Splatoon 3 will be four years old later this year, and despite Nintendo ending regular update plans in late 2024 and Splatoon Raiders being deep into development, we’re still getting new content and gameplay patches.

Last summer’s 10.0.0 update enhanced the game with new weapon kits, an extra map, and plenty of tweaks and smaller additions. Moreover, Switch 2 owners got a resolution increase and rock-solid framerates. Ahead of Raiders, it felt like the perfect farewell to Splatoon 3 and a way to solidify its continued online domination on Switch consoles until a fourth game hits, as it sounds like the spinoff’s priorities are PvE-oriented.

Today, 27th January, we’ve been surprised by yet another major patch coming to Splatoon 3 as soon as this week. The meta-shaking 11.0.0 update drops on 29th January, so plan your weekend accordingly.

The “meta-shaking” bit isn’t a joke or an exaggeration. While it doesn’t add new content to the jumbo-sized threequel, it changes and expands the gameplay significantly with tweaks and even an all-new mechanic: Flow Aura.

“Inklings and Octolings who splat multiple opponents in quick succession will enter a new state called Flow Aura,” the official post explains. This multi-frag boost of sorts goes on for longer than 30 seconds if you splat more opponents and/or assist teammates. During this period, ink bursts around the player and speed, resistance, and “intensify actions” receive enhancements. This will no doubt encourage more aggressive play styles across the board, perhaps in an attempt by the devs to minimize the impact of campers and cheap opportunist strategies, further pushing Splatoon into the classical “arena shooter” space.

Another massive addition is that of a Stealth Jump gear ability which “allows players to jump to their teammates without the opposing team necessarily seeing where they will land.” As a way to offset its massive potential, the developers have increased the flight time for this type of respawn jump.

Last but not least, health bars will now be shown above damaged players, but not when they’re behind cover or diving into ink. While this has been a common bit of most online team-based shooters for years, Splatoon only indicated the damage sustained by other players with the amount of ink covering them. Coupled with smaller hit boxes for Inklings and Octolings when in “swim form” (as well as adjustments to weapons’ own hit boxes), combat encounters might change in a big way come Thursday. Getting behind cover and swimming away from danger will be more important than ever before.

You can find the full patch notes (complete with stat changes) here. More updates for Splatoon 3 might also arrive in the near future, since a native Switch 2 version with further improvements may be arriving soon.