Splatoon 3 crosses over with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet for next Splatfest

By Cristina Alexander Published October 7, 2022

Splatoon 3 is collaborating with Pokémon to host a special Splatfest to commemorate the upcoming release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violetin November.

Like previous Splatoon 3 Splatfests, the latest one will feature three teams competing for Turf War dominance over the course of a weekend. The November Splatfest will utilize that tri-team setup in a clever way: by letting teams choose their favorite Pokémon starter type. Players can either choose team Grass, Fire, or Water. They’ll get a matching shirt to represent their respective team. The competition kicks off on November 11 before the release of the new Pokémon installments.

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Breaking news for the next Splatfest! The theme celebrates the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. Which first partner Pokémon would you choose? Grass-type, Fire-type, or Water-type? The fun starts Friday 11/11 at 4 PM PT and runs through 4 PM PT on Sunday 11/13. pic.twitter.com/jmHMdbuHZl

— Splatoon North America (@SplatoonNA) October 7, 2022

It’s one thing to stress over choosing a good starter Pokémon, but figuring out which Pokémon type is the best is a debate that has inflamed schoolyards and internet forums for 25 years and some change. The Splatoon Pokémon Splatfest might be the safest venue to settle once and for all whether Fire-type, Grass-type, or Water-type Pokémon are better and more powerful than the other.

This is the first crossover event for Splatoon 3, but it’s already the game’s third Splatfest. The first one was a classic battle of Rock vs. Paper vs. Scissors, while the most recent one asked players what they would bring to a deserted island. Team Gear won that battle, narrowly beating Team Fun and squashing the underrepresented Team Grub.

The Splatoon x Pokémon Splatfest starts on Friday, November 11, and runs through Sunday, November 13. Special tees based on the event will be sold at Nintendo NY just for the occasion.

Cristina Alexander

Gaming/Mobile Writer

Cristina Alexander is a gaming and mobile writer at Digital Trends. She blends fair coverage of games industry topics that…

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