Summary:
Nintendo has released another update for Splatoon 3, bringing the colorful multiplayer shooter up to Version 11.3.0 on both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. One of the biggest additions is the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica, a weapon connected directly to Splatoon Raiders. Players who have completed the main story of Splatoon Raiders can claim the replica from the Splatoon 3 lobby terminal, provided both games use the same user profile and the required save data is stored on the system.
The new weapon is only one part of the update. Nintendo has also made another round of multiplayer adjustments covering several main and special weapons. Carbon Roller variants now have improved vertical-swing damage falloff and slightly better movement speed while inking forward, while Tri-Slosher variants consume less ink. Glooga Dualies have also received improved accuracy following a Dodge Roll. Other weapons, including the .52 Gal, E-liter 4K, Snipewriter and Tri-Stringer families, have been adjusted to reduce some of their advantages or increase the resources needed to use them effectively.
Special weapons have not escaped Nintendo’s attention either. Triple Splashdown, Trizooka and Ink Vac all receive changes, while several weapon kits have had their required special points adjusted. Nintendo says Version 11.3.0 is intended to make it harder for certain weapons to maintain safe and constant pressure while strengthening the individual characteristics of others. Another multiplayer-focused balance update is already planned.
Splatoon 3 Version 11.3.0 Introduces Another Multiplayer Update
Splatoon 3 is continuing to evolve with Version 11.3.0, which Nintendo released on August 19, 2026 for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Rather than focusing on a single adjustment, this update reaches into several areas of multiplayer and changes how a selection of familiar weapons perform. There is also a notable reward waiting for players who have ventured into Splatoon Raiders. The headline addition is the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica, but Nintendo has paired that new weapon with changes affecting main weapons, special weapons and the number of points needed to activate certain specials. It makes Version 11.3.0 more than a simple crossover reward. Competitive players have plenty of numbers to digest, while more casual players may notice that some familiar encounters suddenly feel a little different once they return to the battlefield.
Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica Connects Splatoon 3 With Splatoon Raiders
The Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica creates a direct connection between Splatoon Raiders and Splatoon 3. Players who have experienced the makeshift weapon design in Raiders can now carry a replica into Splatoon 3 multiplayer battles, giving the reward a little more personality than a typical unlock. Its intentionally improvised appearance fits Splatoon’s habit of turning ordinary household objects into surprisingly capable ink-based weaponry. A plastic bottle doesn’t exactly scream battlefield equipment, but in this universe that’s half the fun. More importantly, Nintendo has made the weapon a reward for progressing through Splatoon Raiders rather than something automatically handed to every Splatoon 3 player. That requirement gives Raiders players something tangible to bring back with them after finishing its main story, strengthening the connection between the two games without giving the replica unique combat statistics unavailable elsewhere.
How Players Can Unlock the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica
Unlocking the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica requires more than simply installing Version 11.3.0. Players need Splatoon Raiders save data on the same system, and the main story in that game must have been completed. Once those requirements have been met, the weapon can be collected through the lobby terminal in Splatoon 3. There is another detail worth remembering: Splatoon 3 must be started using the same user profile associated with the qualifying Splatoon Raiders save data. That prevents progress stored under another account on the system from unlocking the weapon for everyone automatically. For anyone who has already finished Splatoon Raiders, the process should be straightforward. Update Splatoon 3, launch it with the appropriate profile and visit the lobby terminal. The replica should then become available without requiring players to complete an additional multiplayer challenge.
Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica Uses Tentatek Splattershot Specifications
Although its appearance is new, the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica does not introduce an exclusive multiplayer setup or a statistical advantage tied to owning Splatoon Raiders. Nintendo states that the weapon has the same specifications as the Tentatek Splattershot. That means players familiar with the Tentatek version should already have a very good idea of what to expect before firing their first shot. The replica therefore works primarily as a cosmetic and thematic reward rather than a must-have competitive weapon locked behind another game. That’s an important distinction, particularly in a multiplayer environment where exclusive equipment with superior performance could create understandable frustration. Instead, Raiders players receive a recognizable souvenir that can be shown off in battles while existing Splatoon 3 players retain access to equivalent gameplay through the Tentatek Splattershot. It is a neat crossover reward without tipping the competitive scales.
