Splatoon 3 Wave 1 DLC: Release date, expansion price, what to expect, and more

The Splatoon 3 DLC expansion was something that fans have been waiting for quite some time now, with the community finally receiving an official release date for when the Wave 1 expansion will go live.

The first part of the recently-revealed Expansion pass will be made available to players on February 28, 2023. Although the Wave 2 expansion date is yet to be announced, many in the community feel that players should receive it fairly soon.

Unlike in Splatoon 2, the post-launch content for Splatoon 3, which is the Expansion pass, will be divided into two different portions. While Wave 1 of the expansion, which will be released next week, will be called Inkopolis, Wave 2 will be named Side Order.

Those looking to enjoy this expansion will have to purchase the complete pass for $24.99. Unfortunately, for the time being, players won't be able to purchase the Waves individually. If they're looking to get their hands on the DLC, they will be required to buy the entire pass at full price.

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What to expect from the Splatoon 3 DLC Expansion Pass?

For the upcoming Splatoon 3 Wave 1 DLC, players can expect a good deal of focus on the introduction of a new visitable location, which is the original Splatoon city of Inkopolis. Players will be able to travel to Inkopolis from Splatsville and even obtain useful weapons and gear that they are already familiar with in the game.

Additionally, the developers have designed something fairly special when it comes to how each Splatfest will be celebrated in Inkopolis. At every upcoming Splatfest, the Squid Sisters of Callie and Marie will perform in the city to celebrate the occasion.

Unfortunately, there won't be any story or gameplay-focused elements in Wave 1 of the DLC. However, it's important to note that this is just the first part of the Expansion Pass and it’s more than likely that Nintendo will be introducing an extensive number of gameplay elements with the next Wave.

Moreover, players should also keep in mind that the current catalog, the Splatoon 3 Battle Pass, is expected to end at around the time that Inkopolis goes live. Hence, those who are yet to complete and obtain all the rewards from the Chill Season catalog only have a limited amount of time to do so before it's replaced with a brand new tier of objectives and rewards.

A new Spring Catalog will be available with the new expansion and it will be quite interesting to see the type of rewards that will be made available this time around.