The big August update has been looming on the horizon for a long time, but it's finally here!
This is the big one - party matchmaking, private games, level/ranking increases, map changes, and more. Truly the largest and most significant to the final product since launch.
The developers were generous enough to provide us with official patch notes. Read on to learn more about what the update brings to the table:
This is all pretty self-explanatory. If you don't want to solo queue, you can join ranked matchmaking with 1-3 other players. Like private battles, you can password-protect your lobbies to allow only specific people to join.
Worth mentioning: Squads of 3 may potentially be paired up against a team of 4. If this is the case, this team apparently has a shorter overall respawn time. It's unclear how much shorter this is. Further, the wording seems to imply that teams will be at a disadvantage in general, which may be pointing to different point spreads for winning and losing in contrast to Squads of 4 playing Squads of 4, etc.
Private battle will also allow players to play locally on a single Internet connection, which can be used for playing in large, in-person groups or events and competitions.
You may be able to hit A+ with a team, but you'll have to solo queue for the coveted S and S+ ranks. Further, you won't be able to derank from these levels unless you lose in solo queue - losing in Squad Battle will not affect your rank.
Distribution of ranking points has also been altered, although it is unclear how. Point distribution may become more lenient, as its been rather strict since the launch of Ranked.
Finally some new music!
Urchin Underpass is the major change out of the five map rehauls, boasting completely new lanes, removing choke points, changing tree locations, and removing glass panels. Further, Urchin Underpass's changes are across all modes.
Changes for other maps listed are minimal and mode-specific.
For the first time, we're seeing weapon changes based on point accumulation needed to activate special weapons. They are all focused on some of the most common special weapons in the game, especially the Inkzooka.
The Inkzooka receives the most substantial change, an increase of 40 points required from 180 to 220.
The changes to Point Sensor and Killer Wail are less significant. Point Sensor has been increased to 200 required points, only 20 points up from the initial 180. Meanwhile, Killer Wail has gone down from 180 to 160.
The Inkzooka change is expected - both the Inkstrike and Inkzooka are popular and very effective weapons, to the point that they've already been changed in previous patches. While it remains to be seen how much of an effect a 40 point increase will have on Inkzooka play, it's clear the developers are trying to wrangle in one of the best specials available.
On the other hand, the Killer Wail, which is just as common as the Inkzooka, if not more so, received a point requirement decrease. Killer Wail is a smart choice for gametypes like Splat Zones, where it can clear out an entire area of interest thanks to its large blast radius and duration. It raises the question why the Killer Wail received this buff, when the Point Sensor (not a dominant or even particularly common special) receives a nerf.
We'll just have to see how these changes pan out!
Changes for consistency's sake are welcome changes, indeed!
And who doesn't love a more pleasant gaming experience?
Get to enjoying the new version of Splatoon when it's downloaded to your console and let us know what you think about the new features, upgrades, and modifications introduced in this new patch!