Main Weapon Adjustments Change Several Familiar Choices
Version 11.3.0 also changes the performance of several main weapons, with Nintendo targeting both weapons that needed a little encouragement and those capable of maintaining pressure too comfortably. The adjustments cover rollers, sloshers, dualies, shooters, chargers and stringers, so the effects are spread across very different play styles. Some changes are immediately easy to understand, such as lower ink consumption, while others deal with factors including damage falloff, projectile scatter or the size of inked areas. Even relatively modest percentage changes can matter in Splatoon because positioning, ink efficiency and fractions of a second often determine whether a confrontation ends in a splat or a hurried retreat. Players who have built their habits around one of the affected weapons may therefore need a few matches to adjust to the new values and discover how much their usual strategies have changed.
Carbon Roller, Tri-Slosher and Glooga Dualies Receive Improvements
The Carbon Roller family receives two notable improvements. Nintendo adjusted damage falloff based on distance for vertical swings, allowing the Carbon Roller, Carbon Roller Deco and Carbon Roller ANG-L to deal 50.0 damage or 100 damage from farther away than before. Their maximum movement speed while holding ZR to ink while moving forward has also increased by approximately 5 percent. Together, those adjustments should make the weapons more comfortable when approaching opponents and applying pressure rather than requiring quite as much precision at the edge of their effective range.
Tri-Slosher users also receive a welcome efficiency boost. The Tri-Slosher, Tri-Slosher Nouveau and Tri-Slosher ASH-N now consume approximately 5 percent less ink. Meanwhile, the Glooga Dualies and Glooga Dualies Deco have approximately 10 percent less shot scatter after performing a Dodge Roll. That change should reward players who make active use of the weapon class’s defining mobility mechanic by giving them more dependable follow-up shots after repositioning.
.52 Gal, E-liter 4K, Snipewriter and Tri-Stringer Face Adjustments
Not every affected weapon receives a boost. The .52 Gal and .52 Gal Deco now produce a smaller ink splatter radius when projectiles land at a distance, with Nintendo reducing that radius by approximately 8 percent. This should slightly reduce their ability to spread ink from safer positions. E-liter 4K variants have also been adjusted through the Ink Saver (Main) ability. Nintendo has lessened the effect of the ability’s ink-consumption reduction when used with the E-liter 4K, Custom E-liter 4K, E-liter 4K Scope and Custom E-liter 4K Scope, meaning players relying heavily on that ability may find their ink management more demanding.
The Snipewriter 5H and Snipewriter 5B now consume approximately 7 percent more ink, introducing another resource-management consideration for players who frequently maintain pressure from range. The Tri-Stringer family has also been adjusted, with the Tri-Stringer, Inkline Tri-Stringer, Bulbz Tri-Stringer and Order Stringer Replica receiving a reduction to the size of the area inked by their falling spray. Individually, these changes might sound small. Taken together, however, they show Nintendo targeting the ability of certain ranged weapons to control valuable territory while remaining relatively safe.
Special Weapons Receive Important Balance Changes
Main weapons aren’t the only tools being adjusted in Version 11.3.0. Triple Splashdown, Trizooka and Ink Vac have all received changes designed to alter how they function during multiplayer battles. Triple Splashdown is particularly interesting because Nintendo has changed several parts of the special simultaneously. After activating it, players become invulnerable to incoming damage approximately one-sixth of a second faster than before. That should make successful activation slightly more reliable when the player is under immediate pressure. However, the radius of its damaging explosions has been reduced by approximately 9 percent. Nintendo has also increased the distance travelled by the ink fists by approximately 9 percent. The result is a special that behaves somewhat differently depending on the opponent’s position rather than simply becoming stronger or weaker across the board.
Nintendo specifically notes that these Triple Splashdown adjustments decrease the area in which overlapping explosions can inflict 100 damage or more. Meanwhile, Trizooka shots travel approximately 13 percent faster without receiving additional flight distance. Targets will therefore have less time to react even though the weapon’s overall reach remains unchanged. Ink Vac moves in the opposite direction, with the amount of enemy ink it can absorb reduced by approximately 9 percent. Players who rely on Ink Vac to neutralize sustained incoming fire may consequently need to be a little more selective about when they activate it.
Special Weapon Point Requirements Are Adjusted
Three weapon kits have also received changes to the amount of turf that needs to be inked before their special weapon becomes available. The Splattershot Pro FRZ-N drops from 190 required points to 180, allowing its special to be charged somewhat more frequently over the course of a match. The Custom Hydra Splatling receives the same numerical reduction, moving from 200 points to 190. These adjustments should give both weapons slightly more frequent access to their respective specials when players consistently contribute to turf coverage.
