also be available in each of the game's shops for players to purchase with their hard-earned battle cash.