What will happen to Splatoon 2 once Splatfests end?

[Cephalobro]

This one isn't a theory, it's more like sharing my thoughts on what the developers can do to keep Splatoon 2 relevant during the rest of 2019 before Animal Crossing takes its place. My guess is that Salmon Run will still be supported with new gear being added for the remainder of the year and that all the missing gear will be available through the Switch News, including those missing replicas related to the singleplayer modes.

 

[Stardust-Sonic]

Ah yes. They still haven't added the boots and armor from Splatoon 1. Only the goggles.

Personally, I want the original classic shirt. Not the one under the research lab coat.

Well, what do you know? Perhaps they will announce something else during E3 direct, but I can only dream ...

 

[Hero of Lime]

It's tough to say. I think the official support for the game will not be strong after the last fest. They've certainly given the game a great amount of content after launch, it's gotta end sooner or later.

In terms of player base and general interest in the game, I think it will be fine. People haven't stuck around playing this game because Splat Fests were still happening after all. It does feel a bit sad that brand new stuff for this game is ending, but the game will live on for a long time.

 

[The Salamander King]

It's tough to say. I think the official support for the game will not be strong after the last fest. They've certainly given the game a great amount of content after launch, it's gotta end sooner or later.

In terms of player base and general interest in the game, I think it will be fine. People haven't stuck around playing this game because Splat Fests were still happening after all. It does feel a bit sad that brand new stuff for this game is ending, but the game will live on for a long time.

Yes. For whatever reason people have been all doom and gloom with updates ending, as if the game will instantly die after the final splatfest and it will be the end of S2.

People are still playing Splatoon 1. You can still quickly find lobbies in S1, despite it being over 2 years since that game "died". S2 has a much larger player base that S1 ever did, and if it is still alive and well, S2 will be for much, much longer.

 

[Dessgeega]

Actual discussion regarding Splatoon 2 may die off. That certainly happened last time. Gameplay will not die off, though to what degree remains to be seen since there's many different factors. A common sentiment from people that I've heard is that they still play Splat 1 because they can't get/afford a Switch, and being a sequel means it's less novel by default.

Like many popular online games, it won't instantly die, there will just be a slow crawl to obscurity as time goes on, and there's nothing wrong with that. Keep on splatting!

 

[MINKUKEL]

There's no need for Nintendo to make any efforts to keep the game 'relevant' for the remainder of the year. Splatoon 1 is still being played by enough people to fill up lobbies in a jiffy, and that sold only half the copies of S2 and is on a console that died before the Switch was even released. They already supported the game with much more content that anyone was probably expecting, and it sold more than 8 million copies. If Splatoon 3 doesn't come out for Switch (I'm sure it will, but let's say it doesn't), Splatoon 2 will still be played by enough people by the time the Switch is phased out for the next Nintendo console.

As for Animal Crossing. I don't see how that has anything to do with Splatoon 2. I think Smash and Mario Maker 2 are more direct 'competitors' to Splatoon players' time, as is Fortnite. Animal Crossing is a completely different experience and usually limits the amount of things you can do in a day. Which means that over time, AC daily play time will go down for most players.

 

[DJ Particle]

Animal Crossing and Splatoon franchises have the same dev team. That's how the two are related. They are both Mr. Nogami's 'babies', so to speak. They can't put their all into both games at the same time. It's AC's turn this time.

Frankly, that's probably why the Wii U got "Amiibo Festival" for the Animal Crossing entry instead of a regular AC game....they were doing more work on Splatoon 1 at the time. AC:AF came out 6 months after Splatoon 1, and Splatoon 1 was still undergoing active DLC development at the time.