The Inkline Tri-Stringer heads in the opposite direction. Its requirement increases from 190 points to 200, meaning players will need to put in additional work before each special activation. Combined with the reduction to the area inked by falling Tri-Stringer spray, this could have a noticeable effect on how easily the Inkline Tri-Stringer builds special charge while controlling territory. It’s another example of Nintendo using multiple smaller adjustments rather than one dramatic nerf to change how efficiently a weapon influences a match.
Nintendo Explains the Goals Behind Version 11.3.0
Nintendo has provided some context for the thinking behind these multiplayer adjustments. According to the update notes, the developers wanted to make it more difficult for certain main weapons to safely keep Splat Zones inked or continually pressure opposing players. That philosophy can be seen clearly in adjustments affecting ranged inking, ink consumption and special requirements. Rather than dramatically reducing raw damage across the board, Nintendo is targeting how easily some weapons can influence important areas without exposing their users to enough risk.
Other weapons have been handled differently. Nintendo says some changes were made to strengthen their unique characteristics or simply make them easier to use. The improvements to Carbon Roller movement and vertical swings fit that description nicely, while reduced post-Dodge Roll scatter gives Glooga Dualies players a clearer benefit for leaning into the movement mechanics that distinguish dualies from ordinary shooters. These kinds of adjustments can help weapons feel more distinct without reinventing them. In a game with such a large arsenal, maintaining recognizable strengths and weaknesses is often just as important as chasing perfectly equal statistics.
Another Multiplayer Balance Update Is Already Planned
Version 11.3.0 will not be the final word on Splatoon 3’s multiplayer balance. Nintendo has confirmed that the next update is planned to focus on additional multiplayer balance changes. No detailed list of those future adjustments has been provided in the Version 11.3.0 notes, so there is little value in guessing which weapons might be targeted next. What is clear is that Nintendo is still watching how the game’s arsenal performs and remains willing to adjust individual weapons, specials and efficiency values when necessary.
For players, that means the metagame can continue shifting even after years of experimentation with Splatoon 3’s weapon roster. Version 11.3.0 is a good example of how relatively small numerical changes can reshape familiar matchups without fundamentally rewriting the game. Throw the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica into the mix and there is also something fun for Splatoon Raiders players to collect. Sometimes an update needs a major new mode to grab your attention. Other times, a plastic bottle, some carefully adjusted percentages and the promise of more balancing are enough to get everyone experimenting again.
Conclusion
Splatoon 3 Version 11.3.0 combines a new Splatoon Raiders reward with another meaningful round of multiplayer tuning. Players who have completed the Splatoon Raiders main story can now claim the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica through the Splatoon 3 lobby terminal when using the same user profile, giving them a distinctive new version of a familiar weapon. Because its specifications match the Tentatek Splattershot, the reward adds personality without creating an exclusive competitive advantage.
Beyond that addition, the update touches a broad selection of weapons and specials. Carbon Rollers, Tri-Sloshers and Glooga Dualies receive useful improvements, while weapons such as the E-liter 4K, Snipewriter and Tri-Stringer require more careful resource or territory management. Triple Splashdown, Trizooka and Ink Vac have also been adjusted, and several weapon kits now require different amounts of special points. Nintendo has already confirmed that another update will concentrate on multiplayer balance, so Version 11.3.0 appears to be another step in the continued refinement of Splatoon 3 rather than the end of its balancing efforts.
FAQs
- What does Splatoon 3 Version 11.3.0 add?
- Version 11.3.0 adds the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica and introduces multiplayer balance changes affecting several main weapons, special weapons and special-point requirements.
- How do you unlock the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica in Splatoon 3?
- You need Splatoon Raiders save data on the same system with its main story completed. Splatoon 3 must then be launched using the same user profile before the weapon can be claimed from the lobby terminal.
- Is the Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica stronger than other Splatoon 3 weapons?
- No. Nintendo states that it has the same weapon specifications as the Tentatek Splattershot, so the Raiders-related unlock does not provide unique combat statistics.
- Does Splatoon 3 Version 11.3.0 apply to Nintendo Switch 2?
- Yes. Nintendo says the Version 11.3.0 changes apply to Splatoon 3 on both Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Nintendo Switch.
- Will Splatoon 3 receive another balance update?
- Yes. Nintendo has confirmed that the next planned update will focus on additional multiplayer balance adjustments, although the specific changes have not yet been detailed.
Sources
- How to Update Splatoon 3, Nintendo Support, August 19, 2026
- Plastic-Bottle Shot Replica, Inkipedia, August 15, 2026
- Version 11.3.0 (Splatoon 3), Inkipedia, August 14, 2026